Character guide

Huckleberry Finn

major

Also known as Huck Finn, Huck, old Finn, Finn

The narrator and protagonist, a boy fleeing his abusive father and societal constraints.

Tom Sawyer

major

Also known as Tom, Mars Tom, Thomas Franklin Benjamin Jefferson Elexander Phelps, Mars Tom Sawyer

Huck's imaginative friend who orchestrates elaborate plans, including Jim's escape.

Jim

major

Also known as Miss Watson's Jim, Ole Jim, runaway nigger Jim

Miss Watson's enslaved man who runs away, becoming Huck's companion on the raft.

Pap Finn

supporting

Also known as Pap, the old man

Huck's abusive, drunken father who kidnaps him and tries to steal his money.

Aunt Sally

supporting

Also known as Sally, Mrs. Phelps

Tom's aunt who mistakes Huck for Tom and hosts the boys at the Phelps farm.

Miss Watson

supporting

Also known as Old Miss Watson

The widow's sister who owns Jim and tries to civilize Huck.

Widow Douglas

supporting

Also known as The Widow Douglas

The kind woman who takes Huck in and tries to educate him.

Judge Thatcher

minor

Also known as Thatcher, old Thatcher

The local judge who holds Huck's money in trust.

Boggs

minor

Also known as old Boggs

A drunken man shot dead by Colonel Sherburn in the street.

Colonel Sherburn

minor

Also known as Sherburn, old Colonel Sherburn

A cold-blooded killer who shoots Boggs and faces down a lynch mob.

The Duke

supporting

Also known as Bilgewater

A con artist who claims to be a duke and travels with the King.

The King

supporting

Also known as the old doctor, William Fourth

A fraudulent preacher who claims to be the King of France and cons towns.

Mary Jane Wilks

supporting

Also known as Mary Jane, Miss Mary Jane, Mary

The eldest Wilks daughter, kind and trusting, who Huck helps.

Silas Phelps

supporting

Also known as Uncle Silas, Mars Silas

Tom's uncle and a farmer who buys Jim as a runaway slave.

Aunt Polly

minor

Also known as Polly, his old Aunt Polly

Tom's aunt who arrives at the Phelps farm and sorts out the mistaken identities.

Buck Grangerford

minor

Also known as Buck, Mars Buck

A young boy from the feuding Grangerford family who befriends Huck.

Emmeline Grangerford

minor

Also known as Emmeline, Poor Emmeline

A deceased Grangerford daughter known for her morbid poetry and drawings.

Colonel Grangerford

minor

Also known as Col. Grangerford, XVIII Col. Grangerford

The patriarch of the Grangerford family, killed in the feud.

Harney Shepherdson

minor

Also known as young Harney Shepherdson, Harney

A young man from the Shepherdson family who elopes with a Grangerford daughter.

Peter Wilks

minor

Also known as Mr. Wilks, Peter, Old Peter

The deceased man whose inheritance the King and Duke try to steal.

Harvey Wilks

minor

Also known as Harvey, Uncle Harvey

Peter Wilks's brother, a minister who arrives to expose the fraud.

Dr. Robinson

minor

Also known as Robinson

The local doctor who sees through the King and Duke's disguise.

Jim Turner

minor

Also known as Turner

A wounded robber left on the wrecked steamboat Walter Scott.

Jake Packard

minor

Also known as Packard

One of the robbers on the wrecked steamboat Walter Scott.

Ben Rogers

minor

A boy from Tom Sawyer's gang who appears in the early chapters.

Jo Harper

minor

Also known as Joe, Joanna

A friend of Tom Sawyer and member of his robber gang.

Jack Robinson

minor

Also known as Jack, Johnny

A local boy mentioned in passing.

Nat

minor

Also known as The nigger Nat

An enslaved man on the Phelps farm who helps with Jim's escape.

Levi Bell

minor

A lawyer who helps sort out the Wilks inheritance.

Susan Wilks

minor

Also known as Miss Susan

One of Peter Wilks's daughters.

Miss Charlotte

minor

One of Peter Wilks's daughters.

Sid Sawyer

minor

Also known as Sid, Mars Sid

Tom's younger half-brother, who appears briefly at the Phelps farm.

Old Jim Hornback

minor

Also known as Jim Hornback, Hornback

A local man mentioned in the town's gossip.

Stephen Dowling Bots

minor

Also known as young Stephen, Young Stephen Dowling Bots

A young man whose death is commemorated in Emmeline Grangerford's poetry.

Miss Sophia

minor

Also known as that sweet Miss Sophia

A Grangerford daughter who elopes with Harney Shepherdson.

Lizabeth

minor

A young enslaved girl on the Phelps farm.

Hines

minor

A man who helps capture the King and Duke.

Old Baldy Shepherdson

minor

A member of the Shepherdson family killed in the feud.

Mr. Lothrop

minor

A storekeeper in the town.

Betsy

minor

An enslaved woman on the Phelps farm.

Mars Jawge

minor

A name mentioned in dialect by Jim.

Sis

minor

A young girl on the Phelps farm.

Lize

minor

An enslaved woman on the Phelps farm.

Preacher

minor

A preacher at a revival meeting where the King cons people.

Ringmaster

minor

The ringmaster of the circus Huck attends.

Bill

minor

One of the robbers on the wrecked steamboat.

Bud

minor

A boy mentioned in the town.

Bob

minor

A local man mentioned in passing.

Little Tommy Barnes

minor

Also known as Tom

A boy from Tom Sawyer's gang.

George Jackson

minor

Also known as Jackson, George

The alias Huck uses when he first meets the Grangerfords.

Sarah Williams

minor

Also known as Mary Williams, George Peters, Elexander

Aliases Huck uses while in disguise as a girl.

Old Hank Bunker

minor

Also known as Harry, the Old Harry

A local man mentioned in town gossip.

Misto Tom

minor

Also known as Tom

A respectful address used by Jim for Tom Sawyer.

Miss Hooker

minor

A woman whose house Huck visits in disguise.

Aunty

minor

A term used by Huck to address Aunt Sally.

Juliet

minor

A character from Shakespeare's play referenced by the Duke.

Hamlet

minor

A character from Shakespeare's play referenced by the Duke.

Cairo

minor

The town in Illinois where Jim hopes to reach freedom.

Cain

minor

Biblical figure mentioned in passing.

Moses

minor

Biblical figure mentioned by the Widow Douglas.

Henry Clay

minor

Also known as Hank

Historical figure mentioned in passing.

Louis Sixteenth

minor

Historical figure mentioned by the King.

Henry the Eighth

minor

Also known as Henry

Historical figure mentioned by the King.

Capet

minor

Historical figure mentioned by the King.

Nell Gwynn

minor

Historical figure mentioned by the King.

Mark Twain

minor

Also known as Mr. Mark Twain

The author, mentioned in the explanatory note.

Poor William

minor

A character in the King's theatrical performance.

Ole King Sollermun

minor

Also known as Sollermun

Biblical King Solomon, discussed by Jim.

Providence

minor

A personification of fate or God mentioned by characters.