【正文】 elling Miss Waston the truth. The main reason is that he gradually has a deep affection for Jim.During the journey with Jim on the raft, Huck at first believes that blacks are by nature lower than whites, but at last accepts Jim as a man and as a brotherly friend. JimMark Twain’s view on democracy is the equality of every person, no matter what race one belongs to and what color he or she is (Li Xue, 1996). American Negroes take up a large portion of American population and they fight and work side by side with the white population for the American independence and prosperity. Jim is such a kind of typical black. As a black, Jim has his own shortings and his own thoughts for freedom.Living a long life as a slave, Jim is innocent and superstitious. For example, Jim believes that handling snakeskin was so unlucky that he would like to see the new moon over his left shoulder as much as a thousand times than to take snakeskin in his hand. Also, Jim thinks counting the things that are going to be cooked for dinner and shaking the tablecloth after sundown will bring bad luck as well. Although all of these have no evidence at all, Jim believes in them very much and teaches Huck as if they were learned knowledge. The absurdest thing is that Jim says his hairy arms and hairy breast predict he will be rich someday, although he is still very poor today. Maybe, most of the time, most of us would laugh at Jim’s superstitious or somehow stupid ideas. But we have to know that the longterm slaveholding system makes Jim and other blacks positioned in a low and poor class, and has them treated as the property of whites. In order to get freedom and lead a happy life, black people have to redeem themselves first, because all of them do not belong to themselves but their “masters”. Also, blacks often do the most difficult and dirty labor work and superstition gives them some bright dreams or hope in some way, just as Jim’s says, ”Ef you’s got hairy arms en a hairy beras’, it’s a sign dat you’s agwyne to be rich. Well, dey’s some use in a sign like dat,’ kase it’s so fur ahead. You see, maybe you’s got to be po’ a long time fust, en so you might git discourage’ en kill yo’sef’f you didn’t know by de sign dat you gwyne to be rich bymeby” (2003, p56). Therefore, we may safely say that Jim gains energy and courage partly from supersition.Meanwhile, Jim respects himself and he claims for respect which he thinks he should be given. For example, he gets mad at Huck for making a fool of him after he had worried about him so much. Being very angry, Jim even calls Huck, a white boy, “trash”. In Jim’s opinion, Huck is the best and the only friend he ever has. Therefore, he is very kind and grateful to Huck and can not bear the tricks that Huck plays.Though Jim looks like a fool and is often tricked by Tom and Huck, he is intelligent and has his own dreams. Jim is faithful and mitted to his family and he strongly hopes for his family to get plete freedom from their owners. In Chapter 16, Jim tells Huck that if he gets to a free state he is going to save up money and never spend a single cent, and when he gets enough he will redeem his wife, and then they will work together to redeem his two children. From these words, we can see that Jim has logical thoughts and he dreams for a happy life with his family.Also, Jim is very kind and considerate. During the journey, Huck and Jim have to keep a vigil in turn. Huck says, “I went to sleep, and Jim didn’t call me when it was my turn. He always done that” (2003, p183). Also, on the raft, Jim pets Huck and does everything he can for Huck. Actually, Jim is very grateful to Huck. When Huck deceives the two men who want to search runaway blacks and saves Jim, Jim says to him sincerely:”I tell you, chile, I ‘spec it save’ ole Jim – ole Jim ain’t going to forgit you for dat, honey” (2003, p111). While escaping with Huck and Jim,Tom had a bullet in the calf of his leg. Because Tom Sawyer is seriously hurt and nearly dying, Huck has to run back to call a doctor. At the crucial moment, instead of running away, Jim chooses to risk his freedom and look after Tom. He says to Huck:” No, sah – I doan’ budge a step out’n dis place’ dout a doctor, not if it’s forty year” (2003, p329)! At last, Jim is caught by the old white doctor. In order to protect Huck and not to put Huck to any trouble, Jim even pretends not to recognize Huck at all. All of the above prove that Jim is kind and considerate towards others, just as Huck’s conclusion that “I knowed he was white inside” (2003, p329).By characterizing Huck and Jim in such way, Mark Twain presents the theme of ordinary people, “dirty, nearilliterate, indifferent to religion” with their wisdom in its center. SlaveryMark Twain, as one of the most important initiators and founders of American realism literature, achieved widely spread influences, especially for his masterpiece Huck Finn, which was used as the best weapon to fight against racial prejudice and discrimination. To quote William Howells’ saying, “No man more perfectly sensed and entirely abhorred slavery. Mark Twain held himself responsible for the wrong which the white race had done the black race in slavery”. Mark Twain never waved in his profound opposition to all forms of the mask of racism and discrimination (Liao Fucai, 2000). The bad treatment of slaves The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is based on the American society of 1850s, during which time, slavery was a law. It was legal to keep the black people as slaves. Huck grew up in the south where slavery was dominant and slave owners thought that slaves were their own possessions (Zhang Xihua, 1996).Slavery is extensive and slaves are heavily oppressed. Jim, a slave of Miss Watson, as a portrait of thousands of slaves, works hard all the time for his owner. But Watson wants to sell him to Orleans for eight hundred dollars. For his family and his own personal liberty, Jim has to run away. No