Spike Lee's Huck Finn

The difference between Jim in Spike Lee's script and the book is Jim's cognizance. In the script, he acts more white, recognizing his injustices and holding anger longer than the Jim in the book. When Huck plays the trick on him after they get separated in the fog, the Jim in the script is still angry even when night descends, whereas in the book it doesn't give an exact time, but it couldn't have been all day. Also, when Huck and Tom play a trick on him at the beginning of the book by taking some candles and hanging his hat on a tree, in the script, Jim is aware of what was going on and let them be, giving them a knowing smile like an amiable father would, whereas in the book he is just an easily fooled slave.

I think Spike Lee depicted Jim as more aware of what was going on to further the impact of Jim's character and the understanding of the equality between the races. It was certainly relevant during the times, especially with the Rodney King riots and the racial issues in California around the early 1990's.