"But you knew he was running for his freedom, and you could row ashore and tell someone" (Twain 95). As is summarized by the previous quote, in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn one of the central conflicts is that of the character Huck's battle with his conscience regarding the issue of slavery. Over the course of the novel the author slowly changes Huck's mind about the ethics of slavery by introducing him into situations where blacks are brought out of their stereotypical roles. To a large extent, Huck's revelations about slavery are due to his friendship with Jim, a runaway slave who belonged to Miss Watson, the sister of the Widow Douglas. As a boy, Huck doesn't have all the prejudices of older members of the Southern community, but he knows that helping a runaway slave is legally wrong. Thus, it is truly a pivotal moment when Huck first discovers Jim on Jackson's Island, as his decision to "spare" Jim dramatically changes the direction in which the novel is proceeding and sets the stage for much of the maturation and of Huck's development as a character. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay After faking his own death, Huck goes to Jackson Island to lie low for a while. When he comes across a smoking bonfire he is afraid, but the next day he goes to find out who his mysterious neighbor is and meets Jim. Admitting to being a fugitive after being reassured that Huck was not a ghost, Jim tells the story of how he had to run away to escape being sold to the South by Miss Watson. It is at this point that the reader first sees Jim as more of a three-dimensional character, rather than the big black buck who thought he was being led around the world by witches when Tom Sawyer played a prank on him. This is because one can empathize with the fact that Jim does not want to split up his family, even though at the same time he is proud of the fact that he is worth $800. Upon discovering Jim, Huck is immediately faced with the responsibility of protecting Jim. Since he himself is a fugitive, it could be argued that Huck could not have turned Jim in without the risk of exposing himself. However, it is more logical to argue that the main reason Huck "spares" Jim when he first meets him is that he is hungry for human companionship. During the first few chapters the reader's impression of Huck is that of an extremely self-sufficient character. Yet, he often complains of being "alone", as a child would be left to his own devices. Jim is part of his old, safe home with the Widow Douglas, a home that Huck can take with him as he goes on his adventures. Although Jim is extremely superstitious and illogical, he also has some practical skills. For example, when Jim sees some young birds flying strangely, he warns that there will be rain, and lo and behold, a torrential downpour comes that would have soaked them to the skin if they had not taken refuge in a cave. In this way Jim begins to become a sort of father figure; certainly a better father to Huck than the one embodied by Pap. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The strength of character that allows Huck to host Jim is continually tested throughout the course of their travels. At first Huck acts as master and Jim as servant in their relationship, as they seemingly continued their social roles even while isolating themselves from society. This probably makes Huck feel important, as he has never had a slave.