Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In Schools

So as you can see the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a great piece of american literature and should be taught in all high schools. not only because it shows how racism was back in the late 1800s but also because it shows the true meaning of the word

Negroes do not like it in any book or play whatsoever, be the book or play ever so sympathetic in its treatment of the basic problems of the race. Even [if] the book or play is written by a Negro, they still [would] not like it” (Henry). In addition, John Wallace believes that the word “nigger” is so offensive that he rewrote the novel without the word “nigger.”

Should Huckleberry Finn be taught in schools? This question has been a topic of discussion over the past years and is still being talked about today. A lot of people say that the book should be banned from schools because of the racial comments in the book. People claim that it could offend the youth, and teach them unfit words. It is understandable for people to be concerned about the books language, but in reality all the book does is enlighten the youth on the history of slavery and many more. In Joan DelFattores article she states. “The elimination of "nigger" is presented not as censorship but as a rescue mission to save Huckleberry Finn from oblivion, because many secondary schools will not teach material that makes students

Society has had problems with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shortly after being published. Huckleberry Finn was first published in January of 1885 and only two months later in March of 1885 the book was banned. The problem first with the book was it was too friendly toward African Americans and believed to lead children astray from certain values. Now over 100 years later “Huckleberry Finn is still making news” (Pitts). Now in the 21th century we have a problem with Huckleberry Finn not because of kindness to African Americans or believing it would lead children astray from traditional values but because of “one reason - one word: nigger” (Pitts). This word has been seen as a problem in the classrooms and teachers and schools refuse

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

Moliere said, “Unreasonable haste is the direct road to error”, which is what most people thought when Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain was first published and assigned in classrooms. That allowing such a novel to be taught to children is a disgrace. Assigning the novel Huckleberry Finn, or one like it, in the classroom can result in both positive and negative consequences. In John H. Wallace’s The Case Against Hick Finn he claims this book causes embarrassment for African American children. Similarly, Paul Butler, argues that, despite the historical context, Huck Finn enforced racism among other students in his article Why Bother Reading Huck Finn. Opposingly, in History, Slavery and Thematic Irony in Huckleberry Finn, Richard K. Barksdale argues

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

I think the old version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught because, the only reason why Mark Twain used the n-word in the first place in the book is because that is how the people talked back in the day. Then you can’t replace the n-word with slave because slave refers to the actual repeal of human rights. That is not what the n-word means. The n-word is just another word for a colored person. “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't done that one

In America, a country equipped with racism, there is a debate on whether Huck Finn should be taught in classrooms. NAACP’s and Reinhardt’s believe that the teaching of Huck Finn should not be censored or removed. However, many teachers and parents believe that Huck Finn should either be removed from the schools due to its racist context. Agreeing with NAACP and Reinhardt, the book should be taught in classrooms. If schools remove Huck Finn they are also removing the important teachings behind the novel. By teaching the novel Huck Finn, teachers emotional invest their students in the ugly topic of racism, expose them to a novel that educates them on the harsh reality behind violent words and proves that there is still

The novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been controversial on whether or not it should be read in high school. As some critics believe, Twain uses language that is inappropriate and damaging to students. Although some think that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is racist and inappropriate, I believe the novel should be taught because the book exemplifies the changing of morals, the lifestyle of America post Civil War, as well as allowing the students a chance to form their own opinion. The novel's main character, Huck Finn, experiences hardships throughout his early childhood. Huck had little to no guidance from his drunken father he ends up getting adopted by Widow Douglas. Huck's father, Pap, then takes Huck from Widow

Within the article Henry evaluates different opinions on the book being taught in school. One that stood out was, “Hentoff believes that confronting Huck will give students ‘the capacity to see past words like ‘nigger’... into what the writer is actually saying.’ He wonders, ‘what’s going to happen to a kid when he gets into the world if he’s going to let a word paralyze him so he can’t think.’” (Henry 387). The N-word is overused in the book to bring up a problem, however the real problem is when the people reading it don’t see the satire which then causes them to be immature. The book should only be taught by someone who sees these problems and knows how to teach those people who do not see it.

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

High schools within the US shouldn't ban The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This book is one of the most popular book American literature in our libraries these days; it puts the reader into a time once slavery was lawful and accepted, and provides the reader a brand new perspective on slavery generally. Till people will come up with a more robust argument than the word “nigger” it shouldn't be a reason to get rid of this book in many high schools within the country. Every one hundred years dialects modification and what are thought-about “politically correct”, or socially acceptable, changes.

Huckleberry Finn is a classic novel that is taught in a majority of high school classrooms today. It is considered one of Twain’s finest works but is also one of the most controversial as well. The excessive use of the “n” word throughout his novel is very upsetting to some, stirring up the question as to whether or not Huckleberry Finn really is racist. With this question being asked many believe the novel should not be taught in schools, as it is inappropriate and offensive. Although Huck Finn can be mistaken as racist, it should not be banned from schools.

With teaching the book as it was written by Twain, there could be some students who find it uncomfortable hearing the word a great deal of times; the author was well aware of this. School districts that choose to teach the book with the NewSouth alternation- or not teach it at all- argue that the book will teach students that using the word is acceptable and the blatant racism shown will be justified. They also argue that the word is not necessarily crucial to the plot and, therefore, can be removed without changing the classic American novel. David Bradley argues completely opposite of that, saying that even changing the N-word to “slave” completely changes Huckleberry Finn and diminishes Twain’s message. Bradley explains that replacing the