ds to the time the story takes place. According to “Pictures of Jim:” “Who dah?" This is Jim's first line, which is also the novel's first line of dialogue. It's a good question for Jim to ask. One of the greatest issues raised by the novel is "who is there" as far as Jim is concerned -- a human being? A piece of property? What makes Huck decide to "go to hell" in the scene that most critics call the moral climax of the story is that he can "see Jim before me," instead of the figure his culture has told him is there: "Miss Watson's nigger." But how the novel as a whole "sees" him is a question that remains very controversial” (1). Over the course of the novel Huck's opinion of Jim changes. In the beginning of their voyage, Huck feels he shouldn't be helping Jim to freedom and almost turns him in to slave catchers, "I was paddling off, all in a sweat to tell on him; but when he says this (that Huck is his one and only friend) it seemed to take the tuck all out of me” (Twain 87). Huck begins to enjoy having Jim's company, and when Jim is sold by the Duke and the King, Huck breaks down and cries while asking the Duke where Jim is, "'sold him' I says, and begun to cry; 'why he was my nigger, and that was my money. Where is he? … I want my nigger” (Twain, 208) Then Huck steals Jim from the Phelps farm (eventhough he was already set free by Miss Watson's will). Huck Finn changes as we go through the story because Jim becomes more then a “nigger” to Huck. Huck’s eyes are opened to the possibility that Jim is a man and not someone’s property. It may be suprising but Huck Finn wasn't considered a racist for the time that this story occurred. Huck Finn acted and thought just like many other Southerners,(Huck) We blowed out a cylinder head. (Aunt Sally) Good gracious! Anybody hurt? (Huck) No'm killed a nigger. (Aunt Sally) Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt." B...
