Jim Immitation

Huck an' me 'uz a sailin' on down dah river. I 'uz pooty tir'd en all, but I s'pose that is a lit'l price tah pay fer mah freedum. I 'uz willin' tah pay it. So, we was a sailin' down dah river, when I sees a run'way like mahself. I ord'rd Huck tuh stop dah raft, an' he did. I runned to dah run'way and told him tuh come with Huck an' me. He oblig'd, an' we was off. Dah run'way was named Barns. He was mighty pow'rful. He 'us big an' huge an' had mighty ahms. He could pick dah raff up if he want'd tuh. He telled us uv whites runnin' 'round lookin' foh us run'ways, and for us tuh keep a caref'l eye. We wuz a cruisin' down dah river, en we seed a thing walkin'. I an' Barns hid in dah canoe, an' Huck stayed out on watch. Soon enough, we heah a yelp, an' Huck say'd dat duh white guy catched ah black run'way. I felt badly foh dah othuh guy, but we can' go back ‘n' save 'im now. Barns and I would uh be in danj'ah. I ‘uz awful scar’d right den, mah freed’m ‘uz on de lahn. ‘Un twitch too much, en I’da been haul’d off wid dem otha run’way. Such ain’t mah plan. We kept a sailin’ b’fo we ‘uz catch’d by dem white fo’k. 'Bout more’n ah mile down dah river, we seen another guy, an' he seed us and call'd us. Barns and I hid low in dah canoe, an' Huck goed and talked to dah guy. I reckon he wuz a red jug er som’fin. He call'd himself dah "Kool-aid man," an' he gived Huck fruity drinks an' then he says, real low an' all, "Oh yea." If I knew he’d a be givin’ out juic’s, I agwyne to get some fo’ mahself. Dat gweedy Huck chug’d dem drinks en a gulp each. Den we was off again. We continued on, an’ we sees not’in else worth mentionin’. Coupl’a snags, not’in too excit’in. No mo’ whities, no mo’ run’ways, no mo’ “Kool-aid men.” T’waz quite most o’ de way, nothin’ mo’ o’ impo’tance. We got ourselves a new c’mrade, ol’ Barnes. He’s agwyne be a asset, I can shu’e tell yuh.

Immitating Huck

Today was a ruther unordinary day. Or should I say, tonight was an unordinary night? Jim and me sleep during the day, and it were night when we was awake. Anyhow, we was sailing down the river, as we always does. Then, one second, we heard an explosion a ways off. I reckon it was a steamboat, but Jim says it was a mob coming to get him. That king and crummy duke who left us the day before must of gave us away. I says that they was after our money, them con artists. I was right, they made us some, then they taked it all back when they left. Nohow, we glided swift along, dead straight. We seen fire and smoke after a while. I was right, it was a blown up steam boat there. The area was empty of no one, and I reckon that it wouldn’t be of no harm to investigate and loot the smoldering heap of mangled metal. Jim warn’t real comfortable with this, he felt like he was being watched. Jim worries more than he ought to worry. How dreadful lonesome that wreck was, laying there in the dead center of the river. Jim tells me it ‘uz too treacherous to get onto the boat, since there mightn’t be nobody there, or the fire might happen to intensify.
Nohow, I leaved Jim at the moment and getted myself onto the boat. I searched around, but nothing come of it. It was all ashen, and there was nothing worth the taking. Then, I hear a crack under my feet. The boat then broke in two, and was sanking under my feet. Jim was at shore, and he shoved off the shore and come by the burning boat. I jumped off. I reckon I fell forever, but I felt myself hit the raft solid. I was safe. I think that Jim must be a hero or something. I would a never thought o’ that myself.

To Page 157

1.) crick - (n.) variant of creek (dictionary.com)

"and paddled about a mile up a crick amongst the cypress woods, to see if I couldn't get some berries" (Twain 131).

2.) contrite - (adj.) caused by or showing sincere remorse (dictionary.com)

"come with contrite heart!" (143).

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1.) "If I never learnt[sic] nothing else out of pap[sic], I learnt[sic] that the best way to get along with this kind of people is to let them have their own way" (137).

This is Huck's reaction when he discovered that the "duke" and "king" had lied about their positions. This ties into the recurring theme of fantasy that is ever present throughout the text. As previously mentioned, Jim believed wholeheartedly in superstition. Now, there comes two strangers, one claiming to be a king and the other a duke. At this time, Huck looks back to what his father taught him. Apparently, he says to let people who lie about their positions have their way. This relates to earlier times, when Huck touched the snakeskin and Jim got bitten. Perhaps that was a sign of the hardships that Jim and Huck would have to overcome on their way north. Perhaps, by meeting the king and duke, they will only stall Jim's dream of getting north. Possibly, they might aid Jim, since they could bring more money to the cause.

2.) "Handcuffs and chains would look still better on Jim, but it wouldn't go well with the story of us being so poor. Too much like jewelry. Ropes are the correct thing - we must preserve the unities, as we say on the boards" (146).

This quote relates to the themes of freedom and bondage. As of yet, the king and duke are helping Huck and Jim to get north. They are making money with all sorts of pranks and scams, and they thought up a way to travel north by day. Such a method involved tying Jim up during the day when they traveled, so that passers by would think he was a captured runaway slave who was being returned. However, if what Jim wants is freedom, it seems that he has to endure the shackles of slavery all over again. With the case of the king at the mass saying he was a pirate who would change his ways, it is clear that the king and duke are con artists. Even their titles are fake. If Jim and Huck place their trust in the king and duke, they may be led the wrong way. As a part of their plan, the duke posted a reward for finding Jim. As it seems, the duo is always clamoring for money. Chances are, their plan is to turn Jim in to get themselves even more, and maybe even find a place for Huck, which could supply them with even more.

To Page 129

1.) snag - (n.) a tree or part of a tree held fast in the bottom of a river, lake, etc., and forming an impediment or danger to navigation (dictionary.com)

"I reckoned Jim had fetched up on a snag, maybe, and it was all up with him" (Twain 95).

2.) reticule - (n.) a small purse or bag, originally of network but later of silk, rayon, etc. (dictionary.com)

"holding a white handkerchief and a reticule, and underneath the picture it said "Shall I Never See Thee More Alas" (113).
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1.) "It was fifteen minutes before could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger - but I done it, and I warn't[sic] ever sorry for it afterwards, neither" (98).

In this quote, Huck learns to apologize to Jim for hurting him. At the time when this quote comes in, Jim and Huck were reunited after the raft and canoe were separated. Jim is glad to see Huck alive, but Huck says that they were never separated and that Jim was dreaming. Jim then went on to tell his dream. It was about how their hardships now would culminate in Jim's freedom. Yet, after seeing branches on the raft, Jim gets angry with Huck for making a fool of him, since Jim knew he called out for Huck since they were separated, and fell asleep. This quote shows an inversion of the views Huck has grown to accept during his life. During the time in which the story takes place, it is in the South when there is still slavery. Slaves had about as many laws as property, since they were ranked in the same category. For the first time, Huck regrets mistreating and lying to Jim. Jim was obviously hurt, and especially because his freedom was in question. Though Huck would probably take him and turn him in down South to be sold again, Huck was not that way. He knew Jim more personally and chose to help him, and he said that sometimes, being by himself was "sort of lonesome" (49).

2.) "Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft" (128).

In this quote, Huck leaves the Grangerfords' house and goes off with Jim towards the north and freedom. Huck enjoyed his time with the Grangerfords and enjoyed their hospitality, but he was ready to leave the place. He once said that comparing his prior life to his life at the Grangerford's, "Nothing couldn't be better" (116). However, this was changed after he witnessed a feud between the Grangerfords and nearby Shepherdsons. After Sofia got married to Harney Shepherdson, they ran off before they were suspected. Yet, they were found out and there followed a gunfight. In that fight, many of the Grangerfords got killed, including Buck, with whom Huck was closest. Sick of the fighting and to ways of society, Huck rediscovered his freedom and independence soon after, when he and Jim went off in the raft. As when he stayed with the Grangerfords, he reasserted that "There ain't[sic] nothing in the world so good" (128). Huck is definitely glad to leave behind the feud. He had suffered enough abuse in his father's hands. That is why he was glad to return to the raft, which initally brought his freedom from his father.

To Page 66

1.) haggle - (v.) to mangle in cutting; hack (dictionary.com)

"I catched[sic] a cat-fish and haggled him open with my saw, and towards sundown I started my camp fire and had supper" (Twain 49).

2.) shanty - (n.) a crudely built hut, cabin, or house (dictionary.com)

"There was a light burning in a little shanty that hadn't been lived in for a long time, and I wondered who had took up quarters there" (65).

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1.) "Well, I b'lieve[sic] you, Huck. I-I run off" (53).

In this quote, the reader learns that Jim also cherishes freedom as much as Huck does. This comes as no surprise, since Jim is a slave, and no one would appreciate having to perform mandatory labor. Jim ran off to the island where Huck was when he heard that Ms. Watson planned to sell him to Orleans for $800. She promised not to, but she had nothing to lose in selling him and getting $800. This is the beginning of a realization of similarities between Huck and Jim. As already mentioned, they value freedom. Huck sees freedom as "I was boss of it; it all belonged to me, so to say, and I wanted to know all about it; but mainly I wanted to put in the time" (49-50). In the case of Jim, freedom is escaping "Ole[sic] Missus[sic] - dat's[sic] Miss Watson - she pecks on me all de[sic] time, en[sic] treats me pooty[sic] rough" (53). Also, they believe in superstition, as exemplified in the following quote.

2.) "You said it was the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snake-skin with my hands" (62).

This quote is one of several examples of Huck and Jim's belief in superstition. From the start, it was evident that Huck believed in fantasy, like the time when he and his friends were going to rob elephants and Arabs. Yet, most superstitious of all would have to be Jim. He has all sorts of good and bad signs. The above quote is one of several bad signs. This goes along with the examples of talking to bees after their keeper dies. Jim also dreamed up some good luck signs. One example comes in when he says, "Ef[sic] you's got hairy arms en[sic] a hairy breas'[sic], it's a sign dat[sic] you's agwyne[sic] to be rich" (56). Then he goes on to tell about his troubles with speculation. One things is evident, and that is that superstition is a part of his culture. In The Crucible, Tituba seemed lost whenever anyone talked of witchcraft. She then said later on that she signed the devil's book and admitted all sorts of other falsehoods. Among other examples is this more modern one. Fairly recently in Nigeria, "Police in Nigeria are holding a goat on suspicion of attempted armed robbery" (Reuters). That is because "Vigilantes took the black and white beast to the police saying it was an armed robber who had used black magic to transform himself into a goat to escape arrest after trying to steal a Mazda 323" (Reuters). Being a slave, Jim was more than likely from Africa, and superstition abounds in such areas.

To Page 46

1.) cuss - (v.) to use profanity; curse; swear (dictionary.com)

"Then the old man go to cussing, and cussed everything and everybody he could think of" (Twain 35).

2.) skiff - (n.) any of various types of boats small enough for sailing or rowing by one person (dictionary.com)

"So he locked me in and took the skiff and started off towing the raft about half-past three" (42).

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1.) "This shook me up considerable, because I didn't want to go back to the widow's any more and be so cramped up and sivilized[sic], as they call it" (35).

In this quote, Huck denounces the lifestyle he had with Ms. Watson. While with Ms. Watson, he was more civilized and regulated than with his father, and was allowed an education. Huck likes his life with his father in the woods for one reason. With his father, he has more independence. He and his father fish and hunt for food together, and when his father is drunk, Huck could do whatever he wanted. Yet, Huck felt a bit restricted with his father. Sometimes, his father would go out to town and lock Huck indoors for perhaps three days at a time. To be indoors with absolutely nothing to do must be unbearable. Yet, Huck's free spirit makes the most of the opportunity. He finds a saw in his house and saws a hole behind some provisions so that he could leave the house when he wanted to. When he made the hole, he had another plan, which was to leave his father. Huck never appreciated when his father got drunk, came after his money, or locked him indoors. His obvious solution to remedy those problems was to leave his father entirely, and even avoid being taken in by Ms. Watson. Huck planned to sail away in a skiff he found to a desolate island and live off the land there, and he did just that.

2.) "I judged I'd hide her good, and then, stead of taking to the woods when I run off, I'd go down the river about fifty mile and camp in one place for good, and not have such a rough time tramping on foot" (41).

This quote comes in when Huck plans his escape from his father. When this quote is introduced, Huck finds a skiff and resolves to tell his father about it, since it was worth ten dollars. Yet, the above quote is Huck's refutation of his previous thoughts. He knew that his father would buy whiskey with any money he could get his hands on. Instead, he planned to use the boat to escape his abusive father and make a living on his own at a desolate island. This is Huck's free spirit at its best. Normally, a child of his age would fear being separated from their parents or guardians. If they were, they would probably not survive long on their own. Yet, Huck is inventive. He has a boat ready, and even brings plenty of supplies with him to make a decent living, but only for so long. Also, his hunting and fishing skills he learned with his father could do him some good. Most children of his age would not think of doing what he did unless instructed through preparation and survival techniques. Huck was trained in those areas because of his upbringing with his father, and Huck then decided to put his skills to the test by leaving his father altogether. Now that Huck has come this far, hopefully he will not be misguided by his imagination, or will encounter others who might give him trouble.