Figurative Language In Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn

The revisional author, Alan Gribben, said he worried that the N-word had resulted in the novel falling off reading lists. He believes his sanitized edition will please more readers and teachers. Gribben has plowed over Twain's freedom of speech in the process. After all, Twain isn't around to comment(Dawkins 1). The responsibility of this book belongs to no one. Banning or sanitizing Huckleberry Finn should not be a topic of discussion because Twain had every right to write the book however he desired. Offensive terms and words are being invented right now. We should not pick on historical terms when others are being invented everyday.

Twain unnecessarily uses the word a total of 219 times throughout the novel. Although this argument is valid, his language is an important aspect of the story. Huck's ignorance often surfaces, and his frequent use of the “n-word” certainly causes the reader to cringe. In a classroom, discomfort among students is often magnified. The offensive language in Huck Finn certainly makes it a difficult book to read, however, it does not entail eliminating the novel from classrooms. Critics have often discussed censoring the book and replacing the “n-word” with “slave” instead. This would be just as ineffective as eliminating the book. Mark Twain intentionally uses this language to bring reality into his story and help show the change that his characters undergo. Changing the diction and language would be changing the story. Just because a word is offensive, doesn’t mean it is being used for the wrong purpose.

Thus, Twain’s early experiences in life helped him to flesh out a well-rounded vocabulary and sparked his interests in adventure and traveling. Twain spent his boyhood in the riverside town of Hannibal, Missouri where he, “experienced the excitement of the colorful steamboats that docked at the town wharf, bringing comedians, singers, gamblers, swindlers, slave dealers, and assorted other river travelers” (Gribben). His exposure to much of the world at a young age opened his eyes to people groups, travel, and differences in dialect that would all become subject matter of his later writing. Twain wrote in Life on the Mississippi that he became acquainted with all the “different types of human nature that are to be found in fiction, biography, or history” while he worked as a steamboat apprentice (128). The diverse people and places he met during his time on the river all became awe-inspiring to him and served as the foundation for his works to come. Countless

Huckleberry Finn is also lifted into great literary status by Twain’s compelling use of symbolism. An example of this symbolism is the Mississippi River. Throughout the novel, the river symbolizes life’s journey and, eventually, Huck’s natural integrity. It represents a place of ease and safety for both Huck and Jim. There is a major difference between their life on the river and their life on the land. On the river, life for Huck is peaceful and easy yet not without its dangers, whilst life on the land is most often cruel, demanding, and deceitful. Another example is how life on the raft is a paradox because, even

Many schools have banned teachers from teaching on Twain’s Huckleberry Finn for various reasons. One of those reasons is that Twain uses the word nigger, and he uses it to many times. At the time that this book was written, slaves and free black people were called niggers. So Twain in his writing is being politically correct when writing about Jim and the other slaves

“All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn,” this is what fellow writer had to say about this classic novel. Still, this novel has been the object of controversy since it was published more than 150 years ago. Some people argue that Huckleberry Finn is a racist work, and that the novel has no place in a highschool classroom. This feeling is generated because a main character in the story, Jim, and other slaves are referred to many times as “niggers.” When Mark Twain wrote this book, he was striving to show the general public that society was wrong in the past, that the way white people thought black people were less than human was a wrong viewpoint. The

Huckleberry Finn Is Not to be Sivilized Censorship has always been a controversial subject, particularly when the materials in question are works of literature hailed as American classics. Despite the throngs of adoring fans who undyingly advocate for their favorite stories, certain novels are repeatedly called into question, chief among them The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 219 occurrences of the N-word have earned the novel a multitude of challenges for crude and offensive language (Source F). However, this single word is fundamental to Mark Twain’s message.

Mark Twain went against endless amounts of criticism about his racist’s comments in his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The character of Jim is demeaning to African-Americans as he is portrayed as a foolish, uneducated, black slave. The “n” word is also used in the book describing him and many other African-American characters in the story. However, some see this book as anti-racist and believe that the use of racist’s comments is not racist at all. Those who think that are mistaken because Huck Finn in clearly a racist novel.

but upon further inspection and a little context it’s revealed that this statement is only offensive to make a point. And that point is that Huck has a hard time humbling himself to a nigger, not a slave, not a black man, a nigger. Because Twain chose this term the readers get to see that Huck begins the process of escaping the southern values instilled in him. Huckleberry Finn should be read by students in classrooms across the country even if it be a sanitized, because the book is too significant to pass

In his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain uses colloquialism throughout his writing in order to highlight the time period and setting of the novel. In this passage the reader notices the slang and difference in dialect from other parts of the book. There is a stark difference between how white folks talk and how African-American individuals talk. The purpose of separating the two different dialects is to emphasize the two separate worlds that blacks and whites live in, yet, coexist with each other as well. Furthermore, the reader is able to connect to whoever is speaking. For this specific case we as a reader can connect to the black individuals and how they may struggle in society. Illiteracy and unique diction such as double

     There is a major argument among literary critics whether the adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is or is not a racist novel. The question focus on the depiction of Jim, the black slave, and the way he is treat by Huck and other characters. The use of the word “nigger” is also a point raised by some critic, who feel that Twain uses the word too often and too loosely. Mark Twain never presents Jim in a negative light. He does not show Jim as a drunkard, as a mean person or as a cheat.

Mark Twain has always been one of the most controversial authors of all time. Though in recent years, there has been increasing controversy over the ideas expressed in his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In some extreme cases the novel has even been banned by public school systems and censored by public libraries. The basis for this censorship is the argument that Mark Twain's book is racist, but in reality Twain was against racism and used this book to make people aware of what was going on in the south. He did this by using the regional dialect of the south, showing the attitude of the other characters in the novel toward black people, and showing his depiction of black characters. If one were to "read between the lines"

In the book Huckleberry Finn that Mark Twain that is about a boy named Huck who had run away from his home. Huck finds a place to camp out and keep low he comes across a runaway slave. Evidently Huck keeps this slave a secret from others which was quite frankly against the law. As the story continues Huck believes he is a bad person because he isn’t telling on Jim. There were multiple uses of irony used within the text that represent the author’s opinion on slavery. That leads to Mark Twain’s opinion on slavery, which is that Mark is against slavery.

In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, a young boy Huck is on the adventure of his lifetime. The majority of events Huck is a part of consist of violence, and language that is considered discriminatory today. This novel is banned in many schools because some Americans believe it to be a book offending black people, or inappropriate for students to read. Twain does not write The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to discriminate against black people, but to help Americans become aware of the reality back then, to show that he is against racial discrimination, and to let go of his past struggles.

Style: Twain’s style is marked by the dialects of his characters, by the symbolism of the river and the shore and of Huck’s actions. The dialects help make the characters seem more like real people. The river and the shore motifs come to symbolize Twain’s view of society.