Journal 1Although Mark Twain, in his introductory "note" to the novel, denies the existence of a moral or motif in the story, the work itself contradicts its author. As? Mark Twain insists that his book contains no moral causes or ulterior motives, but he constantly contradicts himself by referring to race relations during this nineteenth-century era. Twain's depiction of the South and social attitudes toward blacks become a commentary on the South's abusive dehumanization of blacks. Throughout the novel Twain criticizes the treatment of blacks - as in chapter five, when Twain uses Pap's disgusted reaction to the black vote count - as a symbol of the ignorant hatred of most Southerners of this time. Double standards for blacks were also addressed in chapter eleven, when, after Huck's suspected murder, a bounty of $200 was given for Pap and $300 for Jim. This double standard was based on the utility of the suspects. Even though Jim was suspected of murder, his bounty was a greater reward because he was considered more of a job asset than a killer. This is a social aspect of slavery that Twain used to show the monetary value of blacks and not their social value. The biggest contradiction with Twain's "note" was Huck's moral struggle over his beliefs about slavery and his relationship with Jim. In chapter sixteen, Huck begins an internal moral conflict over the morality of helping Jim escape to freedom despite Widow Douglas legally owning him. Huck decides to turn Jim in, but just before he has the chance, Jim says that Huck is his only real friend he ever had and Huck realizes the value of his relationship and reconsiders. Twain uses Huck's struggle over the morality of slavery with Jim as a symbol of... middle of paper... in Buck's head he struggles between the moral reasons to break him out and the socially acceptable reasons to leave him there. Ultimately Huck's moral compass wins the argument and he decides to save him. Twain uses this internal struggle to show that the values ​​of southern people that justify slavery are wrong and that a person's moral compass should be the only thing that guides his or her decisions. Twain fits Jim's character construction perfectly. Having a person who could never purposely hurt someone and who shows the most genuine sympathy and remorse for every bad thing they've done makes for the most likable character. Arguing against saving a character as likable as Jim even considering the fact that he is a slave is nearly impossible and pushes the reader to side with the more moral choice of saving Jim despite the social ideals of the time..