Group Perspective

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be considered an American classic because the characters are not strong enough to help build the novel's purpose. As a testimony against slavery, Huck Finn lacks a hero because Huck does not achieve any moral clarity or personal growth and isn't a developed character. Throughout the novel, Huck appears to grow in moral character; for example, he apologizes to Jim after he plays a prank on him, he reveals to Mary Jane that the duke and king are frauds, and he consciously makes the choice to go against society in order to help Jim to freedom. However, at the end of the novel-- when Huck's moral growth and journey would predictably culminate to reveal a significant change in character in regards to his perception towards Jim as a human being-- he makes the statement "I knowed [Jim] was white inside" (ch. 40). The fact that Huck says that Jim is "white inside" emphasizes his lack of moral development as a character because despite his strong relationship with Jim, he still compares him to white people instead of erasing the fine line between races altogether. As a result, Huck makes no progress in surpassing the stereotypes present in society, and therefore should not be considered an American classic.