Character Analysis
(Avoiding Spoilers)
Grew Up… a black man in a slave state. Although Jim’s owner, Miss Watson, is not particularly cruel, she's still a product of her time and sees her slaves more as property than people.
Living… on the run. After finding out Miss Watson plans to sell him, Jim decides to run away rather than be separated from his family. On his way to Illinois, a free state, Jim meets Huckleberry Finn, a 13-year-old white boy who has also run away from home. After Huck promises not to turn Jim him in, the two runaways join forces, building a raft and floating along the Mississippi River to find freedom.
Profession… slave turned runaway. Huck might be street smart, but Jim's greater experience and knowledge of the outdoors make him more suited to the challenges of living in the wild.
Interests… freedom, his family, and fortune-telling. Never given a proper education, Jim grew up believing in the power of superstition. As a result, he's optimistic about his future, since "ef you's got hairy arms en a hairy breas', it's a sign dat you's agwyne to be rich."
Relationship Status… married. Jim's wife and children are one of the joys of his life. Once he reaches Cairo, Illinois, he hopes to earn money to buy their freedom.
Challenge… evading capture long enough to reach Illinois. It's not an easy task, with slave hunters and law officials alike searching for Jim. But Jim is optimistic that he'll eventually reach Cairo.
Personality… uneducated, but loyal, compassionate, and intelligent. Despite being born into slavery, Jim is not particularly bitter for it. His owners may see him as less than human, but that doesn't stop Jim from treating all men with kindness and respect. In the absence of his family, Jim becomes particularly fond of young Huck, calling him "de bes' fren' Jim's ever had." For Huck, Jim is willing to do anything – and despite his initial prejudices, it's clear that Huck feels the same way.
Get to Know him in...
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Climb aboard for an extraordinary version of Mark Twain's sweeping adventure when Walt Disney presents The Adventures of Huck Finn, starring Elijah Wood. It's the unforgettable saga of a mischievous youngster and a runaway slave
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Huckleberry Finn, rebel against school and church, casual inheritor of gold treasure, rafter of the Mississippi, and savior of Jim the runaway slave, is the archetypical American maverick. Fleeing the respectable society that wants to "sivilize" him, Huck Finn shoves off with Jim on a rhapsodic raft journey down the Mississippi River. The two bind themselves to one another, becoming intimate friends and agreeing "there warn't no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft." As Huck learns about love, responsibility, and morality, the trip becomes a metaphoric voyage through his own soul, culminating in the glorious moment when he decides to "go to hell" rather than return Jim to slavery.
