Young Huckleberry Finn returns to "civilized" life under Widow Douglas's care in St. Petersburg, Missouri. When his violent, alcoholic father reappears demanding money, Huck fakes his death and escapes to Jackson's Island, where he meets Jim, the Widow's runaway slave seeking freedom from being sold down the river.
Together, they journey down the Mississippi River on a raft, encountering con men, thieves, and murderers along the way. As Huck wrestles between societal teachings and his own moral compass regarding helping a runaway slave, Mark Twain masterfully weaves humor and satire into a powerful critique of antebellum Southern society. Through vivid vernacular dialogue and unforgettable characters, this landmark American novel explores friendship, morality, and the nature of freedom in a story that transformed American literature.
