In Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a boy named Huck Finn takes a journey down the Mississippi river with a runaway slave. Many life lessons are learned as the two tackle this wild adventure. They become very good friends and see past each other's' differences. While it is easy to cast Huckleberry Finn off as a child's novel with no deeper meaning, Huckleberry Finn is a symbolic novel particularly in reference to the land and the river because the river is symbolic of peace, freedom, and friendship, the land symbolizes sorrow and captivity, together they symbolize a journey into manhood. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn represents freedom, friendship, and peace in regards to the river. It shows freedom when Huck escapes from his father. Huckleberry immediately feels different when he finds himself on the river. He states that he lays down to look at the stars and smoke his pipe. Looking at the stars tells us that he is comfortable and smoking symbolizes independence. These feelings are often a result of freedom. The river furthermore symbolizes friendship. The river is where Huck and Jim, the runaway slave, meet and become pals. This represents that true friends are made on the river. On their course downstream, Huck defends Jim from slave catchers which shows that he cares about Jim. Caring is an important attribute of friendship. Jim in turn shows care for Huck when he says, "Lawsy, I's mighty glad to git you back again, honey (Twain 162). Jim worried about his friend while he was in danger on land. The river is where the friends combine and build relationships together. Finally, the river illustrates peace. Huck explains his and Jim's feelings when he says, "We said there warn't no home like a raft, after all. Other places do seem so cramped up and smothery, but a raft don't. You feel mighty free and easy and comfortable on a raft.  (Twain 162) In other words, they only feel peaceful and safe wh