Chapters 31-33

1. Character
        The king and the duke are awful people until the end. Never do they appear to feel remorse, and they never cease their conning ways. They are even conning with another one of their performances when they are finally taken by the enraged townspeople. This concludes that they are flat, unchanging characters. The two almost seem addicted to conning, which is exhibited when they have a streak of unsuccessful endeavors and begin to become unsettled and snap at Huck and Jim frequently. The two fake royals are still selfish individuals, whereas Jim and Huck have grown into caring people that sacrifice for and go to great lengths to help the other.

2. Dramatic Irony
       When Huck decides to save Jim instead of turning him in to Miss Watson, he believes he is going to hell, since he cannot pray for the wrong deed to be done. He believes he is doing the wrong thing by helping Jim to be free, when the right thing would have been to write to his owner and tell of his whereabouts. This is an example of dramatic irony because freeing Jim, at least in this day and age, is considered to be the right thing. Readers know that Huck is being smart here, while he may think he is not. Twain most likely wanted Huck's decision to be perceived as heroic and selfless; a very mature decision that shows that he has grown  up and developed morals. The fact that he is doing what he feels is the good thing to do, even if it may be frowned upon by God and society, simply to help his dear friend, makes him a very brave soul.

3. Conflict
        No one should ever stoop so low as to be rid of another human being just for money. The con-men do, however. Their selling of Jim signifies that they are such scoundrels and so desperate for money that they are willing to sell him. They give him away without telling Huck, the person closest to him. They will do whatever it takes to become wealthy. This could also signify how black slaves were barely considered humans during this time, thus further emphasizing Twain's views of racism and slavery. The king and duke sell Jim easily and quickly, and without any second thought, which is common and accepted. This would never be done to a white person, though.

        Huck not only deals with the temporary loss of his beloved Jim, but also with his own thoughts and moral conflicts. He does not know whether he should go rescue Jim and continue to help him find freedom, or if he should write a letter to Miss Watson and tell him where he is being kept. He knows that she will simply sell him on her own if he does so. He cares for Jim and wants to assist him, but feels as though he has already helped him enough to the point where it is sinful. After much contemplation, Huck decides he values his friendship with Jim and he is going to release from captivity, not just from the Phelps, but from slavery. Even though this decision may cause him to go to hell, he tears up the already written letter and embarks on his mission.

4. Theme
        Twain subtly attacks the idea of the acceptance and encouragement of racism and slavery by religions. Religious leaders and facilities believe and spread the word that slavery is right, and people that think otherwise or help the slaves, as Huck is, are sinners. At least this is what Huck has gathered from his religious knowledge. Twain does not make it obvious that he is bashing religions for supporting slavery, but the fact that Huck considers betraying his friend for the sake of religion is a way of portraying it negatively, and further emphasizes his point when Huck goes with his own gut and decides he would rather go to hell than obey what he is being commanded.

      Huck arrives at the Phelps plantation and is greeted by Aunt Sally. She believes him when he tells her he is her nephew, Tom. He tells her his arrival is so late because of a blown out cylinder head on the boat he traveled on. The conversation is as follows:
"Good gracious! anybody hurt?"
"No'm. Killed a nigger."
"Well, it's lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt." (Twain, pg. 216)
This reinforces and attacks the reoccurring theme of racism. Sally and Huck talk as though the black individual is not even a human being. Tom says no one was hurt, even though a black person died, and Sally says that people could get hurt, as if one did not. This shows that people of these times thought black people were really nothing, and were not even the same species as them.