A hero is a man of distinct courage or skill. Many people identify heroes in their lives and often model their ambitions after the example of those heroes. Children, especially young adults, often have a hero of some kind to look up to. However, many young people fail to recognize the silent heroes who have supported them throughout their lives. For example, a son may turn to his father for guidance and direction, because a father has the unique ability to guide his child into adulthood. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there is a common but controversial opinion that Jim, a runaway slave who accompanies Huck on his adventure, is Huck's true father figure. Over the course of the novel, Huck and Jim develop a relationship that replaces the father-son relationship Huck never had with his biological father, Pap. Jim plays a larger role in the novel as it progresses. Ultimately he is the person who nurtures Huck as he matures and at the same time acts as the literary tool of Twain's social commentary. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Twain paints Pap as an unsuitable father from the beginning of the novel. Twain describes Pap with animalistic adjectives as he writes, “He was nearly fifty and looked it. His hair was long and tangled and greasy, and hung down, and you could see his eyes shining as if he were behind the vines” (Twain 18). With this savage portrayal of Pap, Twain portrays him as a sad man who is unable to care for his son Huck. After seeing Pap for the first time in a long time, Huck makes it clear that he despises his father. Instead of bringing joy and happiness into Huck's life, Pap causes pain and agony to his son. Additionally, Huck's resentment for his father is cemented when Pap tries to steal a fortune that Huck finds during an adventure with Tom Sawyer. He says to his son: “I've been in town for two days and all I've heard is that you're rich […] That's why I came. Give me that money tomorrow: I want it”' (20). Pap returns to find Huck, not because he wants to see his son, but because he wants Huck's recently acquired fortune. His greedy greed is stronger than his paternal instinct. Through this scene, Pap proves himself to be the epitome of an incompetent parent, completely incapable of thinking about the well-being of others. Furthermore, Pap demonstrates that he lacks the ability to take care of himself when he is arrested for being drunk in public. As a result of his terrible performance, the town's new judge brings Pap to his house in hopes of changing the man's drunken ways. Hoping to rehabilitate him, the judge lets Pap away with a sorry story. However, Pap sneaks out of the judge's house to buy alcohol, "[...] and during the night, at a certain point, he became very thirsty [...] towards daylight he crept out again, drunk as a violinist (22). Pap's manipulation of the naïve judge offers further insight into his insidious ways. Pap takes advantage of the judge's sincerity. Through his actions, Pap is showing Huck how not to live an honest life. He has a negative influence on Huck. His chronic alcohol abuse and immoral standards make it impossible for him to be a positive father figure to Huck. Jim, on the other hand, is a kind and loving human being who coincidentally ends up with Huck in his life. adventure. Jim is a positive influence on Huck as they join forces to escape society and civilization. Although the couple runs away for different reasons (Huck wants freedom from society and his father, Jim wants freedom from slavery sobe able to see his family again), both share the overall goal of obtaining freedom. The two start out as friends, but their relationship slowly begins to develop into a familial relationship. The first noticeable change in Huck and Jim's relationship occurs halfway through the novel when a thick fog separates the two. Jim fears he will never see Huck again. After being reunited with Huck, Jim's worries are quelled: "And when I wake up and come back again, all safe and sound, the tears come, and I could kneel down and kiss you." foot, I'm so grateful” (86). Huck's disappearance terrifies Jim. He worries about Huck the whole time he's gone. When they reunite, Jim's relief is so overwhelming that he begins to cry. Jim's response to Huck's disappearance shows that Jim cares about Huck in a way that Pap never could. The paternal bond between the two develops over the course of their journey. When the couple thinks they have reached Cairo, Jim is ecstatic and affectionately tells Huck how much Huck means to him: “'Huck; I'm a free man […] Jim will never forget you, Huck; you're the best friend Jim ever had; and you're the only friend Jim has now”' (89). This touching statement reinforces Jim's true feelings towards Huck. As a result of their bond, Huck was gradually able to root himself into the deepest corners of Jim's heart, and in doing so, Huck opens the door for Jim to take the lead and assert himself in his father's role. In the last section of the novel, the true strength of the bond between Huck and Jim is evident in two distinct events. After the dolphin sells Jim, Huck has a moral battle on his mind. He believes he has sinned by helping Jim escape, so he decides to write to Miss Watson, telling her where Jim is. After writing the letter, however, Huck remembers the good times he spent with Jim at the river and decides not to betray the man. “I studied for a moment, holding my breath, and then I said to myself, 'Okay, then I'll go to hell' – and I tore it up” (214). He knows that if Miss Watson finds Jim, she will sell him and therefore decides that he would rather “go to hell” than send the letter. Jim's capture is an important moment of maturation for Huck because it leads him to a significant moral surrender. Huck cares too much about Jim to deny the man's humanity, despite his status as a slave. As a result, Huck decides to act rightly and go against society by helping Jim. This was an extremely bold move at the time because by helping a runaway slave, Huck puts his reputation and well-being at risk. Huck's enlightenment reveals how Huck and Jim became a family. Huck will do anything for Jim and vice versa. Furthermore, at the end of the novel, Jim makes one final statement that solidifies his fatherly role in Huck's life. He admits that he hid Pap's body from Huck, "'Doan' you member of the house that was floating down the river, and there was a man in dah, trembling, and I went in and set him free and not the I did." do you let yourself in? Well, then, you can take your money whenever you want it, kase dat wuz him [Pap],'' (293). By shielding Huck from the sight of his father's corpse, Jim once again affirms that he is a decent human being. Even though Huck despises the mere sight of his father, he still loves Pap deep down because after all, no matter how terrible a father Pap has been, he is still Huck's biological father. However, in this case, Jim, like any good father, protects Huck from the harsh realities of the world. He knows that seeing Pap's dead body will shock Huck for life. By the end of their adventure, Huck and Jim have managed to forge a virtually unbreakable paternal bond. Throughout the novel, Twain uses the relationship between Huck and Jim as a vehicle for his social commentary. It is ironic and funny at the same time.