Mississippi River: Life, with pleasures and dangers. It, too, can be thought of as a symbol for freedom (an extension or way for the Raft). Initially the river seems a paradise and a source of freedom (infancy). As they progress they suffer the evils and influences of the towns on the river’s banks (the people you meet through life). The river floods, bringing Huck and Jim into contact with criminals, wrecks, and stolen goods; a thick fog causes them to miss the mouth of the Ohio River, which was to be their route to freedom, representing the problems you face in life. However, you must continue through “the river” to reach your goal.

Huck’s Windfall, $6,000, and the Wilks Bequest symbolize the material temptations that lure human beings from the righteous path.

The Fog: Complex problems that sometimes make it difficult to achieve life’s goals.