Unexpected Ending

I was very upset with the ending of Huckleberry Finn. This was my first time reading this book and I expected a more happy ending. After so much bonding between Huck and Jim I can't imagine how Twain thought that the betrayal at the end was suitable. What is even harder to understand is how it is logical that Jim and Huck would so easily forgive Tom for taking their trust and feelings so lightly. The ending leaves the reader feeling let down. I guess it is just harder for us to understand how it could be so easy to toy with someones freedom in such a way. The reader must keep in mind when this was all taking place. If we were reading this in 1884 I'm sure that the thought of taking advantage of a slave and his freedom would sadly not be as upsetting. It just seems so atrocious now that a child could have that control over another person, a grown man of all things. Furthermore, this ending raises the question of how Huck could have went along with all of the trouble Tom was putting Jim through. Even though Huck did not know that Jim was free he knew how much his freedom meant to him. It just seems that Huck would have stood up and put and end to all of Tom's nonsense. However, I do believe that the main reason for Huck going along with the plan was the fact that he was so young and looked up to Tom. I know that when I was Huck's age I did whatever my older sister told me to because I believe she knew better than me. Huck aspires to be Tom so naturally he would listen to what Tom has to say. I don't think that Huck is at the age yet where he can successfully stand up for his own opinion. Though, I do believe that if Huck had know that Jim was already free he would have found it in him to stand up to Tom. I think that Jim and Huck had grown so close to each other that Huck was willing to risk his friendship with Tom for his friendship with Jim.