The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain in 1884, soon after the Civil War. By then, treating blacks as slaves and calling them the n-word was unacceptable; however, the effects of racism still stung (Matthews). By using realistic dialogue in his novel, Twain illustrates racial inequality in the 1800’s. Since censoring the original language would minimize the strength of Twain’s message and cover up the unfortunate truths, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught as it was written in classrooms.
One strength in the original manuscript of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the use of language. By taking away the original words, with which Twain created historically realistic dialogue, the reader would lose one of the key messages of the book (Nelson). By Twain using derogatory terms in reference to blacks, specifically the n-word, he is able to paint a picture of how blacks were treated then. As an author, Twain’s goal was to reveal the harsh truths rather than to be politically
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Rather than censoring the n-word, there should be an emphasis on the usage and history of the n-word (Smiley). The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn could potentially be used as a vehicle for discussions regarding race . Twain intentionally uses the n-word to galvanize the reader and rouse feelings of shock and offense (Smiley). He wants readers to discuss the horror of the word and the damage it can cause (Matthews). However, by removing the word, one is completely avoiding this discussion and loses out on this message. Students today must understand the racism, slavery, and violence towards blacks throughout American history. This will help students, the future of America, to recognize the injustices of the past and hold them responsible for making changes in the future
Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the most well-known books of American literature, not all that is said about it is necessarily good, especially regarding its ending. First of all, racism, and more importantly, what the novel implies about it, is prevalent from the very first page to definitely, the last. Most prominently, this is because of the 219 times the n-word is said, however, the reason Twain did this is open for interpretation. Obviously, this word is incredibly offensive to the modern reader, which in turn, is part of the brilliance; the novel could never be published into today’s world. Neither could it ever be published before the Civil War. Nonetheless, there
An academic essay written by Stanley Lam for the Applied Law Enforcement class regarding his thoughts and opinions on how to fix the skids located in the Downtown Eastside.
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.
Not only do most people believe the word is needed, some believe replacing the ‘N-word’ with slave is not accurate because within the book Jim ran away from slavery “Twain’s point is that he can’t run away from being a nigger”( Larry Wilmore). As many believe keeping the book in its original print allows to teach every good values and lessons it offers, replacing the word with slave not only takes out teachable moments but now teachers readers “bad history”(Larry Wilmore). Having the ‘N-word’ in the book, having us read it, having us say it, forces us to think more about race and racism in reality. Many argue replacing the ‘N-word’ with slave changes the book as in, the values or the book rather is not Twain 's work anymore. The arguments are approaching this as thinking if this is the children’s first encounter with slavery, and since there is a possibility it means no one should mess around with the book because “there is a reality there that you cannot avoid”(Bradley).
But according to Michael Meyers, “It is in the classroom, exactly, where the word ‘nigger’ belongs. It does not belong in the street, in casual conversation among whites or between blacks.” (67). John Wallace feels that because the word “nigger” appears over 200 times throughout the story, it “has caused him to be traumatized as a high-school student when it was required reading.” (“View of Slavery Still a Hot Topic”). Wallace went so far as to change the book, replacing any words that he felt were offensive to black people with other non-offensive words like slave or black man. When Wallace changed this book to what he felt was less offensive, the novel lost its irony, and its values (“View of Slavery Still a Hot Topic”). Other people argue that the text is harmful for young African-American students to read, but they must realize that Twain was writing for the time of the story. He wrote these words as a reminder that the way people acted in the past was unacceptable, and should not be tolerated, nor repeated. He knew that the way he had the characters treat Jim and the other slaves was wrong, but he was writing a period piece. These actions fit the way people acted in American society in the 1830's and 1840's (Cryer 60). Twain goes on to show that even though Huck has been brought up to think of blacks as only slaves, and that he knows that freeing a slave, is not only
Apart from being one of the landmarks of American literature, Mark Twain’s classic tale,The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a mirror of the deeply embedded racist attitudes of the Deep South in the 1880’s. First, not to mention the most controversial and obvious, is the liberal use of the “n” word throughout the book. Taken as a derogatory term by modern-day Americans, Twain’s use of the “n” word is simply a reflection of the times. Huck Finn was written when cruel and unjust treatment of colored people were commonplace and use of such a word didn’t get so much as a second thought.Huck Finn depicts a time when slaves were not treated as people but as things without emotions or personalities, mere property. For instance, Jim is initially known only in relation to whose property he is. He escapes from being continuously treated as property, even sold to a family that will most likely treat him even less humanely.
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
It is odd to think that a high school student would pick up the word “nigger” and use it against another student because high school students have already been exposed to topics such as slavery and racism. Therefore, it would be unlikely for a student to use “nigger” against another student given the fact that race is still a “volatile and divisive subject” in this country and high school students is not ignorant infants that can’t distinguish the rights and wrongs about the word “nigger.” (Williams, Randle). At this point in time teenagers are exposed to excessive profanity through the media, music lyrics on TV and many times it is not censored. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be kept in library shelves and schools in its original form because students can receive moral lessons and therefore, mature as human beings. A big part about how a student can react to the novel is how the book is being taught. Teachers should acknowledge the intention and purpose of Mark Twain, which was to appeal to the reader 's emotions through the use of specific diction. Along with teaching the literary elements of the novel the teachers should also imply the ideas and controversies that are being presented in the novel. Twain’s purpose was also to capture the moments that defined the 1800s such as slavery and racism. After all, the novel should be taught in its original
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.
Ever since its publication over a hundred years ago, controversy has swarmed around one of Mark Twain’s most popular novels, Huck Finn. Even then, many educators supported its dismissal from school libraries. For post Civil-War Americans, the argument stemmed from Twain’s use of spelling errors, poor grammar, and curse words. In the politically correct 1990’s however, the point of argument has now shifted to one of the major themes of the book: Racism. John Wallace once said of the book, “It’s the most grotesque version of racist trash” ever written. Were Twain’s archetypal characters and use of vernacular language an assertion of his own racist views, or a critique of the injustice of
Huck Finn is a historical fiction novel that uses offensive language in a satirical way to portray slavery in the nineteenth century. The novel is questioned for its historical inaccuracies and use in junior high and high school classrooms. Some believe that the “reading aloud of Huckleberry Finn in our classrooms is humiliating and insulting to black students” (Wallace, 17). Yet, others believe that “one gathers a deeper understanding of the meaning of living in a slave society such as the one Huck and his peers lived in” (Barksdale, 49). Because of the novel’s vulgar language and repeated use of the “n-word”: “the appellation commonly used for slaves in slavery time, appears more than 200 times”, the novel can become a source of discussion within the classroom environment (Barksdale, 52). Although students would have to be prepared for the “far-flung historical and psychological causes and consequences”, after reading the novel, its negativity and racial discrimination can be discussed rather than its status as a literary classic (Barksdale, 53). This novel can create a safe way to discuss the use of racial profanities as well as racism during the 19th and 20th centuries compared to the racism experienced in the 21st century. If teachers and students are able to discuss The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in a constructive manner rather than
Bill McKibben who is the author for the essay called The Only Way To Have a Cow claims that the way meat is made is an unclean practice that has many negatives. The biggest of them all is methane in the atmosphere. The release of methane can be of the past thanks to today’s methods and technology. Methane can be reduced by having the cows become free-range and grass fed but that would increase the price of meat. Other ways methane can be reduced in the atmosphere is by being stored and used for energy, and by altering cows diets.
It is the characters that make a story and they are what convey the feeling needed for the message contained in the story. Any great writing that contains characters provides their full, rounded personalities. These personal descriptions are averaged to form the classification of each person introduced. The “good guys,” the “bad guys” and all the other titles are classifications. In example, there were many types of characters in Elie Wiesel’s “Night.” Among these are the main protagonists, antagonists, and prophetic characters.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has over two hundred references of the "N" word. However, Ernest Hemingway said, "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. It's the best book we've ever had." These angry words full of hatred were called the best by one of the most known authors in the world, why? I read this book in high school myself. I served many afterschool detentions because I refused to read aloud the words of hate. I did not connect to it then, yet as I have aged I believe it was the way the book was taught. Why did my teacher not tell us more of the background of Mark Twain?
Since its first publication in 1884, Mark Twain’s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has proven to be one of history’s most controversial novels; especially recently, the novel has often been banned by schools and censored by libraries. Characters in the book are constantly using disparaging language toward slaves, and the repeated use of the word “nigger” makes many sensitive and offended. Critics denounce the novel and Mark Twain as racist for this word being insulting and politically incorrect and for its depiction of black people and how they are treated. However, Twain was not attempting to perpetuate racism; on the contrary, he used satire to expose the ignorance and paradoxical views held by many in America at that time.