Final answer:
The figurative Jordan River in a novel usually symbolizes a boundary or challenge that needs to be traversed, representing freedom or a desired change. In 'Huckleberry Finn,' it also embodies the concept of escape and the complex interplay between natural and social realms. Rivers are personified and imbued with cultural significance regarding the world and supernatural beliefs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The figurative Jordan River in literature often symbolizes a boundary or hurdle that must be overcome and can represent hope for liberation or change. In the context of African American spirituals and novels like Huckleberry Finn, the Jordan River may metaphorically suggest the journey from enslavement to freedom or the quest for a promised land of equality and justice. This imagery would resonate deeply with enslaved people in the Deep South, for whom the river might represent the boundary between the world of slavery and the hope of freedom, much like the biblical Jordan represented the barrier to the promised land for the Israelites.
In Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses river and shore scenes to explore the complexities of American society. The river often provides Huck and Jim with a temporary escape from the societal constraints and injustices found on land, embodying the possibility of an ideal, uncontaminated natural space. However, a close reading of the text reveals that the river is symbolically linked to the shore, and thus the social world it seems to evade.
Through personification and metaphoric language, the river is often depicted with human qualities or supernatural resonance, as seen in other historical artworks and texts. Rivers in various cultures bear significance in terms of their relation to the world and the supernatural, reflecting each culture's relationship with nature and society.