Chapter 14: "Argue Like A Wise Man"

Contributor: Melinda Borgens

A Summary of Events

Jim and Huck discover the stolen items from the gang and use them for their own purposes on the island, reminiscing of the adventure.  Huck tells Jim about Kings and royalty in the stolen books where Jim is quite surprised about.  Jim continues to talk about how a certain King was the wisest man in the world at the time and how that would relate to things they do today.  Jim realizes the differences between certain languages and how different they are to the way both of them talk.  Jim tries to argue with Huck over the differences of man and what a man is-compared to animals.

Characters Involved

Huck Jim

Two Discussion Questions

What do you think Huck’s attitude and feelings are towards Jim?  Whenever Huck and Jim carry a conversation, why do you suppose Jim tries to argue over something so trivial?

Two Important Passages

“Well, but he was the wisest man anyway; because the widow, she told me so, her own self.”(78)  -No matter where or what, Huck always does or speaks what is right because of his upbringing with Mrs. Watson and the widow. These two people were probably the most influential role models in his childhood. The daily obstacles that Huck faced in the past with his father and the adventures for the future are always turned into something positive. Huck’s beliefs and morals are all with respect to his mentors, guardians, even his so-called parents.

“I wouldn’ think nuff’n; I’d take en bust him over de head. Bat is, ef he warn’t white. I wouldn’ ‘low no negro to call me dat.” (79)  -Between the two, Jim is the one who acts before speaks, he doesn’t even think. Through his talk, you can infer that he is not as smart as Huck is, but it is enough to keep him alive. For Huck, however, fighting would be his last resort because of the bad times he remembers of being with his father. Jim is someone who just goes with the flow to get by in life, but with a low tolerance level and a high temper.

Controversial Elements

Jim says that he wouldn’t hit a white man, but he would hit one of his own people.  Jim is perceived as not so smart of a person. Jim’s actions are perceived of that as they were in those days (black minstrelsy).