Huckleberry Finn Synthesis Essay

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

A majority of people in American society believe that school systems must teach children that racism is morally wrong. Often, however, tension has builds over how to teach this important lesson. Unfortunately, a controversy has built over the teaching of Huckleberry Finn. Although some believe that Mark Twains' novel perpetuates racist feelings, in fact Twain uses the characters to demonstrate the immorality of slavery. Miss Watson and Pap, the reprehensible objects of Twains' satire, demonstrate the racist views that society takes towards slaves. The slave Jim, who may appear stereotypically ignorant, in reality represents the true goodness and humanity which society impedes upon

 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered by many to be the greatest American novel ever written.  Despite this praise, Mark Twain’s masterpiece has never been without criticism.  Upon its inception it was blasted for being indecent literature for young readers because of its lack of morals and contempt for conformity.  Modern indignation toward Huck Finn arises from its racist undertones, most notably Twain’s treatment of the character Jim.  As is the case with many canonized yet controversial books, the biggest conflict revolves around the inclusion of Huck Finn on required reading lists of public schools throughout the country.

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.

Slavery stretches its cruel branches into decades of history. According to the American Anti-slavery and Civil Rights Timeline on Ushistory.org, the portuguese were the first to negotiate a slave trade in 1472. The portuguese slave trade agreement also included ivory and gold as well as slaves. In 1610, the first ship carrying slaves touched down in the new world. Four years after that the British Colony of Massachusetts became the first colony to recognize slavery as a legal institution. For as long as slavery has been a legal institution abolitionists have been advocating for the freedom and rights of slaves. In 1671 George Fox, the founder of the quakers, talked out against the institution of slavery in the new world. In 1861 America ripped itself apart fighting a war, known as the American Civil War, that would ultimately abolish slavery in the United States of America. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was written and published after the end of the civil war, but is set forty to fifty years before the beginning of the civil war. At this time it was socially acceptable to own slaves, especially in the south where Huckleberry Finn lives. It was not uncommon for slaves to be beaten or whipped if their work was unsatisfactory. Slaves were treated as people without rights and property to their white owners. Today the transatlantic slave trade has left its mark on America. There are still white supremacist groups, like the KKK, who believe that they are the superior race and black people should be eradicated. Racial profiling of black people has been an increasing issue to. Black people are getting killed and sent to jail for crimes that if a white person were to commit, the white person would receive a lesser sentence. Today racism is still running rampant in America.

Huckleberry Finn is a rebellious boy who defies rules whenever he deems it fit. In the satirical novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a runaway boy befriends an escaped slave in the deep south. The majority of society frowns upon Huck and his choices and he struggles with his decisions the whole novel to reveal thematic subjects such as friendship, love, and betrayal. Throughout the story Huck can’t decide whether to do the right thing or not, but ultimately his heart wins over the views forced upon him by society.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a staple of many middle school, high school, and college English curriculums across the nation for its crucial lessons about race and slavery. Historian Peter Salwen explains that Twain’s colloquial dialogue is “a way to underscore the truth about the old south” and highlights Twain’s mastery of satire (B). Thus, his ability to use advanced literary tools to convey that slavery was a widespread epidemic in Southern white society makes his novel ideal for study in American classrooms. Apart from the value of the story is the value of the words with which it is told. As an alternative to banning the novel entirely, many of its opponents recommend censoring the N-word, particularly Twain scholar Alan Gribben, who led an effort to publish copies replacing the racial epithet with “slave” (F).

Since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first published in January 1885, it has always been in trouble. It is considered the one book from which all modern American literature came, but was condemned in Mark Twain's time as coarse and vulgar, so it was banned from the shelves. Still controversial today, many school districts across the country have banned it from their curriculum for being racist. Unsurprisingly, this is nearly always at the insistence of those who have never even read the book. It is also no surprise that so many students have read it just to see what those guardians of their morals have found so offensive (Edwards p.2).

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

From the races people can label others, but people cannot know others’ humanity. Since the racism came about society, people look people based on their own morality codes, and even the people who have good morals are overlooked because of the word “racism” that makes people to depict and judge one’s character. In the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain introduces a coming of age character named Huck who sees his surrounding with a logical thinking, and Jim who plays a controversial role in the novel as a slave. Mark Twain uses satire to criticize racism that gives negative aspect of society and create an unalterable realities on one’s worldview, indicating society’s moral code veils one’s hidden personality and confuses natural

A widely debated topic concerning, Mark Twain’s classic Huckleberry Finn centers on its content which may or may not be too offensive to be allowed on public school reading lists. The NAACP and concerned parents want Huckleberry Finn “removed from mandatory reading lists, for the books damaging effects on African-American students” (Hentoff 98). The book did not get removed; in “1998 Judge Reinhardt wrote: ‘an important part of education is thinking critically about offensive ideas’ ” which is just one side of the argument (Hentoff 99). There are two sides of this debate which have valid points and even stronger feelings, to remove Huckleberry Finn or keep it in schools. The pro banning side declares the book has offensive language, racially insensitive, and the book encourages racial tension. The con banning side retorts First Amendment rights, knowledge stops repetition, and the book is anti-racist and teaches moral values. Huckleberry Finn is one of the most read classics, yet since its publication, has always stirred up trouble.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an outstanding work of American literature that evokes controversies even 133 years after it’s publishing. It’s known that this novel in the past few years has been banned by several high schools regarding the use of language within the book. However in literature, English, and American history classes today, Huck Finn is still taught frequently. Contrary to opinions regarding the teachings the book in the past, I believe that high schools should include Huck Finn in our curriculum. As a student who has read the book, I believe that the use of language contributes to Mark Twain’s invention of giving a new view on works of literature. Even though the n-word, an epithet that’s been used in the book 219 times

go through university with that same knowledge is appalling. Post-investigation, the committee decided a revamp of text would be appropriate, but they ran into some obstacles. “Publishers refused to produce a Virginia history text without the assurance that the book would be used in all Virginia schools. The textbook commission, in turn, wanted the publishers to accept any "revisions and corrections" that members wanted. The group also demanded that they have the right to approve authors before the publishers hired them.” (Dean 10). Benjamin Muse, former State Senator, saw the committee as “an attempt to stoke "negrophobia" among whites” (Dean 11), and “For Muse, all these questions related to the current issue at hand, segregation. If the books reflected the longstanding Lost

    Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is perhaps one of the most controversial novels the North American Continent has ever produced.  Since its publication more than a hundred years ago controversy has surrounded the book.  The most basic debate surrounding Twain's masterpiece is whether the book's language and the character of Jim are presented in a racist manner.  Many have called for the book to be banned from our nation's schools and libraries.  Mark Twain's novel is about a young boy who was raised in the south before slavery was abolished, a place where racism and bigotry were the fabric of every day life.  The novel is the account of how Huck Finn, who is a product of these

The novel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” is a grotesque example of what happens when young people are not properly educated or taught even basic etiquette and yet still allowed to write and publish a book. While Mark Twain is the real author of this book, the reader is told otherwise by the “Explanatory”. It is reasonable to assume that this book was written by Mark Twain while he was in character; playing the part of Huck Finn. Huck Finn is the uneducated youth mentioned above. Regardless, the colloquiality of the writing in this novel is appalling and a violent attack on the eyes and the mind. If the absurd warning at the very beginning of the novel threatening banishment and a shooting are not enough to deter people from even bothering