[F] Andre: Chapters 11-13

Mark Twain uses chapters 11 to 13 to, first of all, move the plot forward. The crucial turning is when Huck and Jim leave Jackson Island and embark on their marvelous adventure down the Mississippi. Up until this point, Huck could have returned home. He would have to admit he faked his death but presumably, though, everyone in the town would understand why he had to get away from Pap. By setting course down the river, he makes a definitive move that cannot easily be reversed.

In these three chapters, we get additional evidence proving Huck’s intelligence and also of his remarkable creativity. Huck’s plan to dress as a girl was brilliant in some ways, but flawed in others. It is hard to imagine a teenage boy instantly transforming himself into a believable girl. It is not surprising, therefore, that Mrs. Loftus is able to see through his disguise. Giving credit to Huck, though, when he is caught, he instantly makes up a new and more believable tale. (page 45) Through his cleverness, he learns important information about Jim’s situation – unless they leave the island instantly, Jim runs the risk of being captured by Mr. Loftus and his friends. Upon returning to the island Huck demonstrates another aspect of his quick thinking. Knowing Loftus is about to come to island to capture Jim and collect 800 dollars, Huck builds a fire at his old campsite. Being smart about human nature, he figures that the men will immediately go to the campfire and wait there, giving Huck and Jim a chance to make a clean getaway.

It almost seems that Huck is getting cleverer and cleverer as the trip continues. His plan to capture the criminals on the wrecked steamboat, the Walter Scott would have been perfect except that the disastrous disappearance of the raft made the plan impossible. True to form, Huck came up with an alternative plan. This one worked. A little later when Huck tries to get the watchman of the ferryboat to rescue the stranded men, he again invents an ingenious cover story. What’s more, Huck uses information that the watchman gives him to trick the watchman into action.

We can decisively say now that Huck is boy with a remarkable wit, but, so far, not much light has been shed on the intelligence or creativity of Jim. We know ways in which he seems ignorant: his way of talking and his superstitious beliefs. We know that he is loyal and caring in his treatment of Huck. He almost seems fatherly. Up until they leave the island, Huck is the mastermind and survivalist. Now we discover that Jim has his own fair share of survival techniques. The wigwam he builds on the raft is a terrific job of engineering, providing shelter and comfort. In upcoming chapters, it will be interesting to look for other examples of Jim’s creativity.

The question of Huck’s morality comes up several times in these chapters. He lies to Mrs. Loftus and the watchman. But we are used to his lying by now. For the first time, though, we see him stealing, although he calls it borrowing. He knows that this is moral from Pap’s point of view and immoral from the Widow’s. Huck decides to accept the moral system that is most convenient for the moment. He does something different for the stranded men, though. Huck goes out of his way to try and help them. He does not do this because it is the moral thing to do, but because he can all-too-easily imagine himself in such a circumstance. “I says to myself, there ain’t no telling but I might come to be a murderer myself, yet, and then how would I like it?” (page 54)

One final aspect of this chapter is how Huck’s relationship with Tom Sawyer has dramatically changed. It is interesting to see how Tom is in the story even though he isn’t on the adventure. Huck uses Tom as an inspiration and at times tries to compete with him. The fact is, without realizing it, Huck is outdoing Tom. Tom’s adventures are fantasies of being a wild bandit, and nothing will come of them. Huck, on the other hand, is living adventures Tom can only dream about.