The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Short Summary

This novel is authored by Mark Twain and was published in 1884 in the UK and 1885 in the United States. This is a book novel set within a society in southern antebellum that went extinct over 20 years before the publication of the work.

A Synopsis of the Story

The novel starts with Huck Finn introducing himself and giving an insinuation that he became rich from a previous adventure with Tom Sawyer, and that his family took Sawyer into their home in order to reform him. In the rebellion of his parents, Huck escapes at night to be part of Sawyer’s gang pretending to be pirates and robbers.

At one time, Huck catches wind that Pap Finn, his father is back in town. However, the Huck is concerned about his father’s intentions due to his bad behavior in the past. Pap tries to persuade him to stop attending school, but he refuses. It is then that Pap kidnaps him and takes him to a small cabin across the Mississippi.

In the wilderness, Pap constantly mistreats Huck. One day Huck decides he has had enough and escapes downwards along the Mississippi. He lands close to Jackson’s island whereby he meets Jim, Miss Watson’s servant. Jim has escaped in fear of being sold along the river.

Upon discovering an impending search at Jackson’s island, Jim and Huck flee down the river. Jim intends to make his way to the free states, but Huck believes he is going against religion and society. The struggle between Huck’s perspective on slavery and Jim’s search for freedom becomes a major theme.

During their journey along the river, they encounter various characters that interrupt them. The only time they felt safe was when they were drifting on the raft. Suddenly, the Duke and the King seize them and use them to perform scams in various towns. However, one of their scamming plots backfire, and a frenzy erupts allowing Jim and Huck to flee.

The Duke and the King soon join them but end up betraying the boys by selling Jim to the Phelps as a slave. When Huck goes to save Jim, the Phelps thinks he is their nephew Tom Sawyer, and Huck plays along. Later, Tom arrives, but Huck convinces him to take the role of Sid, his brother. They hatch an escape plan that backfires, leading to Jim’s recapture. Back at the farm, Tom explains everything to the Phelps, and they realize that Jim had been set free in the late miss Watson’s will. The novel ends with Huck contemplating his next adventure away from society.