Mississippi River

The majority of the plot takes place on the river or its banks. For Huck and Jim, the river represents freedom. On the raft, they are completely independent and determine their own courses of action. Jim looks forward to reaching the free states, and Huck is eager to escape his abusive, drunkard of a father and the " civilization" of Miss Watson. However, the towns along the river bank begin to exert influence upon them, and eventually Huck and Jim meet criminals, shipwrecks, dishonesty, and great danger. Finally, a fog forces them to miss the town of Cairo, at which point there were planning to head up the Ohio River, towards the free states, in a steamboat.

Originally, the river is a safe place for the two travelers, but it becomes increasingly dangerous as the realities of their runaway lives set in on Huck and Jim. Once reflective of absolute freedom, the river soon becomes only a short-term escape, and the novel concludes on the safety of dry land, where, ironically, Huck and Jim find their true freedom.

Character List

Adolphus

Huck's name when the King pretends to be the British brother of Peter Wilks.

Levi Bell

The lawyer who tries to ascertain the true heirs to the Wilks's fortune.

Rev. Elexander Blodgett

The false name the King uses when addressing Tim Collins, the young man bound for Orleans who tells the King everything about the Wilks family.

Boggs

A drunk man who insults Colonel Sherburn and is later killed by him. The action takes place in the same town where the Duke and the King put on their Shakespearean show.

Tim Collins

A young man who reveals the entire story about the Wilks's fortune to the King.

The Dauphin

See The King

Widow Douglas

The widow who takes Huck into her home and tries to " civilize" him. It is her home that he leaves when Pap kidnaps him and takes him to the log cabin.

The Duke

The younger of the two con men and the man who invents the Royal Nonesuch. He is later tarred and feathered in Pikesville.

Huckleberry Finn

The main character of the story. He runs away and travels down the Mississippi River on a raft with a runaway slave, Jim, as his companion.

Bob Grangerford

A son of Col. Grangerford.

Buck Grangerford

The youngest son of Col. Grangerford who becomes good friends with Huck but is later killed in the feud.

Miss Charlotte Grangerford

A daughter of Col. Grangerford.

Col. Grangerford

The father of the Grangerford house and the man who invites Huck to live with the family. He is killed in the feud.