Huckleberry Finn was set when African Americans were forced into slavery and portrayed as less than human, unintelligent, incapable of emotion, and uncaring. Jim, a man who tried to prove his freedom, broke every stereotype African American slaves were said to carry. Although some characters in the novel developed into more humane characters, Jim however, remained constant throughout the novel. Many characters in the novel degraded African Americans and disregarded their right to freedom. Jim was sympathetic and compassionate from the very beginning. Jim’s form of loyalty evolved over the course of the novel. Being African American, Jim was forced into white loyalty early on. By the end of the novel, Jim freely chose loyalty to Huck, giving…show more content… Even after a slave had earned the right to their freedom, whites did not see them fit to live in an equal society as they did. During this era, even though African Americans were being oppressed, as a unit they kept their morale up, sang songs, and united together to keep each other’s heads up. Slaves were often deprived food, water, work breaks, and basic human rights. As a slave during the pre-civil war era, Jim was forced into long, vigorous, and straining work days. Even after being treated like a piece of property and forced into hard labor, Jim kept his head held high and trusted those he interacted with. Jim is the most consistent in trusting those who were the reason for African American oppression. Although Huckleberry Finn is filled with many different personalities, Jim spent his entire life as a slave, yet put all the trust he had into a little white child to help him obtain his freedom. Jim embarked on the journey of his freedom and had a little white boy by his side to help guide him. It takes a lot for someone who spends their life being told they are not good enough, to befriend a white child who is told that African Americans are worthless. He learned to look at Huck as a friend, rather than someone who is above him based on skin color. Jim is betrayed by a lot of white people during his journey, but Huck is the only one who becomes his friend. Jim put a lot on the line…show more content… As Jim became more intelligent about Huck’s trickery, he started to stand up for himself, “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d a knowed it would make him feel that way,” (Twain, 89). After standing up for himself, Jim made Huck realize how similar they really are. The fact that an African American man stood up for himself to a white child goes to show that Jim began to see personality in lieu of skin color as did Huck. Jim evolved into someone who was comfortable enough in his own skin to stand up to his friend, aside from what society had told each of them for their entire lives. Jim evolved into a strong African American who voiced his feelings and got respect from a white boy. Jim’s main goal was to gain his freedom so he could buy his family’s freedom. Ironically, Jim started to see Huck as family as well. While on the raft, Jim began to morph into a fatherly figure to Huck, “’Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face—it’s too gashly.’ I didn’t look at him at all. Jim throwed some old rags over him…”, (Twain, 52). Jim did not want him to see his own father’s body for fear of upsetting Huck. Jim was Huck’s mentor and role model while they were on the raft. Jim had many opportunities