Will Landschulz
Am Lit Per. 2
Mrs. LaMagdeleine
The episode on the wreck ended up with the three vagabonds trapped on the ship, stranded until someone came to save them. Huck wants them to be saved, even though the vagabonds have killed one of the passengers and have threatened to kill a member of their gang. He wants this because he feels pity for the men and because he feels he might empathize with them if he ends up killing a man. Or maybe it's a twinge of guilt, at stealing their boat and leaving them stranded. But he also wants justice for them, a fair trial and sentence, rather than incarceration in a shipwreck. In this, Huck shows pity towards the murderers, which would be a strange emotion towards men like that, especially when the situation has nothing to do with you. Anger, maybe. Cynicism or indifference, sure. Pity? Almost never. He also shows the desire for justice in sending others after the men, allowing people to arrest them so they can recieve their due trial and punishment.
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Interesting perspective on why Huck wanted to save the men. I agree with how you believe that he empathized with them due to the fact that he may kill a man. Also, guilt is definitely a part of it, considering he stole their boat and essentially sent them to their deaths.
However, one also has to consider his growing compassion from his developing relationship with Jim. The fact that he has grown to respect and treat Jim as an equal has obviously made an impact on his life in various other ways.
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