Huck and Jim's relationship changes throughout the story. At the beginning of the story, Huck sees Jim as Ms. Watson's property. In fact, he feels badly that he's helping Jim run away as he feels that it is stealing. Later, he changes his mind and realizes that people were mistaken in believing that African Americans were not human. He is ashamed at the way that the slaves have been treated. He believes that Jim is 'white inside' which shows how his thinking is changing. Toward the end, he views Jim almost as a surrogate father figure, or at least an older authority figure whom he respects. As far as Jim is concerned, he feels responsible for Huck. He had many chances to leave Huck to his own fate and he does not. On the old steamboat where he finds Pap, he does not tell Huck right away because he wants to protect Huck.
