Sloan's Literary Exploration of Huck Finn.

The ideas posted prior to this have brought up excellent ideas and I agree completely. I think that this can be taken from many perspectives but each view heads in the same direction; The American government at the time of Twain's writing proved to be corrupt.  Throughout my reading I was really drawn to Jim's interpretation of the story and discovering the depth to his perspective. Jim views the child not as a human being with emotions, a mind, and a beating heart, but rather a piece of property.  Although this point is clear, I believe that the child stands for more than just property to Jim. 

The biological mother represents African Americans. The deceitful mother represents white society, while Solomon stands for the government. The child may be the most important allegorical figure of this parable. As well as being represented as property, I believe Jim also interprets the baby as respect and social rights. "Now I want to ast you: whats de use er dat half a bill? -cant buy noth'n wid it. En what use is a half a chile? I wouldnt give a dern for a million un um" (77 Twain). He views confirm partial respect as worthless, and would rather hand it to the white men than to recieve rights and freedom that do not last. Half of a child immediately loses life the second it is cut. When looking at the representation of the child, I think it stands for the rights, justice, and respect concerning only the African Americans.  White society is willing to cut the rights the government considers giving the blacks in half because they are not ready to give it to them completely. 

Although later we see the government rewarding the African Americans with freedom and rights, society never gives them the respect that has been anticipated by the government.

Sloan brings up the point "In fact or ficiton, a black person can be 'freed' without really becoming 'free'" (2 Sloan). The government may declare blacks as free but society presents inequality to them.  Twain attempts to instill the reality of the situation into the heads of white people through Jim's interpretation of the Solomon parable.