This essay explains the friendship progression between Jim and Huck in The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn.

At the beginning of the novel, Jim and Huck's relationship was much different than from when they were working and traveling together. There are many examples of how they were not very close at the beginning, even though Jim was Miss Watson's slave and Miss Watson was helping the widow Douglas "sivilize" (p. 13) Huck.
The first time we meet Jim, it is when Huck sneaks out to go meet Tom Sawyer and the "Band of Robbers." Huck doesn't speak to Jim. He just lies on the ground so that Jim can't see him. He gets up when Jim leaves. The next time we see Jim, it is at the end of chapter four. Whe…