Struggle of Huckleberry Finn with his Morality and Sympathy

Introduction

This paper focuses on Huckleberry Finn and his struggle with his morality and sympathy. I aim to contrast Finn’s behavior in different situations and show that morality and sympathy are sometimes the same and sometimes different. In this paper I shall do two things: first I shall reveal definitions, and second I shall show examples from the text. My purpose in this paper is to show that morality, honesty, sympathy and will are aspects of conscience. I will support this position and explain why I am considering important and interesting examples. I am going to provide a situation from the text and describe it. More than that, I will show conscience of both guys, Finn and Heck. I will also argue that morality can be relatively good or bad. I am going to argue by way of example. I also plan to use more than 5 examples. In some cases it is possible to analyze different concepts identifying the component parts and explain how the parts operate together. Conclusion includes key points of such philosophical topics. The conclusion is very important because it describes all philosophical topics briefly.

Body

Consciousness is the state of mental life, which is expressed in the subjective events in the external world and the life of the individual, as well as a report on these events.

The term ‘consciousness’ is difficult to determine, since this word is used and understood in a broad range of areas. Consciousness can include thoughts, perception, imagination and self-awareness. At various times, it can act as a type of mental state, as a way of perception, or as a way of relationships with others. Consciousness includes such concepts as morality and sympathy. A lot of philosophers and scientists have studied, study and will study morality and sympathy. They are very close and opposite at the same time. Morality is a Latin term coined by Cicero. Morality is a socially accepted notion of good and bad, right and wrong, good and evil, as well as a set of rules of conduct arising from these representations. Sometimes the term refers not to the whole society but to its parts, for example: Christian morality, bourgeois morality, etc. Morale is studied by a particular philosophical discipline – ethics. It is the outward expression of the internal love of neighbor. In contrast, sympathy is a willingness to feel and accept the pain of another person, physical or mental. It is sensitivity and attentiveness to others, genuine respect for their interests and their experiences. Sympathy is the ability to act at all times not to cause harm to people. Nevertheless, morality as a form of social consciousness is not limited to the ability to suffer or feel pity. Why do people suffer from the struggle between morality and sympathy?

All the issues discussed above are backed up by Huck Finn’s behavior. His morality has been created by a society where he lives. He accepts slavery and thinks that it is acceptable if conditions are good and appropriate for growing and living. It can be accounted by the fact that the whole society is accustomed to the fact of slavery. Morality in Huck Finn’s consciousness is a good slavery. A bad morality is to create bad conditions for slaves. Jim’s consciousness is quite different because he wants to buy out his family. Nevertheless, Huck mentally is prepared for freedom, he understands pluses but Jim thinks about freedom as a dream. He does not understand all advantages of freedom. Looking at his friend, Jim, Huck decided to help. It means that fellow piteousness is more than the morality. It can be explained by the fact that morality is artificially created by society and sympathy is a natural reaction born by instincts. Sympathy wins. Consciousness also includes honesty in Finn’s understanding. Nevertheless, when police officers asked about who was in his raft, he has not told the truth. Again sympathy wins. The con?ict waged in Huck is much more serious. He scarcely cares for respectability and never hesitates to relinquish it, but he does care for honesty and gratitude and both honesty and gratitude require that he should give up Jim. “It is not, in Huck, honesty at war with respectability but love and compassion for Jim struggling against his conscience”. His decision is for Jim and hell; a right decision made in the mental chains that Huck never breaks. His concern for Jim is and remains irrational.

Conclusion

To sum up, it is necessary to say that consciousness is formed by the society which surrounds people. Morality is part of consciousness. It can be bad or good. Sympathy is a natural reaction of people to some deals and situations. Honesty is a way to control people, but if honesty saves people or provokes sympathy then people are not honest. Respect is a psychological feeling which is created by society and surrounding. All people experience a conflict between natural and unnatural things. Every time Huck struggles between rational and irrational feelings. It is not possible to create good morality because any morality will have negative sides from the other point of view. In other conditions it will be interpreted as negative for people and society. From the other point of view, it is very difficult if society is ruled by sympathy. In such a case it will be a society of weak people. Friendship is a natural reaction, not imposed by society. Friendship is also a leading feeling. The main question is how to form a society of balancing rational and irrational aspects and developing strong and advance people.