Mark Twain's novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, tells the story of a boy, Huck Finn, who runs away from home him and goes down the Mississippi River with a "runaway negro" named Jim. Huck's father, Pap, is a drunk who doesn't seem to care about his son. He comes from a poor, struggling family and is not very educated, which he seems to accept. “Huck Finn is fleeing not only an abusive father, but also his well-meaning guardian, Miss Watson, who is trying to civilize Huck, educate him, and make him a Christian” (Sienkewicz). Whether he knows it or not, his trip down the river isn't just an escape, it's a learning experience. Huck learns some life lessons in dealing with his conscience, in friendship and equality, in trust and he realizes that he is not as alone as he thought. Throughout the story, Huck struggles with his conscience and chooses between what is right and what is wrong. He doesn't always make the right decision but he comes pretty close. He learns to follow his heart rather than his conscience when necessary. For example, while traveling down the river during a storm, he and Jim come across a stuck steamboat and decide to go aboard to see what kind of things they can find. It turns out there are three men on the boat, two of whom are murderers who are going to kill the third. The murderers set up a small boat to leave the scene which Huck and Jim end up taking. Huck knows these guys are up to no good, but he still wants to help them. He tells someone that his family is on the boat and in trouble and that he needs to send help (Twain 72-4). “Twain shows us that Huck's sympathy for the suffering of others can act as a check on his own desires and as a middle of paper... a bit of 'fun.' Tom had Huck's only true friend killed and lied to him, which is proof that just anyone and everyone can't be trusted. People will go out of their way to please themselves without thinking of anyone else. Huck's long and eventful journey started as an escape but turned into a huge learning experience, whether he wants to believe it or not. Twain shows us, through Huck and the events of history, that there is always a lesson to be learned. Youth are the most influential group, but Huck proves to us that it is possible to overcome difficulties and learn something new every day. The more time you spend with someone and the more you invest in something, the more you will get out of it. It may be hard to believe that a young boy can accomplish and experience so much, but there is always something good that comes out of it...