The N-Word In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of 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.

How would you feel if an author published a book that contained a word that was once used frequently but has now developed into one of the most derogatory and unfriendly things a person can say? Since 1884, when the book was first published, there has been much controversy regarding the use of the word “nigger” in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Many people all over the world, predominantly the African-American population, feel that the word demoralizes the Blacks, and feel that the novel should be strongly censored from society. Some say that the constant use of the “n-word” forces the reader to conceive one of the main characters, Jim (Huck’s slave friend), as a buffoon, and it therefore embarrasses the

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.

Also every person they call “nigger” does not have to necessarily be a slave. For example now in day the word “nigger” is a word african americans use among themselves, it is only okay when they are the ones saying, If a white person or any other person would try to call them this they would get offended as the history the word has and also they do not know the intentions that are being used with the word itself. The publisher of the new book’s aim was to appease to the sensitivities of modern readers by doing what he did, the replacement of all 219 instances of the word nigger to slave(willmore). The “~n-word” was put in the book a word as it speaks to a society that casually dehumanizing black people and the word “slave” is just a job description. This is much true now in day the word is used heavily among pop culture and rappers. Usually black rappers are the ones using the word but if the song is to blow up and become well known everyone singing it will just be throwing the word out there. It is not like they can make the songwriters change the word “nigger” in their song to

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).

One would doubt that Twain would input the N-word into his book without having a good reason to do so. At the time of writing this book, the Civil War was over and the general thought was that slavery and racism was over. The thought then leads to the fact that Twain wanted to make a point of letting readers know that, just because you have abolished slavery does not mean that the racism and bigotry has gone with it. The repel of slavery made no difference to the racism card, and he wanted his Northern readers to know it.

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

Not only is this inherently hypocritical, but, according to Randall Kennedy, Harvard Law School professor and author of a book on the history of the N-word, the edited version does not make Twain’s work more accessible; it attempts to erase the volatile word it from American culture (H). The word “slave” downplays the racism that Twain so satirically indicts. Although slavery has long been abolished, racism prevails as a cancer of society that cannot be remedied by eradicating racial slurs. Rather, making examples of past prejudices and

“Huck Finn” story can be a debatable when it comes to history, and what the story is about. Some argue that Mark Twain’s abuse of using the “N” word triggers racism especially that this book was written when slavery became illegal. As one student said, "It is estimated that the word nigger is used 392 times which reinforces a negative stereotype of African Americans represented by the use of this derogatory word" (Jackson). Some can still argue that this book can be a bad influence to the youth as they might be using the “N” word as a racist rant. For some, it is very disturbing, upsetting, and bringing back the past.

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.

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.

However, in the context of Huck Finn, it is an essential part in the accurate depiction of the south. Twain uses the word “not just as a trigger to outrage but, more important, a means of understanding the precise nature of American racism” (Smith 364). When this word is used in the story, it brings out emotion in the readers and sometimes makes them uncomfortable. Marylee Hengstebeck decided not to teach this book because she had students “firsthand [tell her] how it made them feel…and now [she thinks] that it’s not only insensitive but abusive”. However, the emotion that the word “nigger” creates makes Huck Finn an impactful book. Once a reader closes the book, they see the horrors of racism and this doesn’t occur without the use of “nigger”. By replacing or deleting the word, “it is difficult to imagine how Twain could have debunked a discourse without using [this] specific [term] of… discourse” (Smith, 367). Not only do the white characters use this word, Jim does also. When Jim and Huck first meet, Jim tells Huck that he ran away because “‘[he] noticed dey wuz a nigger trader roun’ de place considable, lately, en [he] begin to git oneasy” (Twain 55). By using the word “nigger” trader, it emphasizes the harshness of slave traders and slavery. Twain uses this word because it common in the 1800s and to pull on the emotions of the

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

Others argue that the book produces a “non inclusive” environment in school(Lee). The ideas that Mark Twain cultivates and develops for many form an environment that some would coin uncomfortable for “mixed classrooms”. White student have grown with the concept that it is not appropriate to use the “n-word” and colored students feel a sense of uneasiness hearing the word over and over again. Many argue that the word diminishes the progress that has been obtained in the last decades and it is just a reminder of what was. For many this reminder is not a sense of pride in their progression but one of embarrassment and belittlement once again. The discomfort targets more than just students. For many teachers the portrayal of Jim as a childlike black man who has no sense of self-respect demonstrated causes some white teachers to squirm with discomfort or embarrassment (Samuels). To some teachers the discomfort goes more than just what occurs in the novel. Being associated with the race that belittled others makes them feel uncomfortable especially is taught within a mixed classroom.

This fictional, satirical follow-up to to Mark Twain’s 1876 novel is just as popular, although for most it’s for different reasons. The amount of times that the “n-word” is used is between 160 and 213 [2]. Since the 1950s, black parents and some white sympathizers have called this book out as being racist. As for my opinion on this, I never got why this was bad. Sure, it may seem racist to us, but in the context of it’s time, there’s really nothing wrong. That was the controversy of it, as for the story itself, it’s a classic in it’s own right.