Mark Twain does an exceptional job developing the setting as another character. In most books the setting is briefly described, and essentially forgot about because the author spends so much time developing the physical characters. Throughout the book, we learn things about the river as we would learn about the personality of a character.
“Well, all right. Don’t stand there palavering all day, but out with you and see if there’s a fish on the lines for breakfast. I’ll be along in a minute” (30). The setting is a provider. A provider of food, shelter, and entertainment; it is the way of life for these characters. The way of life, itself, is a character. Also, the way that Mark Twain develops this setting helps you really connect with it as you would with a character. In this particular book, the setting is developed to have behaviors as well as characteristics. “The June rise used to be always luck for me; because as soon as that rise begins here comes cordwood floating down, and pieces of log rafts—sometimes a dozen logs together; so all you have to do is to catch them and sell them to the wood yards and sawmill” (30). The June rise is a behavior of the river that Huck would enjoy and look forward to, thus showing a formed relationship between the river and Huck. This setting, also, affects the emotions of the characters. “If you think it ain’t dismal and lonesome out in a fog that way by yourself in the night, you try it once—you’ll see” (82). The river made Huck feel vulnerable, scared. So far, not many things have been able to affect Huck in such a way. For some reason he saw the river differently than before, and it definitely got to him. The development of this setting is very important because it acts as the character that all of the other characters can relate to. It gives a base for the storyline; it is, ultimately, like the character that is the “glue”.