Huck Finn - Chap. 35-36

There are probably a few infulences that have "deformed" Huck's conscience. Right off, I'd have the say that Huck's Pap was the first bad influence on Huck. He would steal from others and call it borrowing, so Huck thought that stealing was just borrowing. Huck's father drank and I believe he smoked as well (I don't remember) but he let Huck think that drinking and smoking aren't bad for him.

One might say that the duke and the king deformed Huck's conscience, but I think they moreso made him realize what was bad. Tom Sawyer might be one who made Huck think it was okay to do bad things. Sometimes it's harder to say no to a friend than to another person. For some reason, Huck just couldn't say "no" to Tom when they were trying to free Jim and Tom was making it more ridiculous and difficult than it needed to be.

Lastly, I think some of the trials Huck and Jim went through might mess up Huck's conscience a little bit because at times they became desperate and had to steal to survive...which, I suppose, wouldn't seem quite as bad as stealing for greed, but still....they're taking from somebody else.

Of course there are still influences today that can damage a person's conscience. There are still parents that abuse and/or neglect their children. There are still criminals and corrupt people that can mess up children. There are still hardships that people go through that sometimes weaken their moral character. For all we know it will always be that way on this earth.

There are some forces, though, that can change "deformed" consciences. Naturally, I suppose, I'd have to say that God of course can change a messed up conscience. Reading the Bible can help people see what is right to do and what is wrong (although many may not believe what it says is true and may argue with it).

People with sound consciences can teach those with deformed consciences what is right, I suppose. If someone would just tell Huck that drinking excessively, stealing, lying, or any of the other bad things he does is wrong, and do it in a gentle, nonjudgemental way, maybe he would start to change. Even though she sometimes did it in a harsher way, Widow Douglas corrected Huck and he was beginning to feel bad about doing the wrong thing. His conscience was starting to change....but then he got stuck back with his Pap and was back to where he started.

Sometimes an act of kindness can change a person with a corrupt conscience. For example, the way the Wilks girls treated Huck made him feel bad about the duke and king stealing from them, so he tried to do what was right.