Jim As A Father.

Today, my group and I quoted passages regarding Jim and his family, and we thought about it together. One of the things that came up was the way in which Jim has been a father figure to Huck throughout the entire novel, and the information about his wife and children make strong headway in solidifying that paternal notion.

Upon learning about Jim's family, certain aspects of his behavior with Huck seem that much more genuine and fatherly. For example, shortly after their partnership is forged, Jim begins to speak to Huck in affectionate terms, calling him things that a caregiver would call the one cared for. "I tell you, chile, I 'speck it save' ole Jim - ole Jim ain't gwyne to forgit you for dat, honey" (104). And on page 128: "Lawsy, I's mighty glad to git you back agin, honey."

Even more interesting though is Jim's honest gratitude and happiness each time he is reunited with Huck, which is most certainly derived from the loss of Jim's own biological children and family. Even though Huck plays a nasty trick on him, which Jim may or may not have fallen for, he is still there to teach the little one a lesson, comfort him with his company, and appreciate his youth. "Goodness gracious, is dat you, Huck? En you ain' dead - you ain't drownded - you's back agin? It's too good for true, honey, it's too good for true. Lemme look at you, chile, lemme feel o' you. No, you ain't dead! you's back agin, 'live en soun', jis de same old Huck - de same old Huck, thanks to goodness" (96). Twain goes through great detail to describe Jim's reaction upon seeing the child. He acts as a parent physically running hands along the child's person, not only to look for injuries or breaks, but to reaffirm the fact that it truly is the child in question. And it is important to realize that Huck let's Jim perform this check. There is a trust and connection between the two.

When Huck returns from the Grangerfords, there is a similar reaction from Jim, but this is described through Huck's perspective. "It was Jim's voice - nothing ever sounded so good before. I run along the bank a piece and got aboard, and Jim he grabbed me and hugged me, he was so glad to see me" (128). So not only does Jim have a deep affection for Huck, but we as readers are made aware the those feelings are reciprocated through this passage. Further down the page, Huck describes the "home" that they experience on the raft. It is true that Huck appreciates the raft for its freedom, but given these passages, we can conclude that the notion of home comes from said raft, and from the companionship and family that flourishes there with Jim.