Why is the town of Cairo so important in Huck Finn?

Cairo, Illinois, is freedom for Jim. So, since Huck and Jim have no choice but to travel south, Cairo is the farthest south that they wished to go because it is in a free state and Jim could be able to get passage on a steamboat on the Ohio River from there and be on his way to freedom.

Why did Huck and Jim want to go to Cairo?

Why do Huck and Jim go past Cairo in Huckleberry Finn? – Quora. They miss Cairo in the fog. They are not sure exactly what they are looking for beyond a town situated on low land. But they are generally worried they will pass the town at night and miss it.

What happened at Cairo in Huck Finn?

Floating along, Huck and Jim pass several towns and worry that they have passed Cairo in the fog. They stop for the night and resolve to take the canoe upriver but in the morning discover that it has been stolen. They attribute the canoe’s disappearance to continued bad luck from the snakeskin on Jackson’s Island.

What do Jim and Huck plan to do once they get to Cairo Illinois?

Huck and Jim plan to get to Cairo, sell the raft, and then get on a steamboat that would take them up the Ohio River to the free states.

Do Huck and Jim make it to Cairo?

After a few minutes, Huck feels so ashamed that he apologizes to Jim. Jim and Huck decide that Huck must go ashore to check their progress. Shortly after, Huck and Jim see the clear water of the Ohio River and realize they have passed Cairo in the fog.

What is Cairo in Huck Finn?

Huck explains how he and Jim “read” the river and conclude that they have floated past Cairo, Illinois, where they had planned to land, in order to take a steamboat up the Ohio River into the free states. South of Cairo, the Mississippi River still symbolizes freedom and escape to Huck and Jim.

What happens in St Louis in Huckleberry Finn?

Huck and Jim build a wigwam on the raft and spend a number of days drifting downriver, traveling by night and hiding by day to avoid being seen. On their fifth night out, they pass the great lights of St. Louis. The two of them “live pretty high,” buying, stealing, or hunting food as they need it.

What is Huck’s fear as they approach Cairo?

What thought concerns Huck and Jim as they approach Cairo? They were afraid they might not know it to see it. When Jim begins to talk about his freedom, why does Huck’s conscience begin to bother him? It’s his fault because it’s illegal to help a slave escape.

Why is Huck so uneasy about approaching Cairo?

Chap 16: Why is Huck so uneasy about approaching Cairo? He feels bad again about helping get Jim’s freedom because it is like stealing Miss Watson’s property because Jim was her slave.

How do Huck and Jim know that they have passed Cairo?

Shortly after, Huck and Jim see the clear water of the Ohio River and realize they have passed Cairo in the fog. They decide to buy another canoe to head upriver, but a steamboat wrecks the raft and the two are once again separated.

What happened to Jim at the end of Huck Finn?

Jim is free, Tom’s leg is healed, Huck still has his $6,000, and Aunt Sally has offered to adopt him. Settling down with Aunt Sally—as nice as she is—is about the last thing Huck wants to do. Instead, he decides to “light out” for the territories, the unsettled land west of the Mississippi (43).

What do Huck and Jim find aboard the Walter Scott?

Once on land, Huck finds a ferry watchman and tells him his family is stranded on the Walter Scott steamboat wreck. Huck invents an elaborate story about how his family got on the wreck and convinces the watchman to take his ferry to help.