[F] Ms. Stokes: Chapters 23-25

For me, the centerpiece of these chapters is the deafening silence that surrounds Jim’s admission of guilt about the treatment of Elizabeth. Huck’s discovery of Jim’s private grief is yet another of the “pinches” that challenge his Southern indoctrination: “I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for theirn.” However, much to our dismay, Huck cannot satisfactorily incorporate this epiphany into his worldview, as evidenced by the immediate shift in focus to the ongoing antics of the Duke and the King in Chapter 24. A question arises here: on what authority does Huck feel entitled to stand in judgment of the type of father Jim is? We are keenly aware of Twain’s satire at this moment; having experienced nothing other than an abusive, drunken father for the majority of his childhood, the fact that Huck’s racism precludes his ability to recognize Jim’s grief as “natural” reveals how entrenched his socialization has been. Later, when Twain has the King and Duke echo Jim’s sorrow by deciding if, in their next con, they will play “deef and dumb,” we are doubly reminded of Huck’s silence (he doesn’t speak up on this decision) and how an awareness of Jim’s humanity is ephemeral at best, once it becomes clear that his chances for freedom continue to dwindle.