I never thought I would like a character so much as Lizzie Bennett or Peter Pan. However, this sad failure of an English major (I say this because I am probably the only major who hasn't) had never met Huckleberry Finn. I find myself becoming distracted at times because I can't stop wondering how Mr. Samuel Langhorne Clemens Mark Twain created such a boy. It's as though along with his two names, Twain carried two full minds, two sets of experiences. Its rare in a novel, even in one that's in first person, when the reader can easily understand and still be delightfully surprised by a character's thoughts, ideas and actions.
Something that makes me a little sad however is that I'm a little hesitant to look for symbolism. Perhaps I took Twain's warnings at the beginning of the novel a little too seriously.
On second thought, perhaps its symbolism in itself. My Good Buddy Huck is like the river he's ridden on. And it's obvious why.
I really liked your comment on Twain's ability to surprise us despite the fact that the novel is in first person. The fact that he was able to create a character with as much depth as Huck Finn often does is exceptionally impressive.
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