In Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the conflict between civilization and the "natural life" of Huck seems to pose as the main theme of the novel. Huck represents this natural life through his independence, his uncivilized ways, and his desire to escape from society. He was brought up without any discipline and has a strong resistance to anything that might "sivilize" him. Throughout the novel, Twain seems to suggest that the primitive way of life is better; that civilization corrupts rather than rectifies human beings. Huck's journey down the Mississippi River demonstrates how his free, independent way of living is negatively affected by his encounters with civilization. On the raft, Huck feels at peace and experiences freedom from the hypocrisy and the restraints he felt while on land. Each time he goes ashore, he is dismayed by the actions of people and their inhumanity, further convincing him...