Racism Rooted in Societys Morality Jack Londons White Fang tells the story about a wild animal, half

dog, half wolf and its struggle to become civilized. The novel conveys the theme that environment molds personality. When White Fang has an abusive master, Beauty Smith, he acts coldbloodedly and viciously. However, when White Fang lives with Weedon Scott and his kind family, he becomes a gentle, loving companion. When White Fang lives in a hostile environment, he behaves belligerently, and when in a nurturing environment, he acts kindheartedly and benevolently. Likewise, Twains novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, conveys a similar idea of how society and culture shape ones persona and temperament. In his novel, Twain focuses on the social issues of the pre-Civil War South, such as slavery and ignorance, and portrays society in a negative light. Hucks lack of development and reasoning for aiding Jim evidence his moral flaws and corruptions that stem from the cruel, racist, and degraded Southern society. When writing a letter that would forfeit the freedom of Jim, Huck decides to tear it up and save his best friend. Hucks lack of ethics and morals warps his ability to recognize the true evils of slavery. When Huck states that he will go to hell (162), he chooses to do the wrong thing, help Jim escape to freedom, and ignore the right thing, tell his aunt about Jim. This proves that a fundamental flaw lies within Hucks conscience: he values the property rights of one person over the human rights of another. Huck thinks that his thoughts and words [are] awful (162) because they defy his conscience and the principles of slavery in the South. If Huck truly understands and condemns the faults and injustices of slavery, he would see goodness and righteousness in his mind-set, rather than awful[ness] (162). This understanding only shows that Huck has a strong relationship

with Jim, not a conviction against slavery. This void in Hucks principles and morality proves that Huck does not change or mature at all. When Huck states that he will take up wickedness again (162), the wickedness refers to Jim and Hucks journey down the river. The fact that Huck equates the trip with his best friend (161) with wickedness shows a deep character flaw in morality. Finally, when Huck states that wickedness was in his line (162), he feels an obligation to carry out his course of wickedness. This obliged wickedness, brining Jim to freedom, falls out of scope when Huck reunites with Tom and decides to play fun and games. Here, Hucks failure to uphold his commitment points at a weak character deficient of stature and backbone. Because his decision to help Jim lacks upright principles and his character moral fiber, Huck lacks the capacity to understand the injustices of slavery. When illustrating the depravity in Hucks ethics and principles, Twain alludes to the fact that Hucks experiences and acquaintances shape his character and persona. Hucks encounters with tarnished and brazen Southerners reveal societys negative influence on Hucks perceptions, principles, and morality. When Huck meets the wealthy, aristocratic Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, his conceptions are distorted by their actions. After the families hear a sermon on brotherly love (83), Huck watches them go down in bloodshed, fighting merely on account of the feud (81). The Grangerfords, who own over a hundred (80) slaves, seem mighty nice (75) to Huck. This perception of the Grangerfords is clearly tainted: the family who owns slaves and battles merely for foolish pride fits Hucks notion of what a kind and generous family should be. Clearly, the fact that Grangerfords, a mighty nice family (75), own slaves impacts Hucks personal views concerning slavery. Later in the book, Aunt Sally, a compassionate and kind-hearted

woman, first reacts to Hucks mischief by hugg[ing] him and feeling glad and grateful it aint no worse (105). When she asks Huck if there were any injuries on the steamboat, he replies, Nom Killed a nigger (167). Aunt Sally says its lucky (167) because sometimes people do get hurt (167). Here, the sympathetic and tender Aunt Sally illustrates bigotry by not even recognizing African Americans as people. The fact that Aunt Sally, a kind-hearted mother-like figure for Huck, epitomizes racism influences Hucks views and ideals of African Americans and slavery. The crooked actions and flawed morals of Huck and the other Southerners arise from the void of proper ethics and moral decency in Southern society. Hucks ethical faults and blemished principles, evident in reasoning for helping Jim, come from the brutal, bigoted, and corrupted Southern society. Even after all he experiences and endures with Jim, the relationship they develop does not trump Hucks distorted notion of slavery as a whole. The morally flawed Southern society, ranging from duke and the dauphin to the mighty nice Grangerfords and even to the kind-hearted Aunt Sally, contorts Hucks conception of slavery and ethics.