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Jim is the other major character in the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn besides the title character. He is a controversial figure in American literature for his portrayal as a simple escaped slave. Because of the frequent use of a now derogatory term for African Americans, the novel has often been attacked for being racist throughout history; however, the novel and its characters are largely symphathetic to the plight of escaped slaves and critical of the institution of slavery.
Character inspiration
Jim may have been modeled after one or many slaves or a butler Twain knew.
Fictional biography
Huck had been placed under the guardianship of the Widow Douglas, who, together with her sister, Miss Watson, are attempting to "sivilize" him. Tom Sawyer appears briefly, helping Huck escape at night from the house, past Miss Watson's slave, Jim. After Huck escapes from the cabin, elaborately faking his own death, he sets off down the Mississippi River, encountering the slave, Jim, who Huck learns has run away.
Jim's spoken language is written in his native dialect and has enticed a number of academic studies. Jim is simple and trusting, even gullible. But Jim’s simple nature becomes common sense and helps chooses the right path for him and Huck to follow. Jim recognizes the duke and the king to be frauds. Jim becomes an authority figure in contrast to Huck's abusive father, who can be appreciated for his wisdom and intelligence. Jim realizes he cannot stop the con men from controlling the raft, but tells Huck:
“I doan’ hanker for no mo’ un um, Huck. Dese is all I kin stan’.”
Although Jim can choose to be free, he stays by Tom Sawyer’s side in the end.
Academic reception
Annemarie Hamlin and Constance Joyner offer "information about the views of the student and the teacher concerning the book's language as well as the portrayal of Jim, the main character of the book." According to Cliff Notes: "Jim’s logic, compassion, intelligence, and above all, his loyalty toward Huck, Tom, and his own family, establish him as a heroic figure."
References
- Carole S. Appel, "Just Plain Jim," New York Times Book Review (3/10/2002): 4.
- Matthew Guinn, "Review of The Jim Dilemma: Reading Race in Huckleberry Finn," Southern Quarterly 37.2 (Winter1999): 175-6.
- "After Long Absence, Twain's Butler Is to Return," New York Times (6/18/1994): 27.
- Lisa Cohen Minnick, "Jim's language and the issue of race in Huckleberry Finn," Language & Literature 10.2 (May2001): 111-118.
- Raphaell Berthele, "Translating African-American Vernacular English into German: The problem of 'Jim' in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn," Journal of Sociolinguistics 4.4 (Nov2000): 588-613.
- Annemarie Hamlin and Constance Joyner, "Racism and Real Life," Radical Teacher 80 (2007): 12-18.