Who Pap Finn is
Pap Finn is the drunken father of Huckleberry Finn, the boy who tells the story. He returns to St. Petersburg after hearing that Huck has money in Judge Thatcher's care. Ragged and bitter, he resents that his son can read when he cannot.
What Pap Finn wants
Pap wants to take Huck's money, and he first tries to get it through the courts. When the judges refuse, he takes Huck across the river to a cabin in the Illinois woods. There he locks the boy up, replacing the widow's household rules with confinement and fear.
Pap Finn and the others in the story
Huck enjoys fishing and loafing at the cabin, but Pap's beatings make that freedom unsafe. When Pap is drunk, he becomes dangerous, and Huck learns to watch his changing moods. Huck begins planning a careful escape rather than trusting his father to protect him.
Pap's treatment of Huck contrasts with the gentle protectiveness Jim shows toward the boy. That contrast gives Huck's search for freedom a personal urgency alongside Jim's flight from slavery.
Questions
Who is Pap Finn?
Pap Finn is Huck's brutal father, whose return threatens the boy's safety and independence.
Why does Pap Finn come back?
He comes back to get control of Huck and the money his son has.
How does Pap Finn treat Huck?
He beats Huck and keeps him locked in a cabin across the river. His violence leads Huck to prepare an escape.
