On the River: Huck and Jim

To many readers, Huckleberry Finn is a classic novel of a boy’s adventures and friendship. Many readers are first introduced to the novel at a young age. The images of an open river, adventurous islands, and runaways are what stay in our minds. However, upon re-reading the novel from a critical point of view, the reader can see many controversial themes—racism, classism, abuse, murder, and death to name a few. One of the most interesting (and controversial) themes, is the idea of homosocial relationships, particularly between Jim and Huck. It can be argued that the only strong bond that Huck has with another human being, is with Jim.

Lois Tyson, the author of Critical Theory Today, defines homosocialism as, “same-sex friendship of the kind seen in female or male bonding activities” (Tyson 322). Jim and Huck experience this kind of bonded relationship. Their relationship grows strongest on the many days spent on the river. Huck says:
"
And I got to thinking over our trip down the river, and I see Jim before me all the time: in the day and in the night time, sometimes moonlight; sometimes storms, and we a-floating along and talking and singing and laughing. But somehow I couldn’t seem to strike no places to harden me against him, but only the other kind. I’d see him standing my watch on top of his’n ‘stead of calling me, so I could go on sleeping; and see him how glad he was when I come back out of the fog; and when I come to him again in the swamp, up there where the feud was; and such like times; and would always call me honey, and pet me, and do everything he could think for me…" (Twain 214).

Even though Huck wants to distance himself from Jim, he feels himself grow closer to the slave. Jim has no such reservations. He openly cares for the boy.

In the preface to Huckleberry Finn, Keith Neilson writes, “Huck begins to experience emotions toward Jim that he has never had toward him, or any other black person before—personal concern, loyalty, guilt, fear” (xv). From the beginning, we know this novel is going to be about how Huck grows. Part of his growing is forming relationships. While he has many relationships and friends, Huck’s only close bond is with Jim. Huck is in awe of Tom, submits to the Widow Douglas, is suppressed by Ms. Watson (who are both female anyway), respects Judge Thatcher, and fears his father. He has a myriad of other important but undeveloped relationships as well. His only real bond is with Jim.
It is obvious throughout the novel how important the friendship is between Huck and Jim. Near the beginning of their river journey is when we begin to see the relationship develop:

We catched fish and talked, and we took a swim now and then to keep off sleepiness. It was kind of solemn, drifting down the big , still river, laying on our backs looking up at the stars, and we didn’t feel like ever talking out loud, and it warn’t often that we laughed—only a little kind of low chuckle (Twain 64).
In this passage, the relationship is starting to form into what it will be for the duration of the trip down (and up) the river. Huck and Jim share an easy, languid understanding of the world. They are comfortable with one another. Their relationship requires little talk and no explanation, at least not to them. They are not man and youth, black and white—they are simply two male, individuals bonded in isolation.

Jim and Huck also develop an emotional bond during there time on the river. When Huck fools Jim into believing he had drowned, we see this emotional tie. Jim tell Huck, “En al you wuz thinkin’ ‘bout wuz how you could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie. Dat truck dah is trash; en trash is what people is dat puts dirt on de head er dey frens en makes ‘em ashamed.” Huck reflects, “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither. I didn’t do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn’t done that one if I’d ‘a’ knowed it would make him feel that way,” (Twain 86). Huck and Jim’s relationship had grown to the point where they care for one another. Huck is moved to “humble himself to a nigger” because of the shame he feels. Jim is hurt because the cruel trick feels to him like betrayal from someone he considered a friend. This exchange shows that they have an emotional bond stronger than simple acquaintance.

Throughout the novel, there are also subtle scenes of homoeroticism. The most obvious examples are of, Huck and Jim, sparsely clothed on the raft or naked in the river. These scenes are all interwoven with detailed descriptions of the river and the beauty of nature. It is not necessarily the intention of the these passages to provide sexual images, but to display the naturalness of make bonding. As Tyson says, same-sex emotional ties are an important part of human development and identity (Tyson 342).

Huck and Jim’s relationship goes beyond race, age or class. Huck refers to Jim as a ‘nigger’ but not in a derogatory manner. At the time, it was simply a description of what he was. To Huck, he is a friend—not black or white. Although not homosexual, Huck and Jim’s relationship goes beyond friendship. Perhaps it is a bond born of the isolation of the river. If this is the case, Twain himself would have experienced these feeling and this kind of bond during his days on the river. Although not obviously or intentionally sexual in nature, Twain probably admired and understood the importance of these homosocial relationships. He understood that male bonding was an important stage of development. This novel, like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and many other of Twain’s works, deals with boys just coming of age. Part of the learning and growing they must go through is figuring out the bond of strong, homosocial relationships.