His journey can be summed up by Plato's philosophy of perception versus reality. In the Myth of the Cave analogy, the shadows are Huck's normal world and he has now gained access to the outside world. Huck has become aware of the world beyond his initial perceptions, and his reality has expanded beyond that of Missouri to the southern Mississippi River region. Every inch traveling south is a step towards reaching adulthood. Ultimately, Huck has the opportunity to return to his former "civilized" lifestyle, but he refuses to reveal his desire to distance himself from