Huckleberry Finn Syndrome

Whenever we talk about a syndrome we are talking about a set of symptoms and signs that are known and that therefore have been identified as a clinical picture linked to health problems. Huckleberry Finn syndrome is one of those sets of symptoms that show dysfunction, but are not strictly defined as a disorder.

The name Huckleberry Finn syndrome refers to a character created by Mark Twain in his novels. Although this appears in several of the works of the great American writer, it is in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn where his character and his problems are clearly appreciated.

Before describing what this syndrome consists of, it is important to note that Huckleberry Finn syndrome is rather a construction of popular psychology. It is not referenced as a psychological or psychiatric problem in the medical literature. However, it provides an interesting description of certain personalities, which is worth reviewing.

Who was Huckleberry Finn?

The most famous character in short stories that Mark Twain created was Tom Sawyer. This was a brave, mischievous and alert boy who went through endless troublesome situations, from which he came out. One of his great friends was Huckleberry Finn.

What characterized Huck Finn was that he did not understand his responsibilities. He skipped school and didn’t care about his commitments. It appeared supporting the adventures of Tom Sawyer, but it attracted so much attention that Twain decided to make a novel dedicated exclusively to Huckleberry Finn.

It is then that the personality of this boy is fully shown, which contrasted a lot with that of Tom Sawyer. Huck, unlike Tom, was an abandoned child . He lived with an aunt and had a father who was evil and alcoholic, a threat to him.

His father kidnaps him and holds him captive. He manages to escape and is helped by a runaway slave named Jim. Both live dangerous and exciting adventures, until they are rescued by the brave Tom Sawyer. As can be seen, all this configures a psychological picture, which gives rise to the so-called Huckleberry Finn syndrome.

The two basic traits in Huckleberry Finn syndrome

Being an abandoned boy with a cruel father, a psychological structure is configured that is basically characterized by two traits: an existential emptiness and an eternal search for what will alleviate his pain or offer him happiness.

Let’s look at these two essential features, present in Huckleberry Finn syndrome:

• Existential emptiness. It is the intense feeling that something is lacking that gives meaning to life. It is experienced as a constant displeasure and a permanent feeling of emptiness. This picture is very close to what we know as depression.
• Eternal search. As an effect of the above, in Huckleberry Finn syndrome there is an endless search for something that will finally fill that feeling of emptiness. A deep desire to find some reality to feel complete.

As can be seen, behind the apparent unconcern of those who behave like Huckleberry Finn, what there is is a restlessness that finds no rest. A lack of meaning that leads them to itch here and there, trying to find meaning.

Other features in Huckleberry Finn syndrome

In addition to the basic features, there are also other characteristics that define Huckleberry Finn syndrome. One of them is that those who suffer from it are also remarkably intelligent people. This is proven in your ability to find solutions to various problems. In addition to this, other features also appear:

• They find it relatively easy to adapt to different situations, but deep down they are never comfortable with anything.
• They avoid responsibilities. This, because they reject the idea of ​​putting down roots, since they themselves do not have solid roots.
• They had an unhappy childhood and a very destructive father figure.
• They have very low self-esteem. They are not considered valuable and therefore are prone to depression.
• They constantly change friends, partners, jobs … It is difficult for them to give stability to their lives.

Both the feeling of emptiness and the difficulty to build a solid life project are born from the lack of a healthy bond with the family, during childhood. This leads to a complex and interesting personality. Can Huckleberry Finn Syndrome be overcome? Sure yes. With determination and help it is possible to reconcile with oneself and with a difficult past.