What is the main setting in the novel, James?

The Mississippi River features throughout the entirety of the novel. This is the primary geographical backdrop for the characters' journeys. Jim and Huck particularly rely on the river as a form of orientation and guidance. They steal canoes and skiffs, and build rafts to navigate the body of water. During the day, they sleep in the woods along the riverbank. Because the characters are almost always attached to or moving down the river, the river holds symbolic significance. It grants them the illusion of freedom and direction, even when they are immobilized and trapped.