When asked who the most important character in Huckleberry Finn is, almost all people would say either Huck himself, or Jim, the black slave. They are both essential to the story, though, and both give to the story an alternate perspective. Huck is the outsider, the nonconformist who just doesn't fit into society, and Jim is the runaway black slave, fearing for his freedom, being persecuted only on the grounds of the color of his …showed first 75 words of 2305 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2305 total…as a father of sorts to Huck. He is a better father to Huck than Huck's father, the alcoholic ever was or could have been. Jim shows that he has a conscience, and has feelings. Does this seem like a racist portrayal of blacks? He is crucial to the end, the condemnation of civilization again, and of romanticism. And in the end, he's right too. He is rich. Maybe not in the monetary sense, though...