Final answer:
In Chapter 42 of 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn', Twain explains that Tom Sawyer's willingness to aid in Jim's escape was driven by his desire for an adventurous game, influenced by adventure novels, rather than a moral stance against slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, specifically inquiring about Tom Sawyer's motivations for helping Jim escape in Chapter 42. In this chapter, it's revealed that Tom Sawyer's entire scheme of aiding Jim's escape was merely a complex game for him. Despite knowing that Miss Watson had freed Jim in her will, Tom chose to engage in an elaborate and gratuitous escape plan. Tom's earlier willingness to assist in Jim's escape was not based on a genuine sense of moral righteousness or opposition to slavery; instead, his actions were driven by the adventure and romanticism he associated with the idea of an elaborate escape, influenced by the adventure novels he idolized. This insight reflects revealingly on Tom's character, his perception of Jim's plight as an opportunity for personal amusement rather than an earnest desire to fight against Jim's wrongful enslavement. The chapter further implicates the broader society's romance with escape tales, symbolized by the references to romantic literature and the notion of American ideals in nature.