Huck shows himself to be remarkably skillful at reading people. In the
novel he is with Jim more than anybody and thus more of an opportunity to
read him than anyone. When given the opportunity to betray Jim, he instead
chooses to literally go to hell if necessary. That is enough to persuade me
that there is nothing sinister or manipulative about Jim.

On Thu, Mar 23, 2023 at 5:35 PM Larry Howe <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Kevin—
> I respectfully disagree with your claim that those of us who think that
> Jim withholds the fact of Pap’s out of self-interest are diminishing Jim’s
> intelligence.  Jim has a clear plan: drift South to Cairo, then take a
> canoe up the Ohio River where he can more reliably enter free soil. There
> he’ll work to save money to buy the freedom of his family.  However, this
> plan is not without significant risk. Jim knows that slave catchers are
> lurking on the Illinois bank of the Mississippi; hence the journey to Cairo
> rather than to, say, Alton.  Having Huck as cover during the journey to
> Cairo is an advantage.  After they miss Cairo in the fog, Jim has an even
> greater need to keep Huck on his side.
>
> Rather than discounting Jim’s intelligence, this reading gives him credit
> for knowing the peril he faces.  Moreover, it also adds nuance to the
> moments when Jim plays on Huck’s sympathy. Rather than the minstrel figure
> of a loyal servant, Jim’s subtle control of Huck exhibits a necessary
> craftiness for his survival. I agree that Jim has integrity, but he's also
> wise to the danger he faces.
>
> —LH
>
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
> ________________________________
> From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of Wolfgang Hochbruck
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2023 4:47:16 PM
> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Why Jim didn't tell Huck about Pap
>
> [CAUTION: This email originated from outside Roosevelt University. Only
> click links or open attachments if you recognize the sender and know the
> content is safe.]
>
>
> ...from a pragmatic p.o.v., Jim should have killed Huck on Jackson
> Island - considering that he was 'dead' already - availed himself of
> Huck's gun & provisions, and made off. He didn't. I am fully with Kevin
> on this one.
>
> best,
> w
>
> On Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:25:34 +0000
>  <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >Heretical Fictions is an excellent book, but I think anyone trying to
> >make the case that Jim was motivated by self-interest not to tell Huck
> >about his father's death, must also make the case that Jim didn't
> >think he was smart enough to escape slavery without a white child's
> >help. I think that questioning Jim's motives is an insult to Jim's
> >character; he has more integrity than most of the white characters in
> >the story. Would Jim--the paternal figure who delivers that eloquent
> >sermonette on friendship--treat the now wholly orphaned Huck that way?
> >
> >I would suggest that anyone who has read Huck Finn or Life on the
> >Mississippi also read Thomas Buchanan's Black Life on the Mississippi
> >(2004) for some surprising insights (and even as a counterpoint) into,
> >well, black life on the Mississippi.
> >
> >Kevin
> >@
> >Mac Donnell Rare Books
> >9307 Glenlake Drive
> >Austin TX 78730
> >512-345-4139
> >
> >You can browse our books at:
> >
> https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.macdonnellrarebooks.com__;!!CkzWtAV3CRQ!pdJ4A6wyJq3a4LRB3_r-68fd6eW2XQLOQHPWPmo9ru_FLR5Iav3dP0Xj_5KZj6QH6985QygBVK7I-re9kEr3qTmSZbIcbKjXrdRvmXHTW5g1$
> >
> >
> >------ Original Message ------
> >From: "Scott Holmes" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Sent: 3/23/2023 12:37:07 PM
> >Subject: Why Jim didn't tell Huck about Pap
> >
> >>Still reading notes from "Heretical Fictions", I note the idea that
> >Jim did not tell Huck about the dead body being Pap as because Jim did
> >not want Huck to abandon him in his quest to escape slavery.  I had
> >always had the impression that his motivation was to avoid telling
> >Huck the "bad" news.  Thinking about it, now, I suppose I have been a
> >bit naive.
> >>
> >>-- /Unaffiliated Geographer and Twain aficionado/
>
>
> Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Hochbruck
> Dept. of English /
> Centre for Security and Society
> Albert Ludwigs University Freiburg
> Rempart St. 15
> D-79098 Freiburg
> Germany
>


-- 
William B. Robison, PhD
Department Head / Professor of History
Department of History and Political Science
Southeastern Louisiana University
SLU 10895, Hammond LA 70402
985-549-2109 phone / 985-549-2012 fax
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*History does offer us very real lessons, but they are seldom simple and
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history very well. That is why history matters as much as math, science,
technology, or any other subject.
*History teaches students to read intelligently, think analytically, write
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developments, and understand the real world. Now *that* is workforce-ready!
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