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Censorship In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

929 Words4 Pages

For as long as art has been one of the most popular mediums in culture, the history of censorship has coincided along with it to diminish this form of expression. This is especially true for literature and the fantastic yet apparently controversial works within including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Although it is true that the novel does contain explicit content of racism and language, it is an accurate representation of what the South in that time period was and its historical relevance should not be limited. Protection from vulgarity to preserve innocence is not threatened by a story of history such as Twain’s tale. Even with the institution of racism still being prominent in society, it is not Twain who promotes it through his characters and the novel’s events; ironically, it is him who exploits this evident part of society and provides his own commentary against the very …show more content…

This expression through writing is detrimental and without freedom to discuss and manifest opinions in any area, the foundations of the art form collapses. This destruction is embellished deep within the roots of censorship as it limits ideas and only enhances mediocrity and a lack of critical thinking. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterpiece, not racist trash, clear through simple explanation and analysis of the context of the novel and how Twain’s view of racism is expressed through satire. Roman statues do not require clothes. Spanish paintings are not colored in black and white. Literature should not require this unjust censorship either. Art is meant for beauty and solidarity, not for confinement and imaginative scarcity. By allowing pieces of art to remain just what they are, it allows future generations to analyze, comprehend, and connect with the true purpose of each rather than sporadically censoring off instinct

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Some school districts have banned the book due to the use of the “n word”, the negative portrayal of African Americans throughout the book, and Huckleberry’s distasteful character, which offers a poor role model for youth. However, these misguided administrators misunderstand Twain’s literature because Twain uses the “n word” to spotlight its offensive and dehumanizing nature, the portrayal of African Americans is

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The Banning Mark Twain's Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

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Ever since Mark Twain published Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885, it has been one of the most banned books in America. Not only one, but many different people/groups have banned Mark Twain’s classic due to the consistent theme of race. The book is considered inappropriate because of how Mark Twain regards African Americans and Indigenous people. Historically, it is off of many school bookshelves because many may argue that the book even promotes racism. One month after the book’s debut in 1885, a library in Concord, MA stated that Twain’s novel was "trash and suitable only for the slums".

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Why Huckleberry Finn Should Not Be Banned Essay

1255 Words | 6 Pages

Many books have been censored or banned in libraries and schools across the United States because of their suggestive or inappropriate content. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, a sequel to the popular The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, is one of the books that are being illuminated as “unfit to read”. It is the story a young boy, Huck, and a black man, Jim, in the 1800s, who ran away and their journey across the Mississippi River. It is a controversial piece in a majority of the classrooms across America. In this book, the N word shows up over two hundred times (Here's Why Banning 'Huck Finn' Over The N-Word Sends The Wrong Message).

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Toni Morrison effectively analyzed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, covering different perspectives and ways to interpret the novel that displays a higher level understanding of a “challenging” text. Good writing and analysis skills are crucial for a variety of different tasks students will have to perform beyond school. Additionally, challenging literature offers a great opportunity for students to learn about censorship. As many books read in schools today are being censored, any opportunity for students to directly learn more about the issue is beneficial. In the article “Schools Can’t Ban Books Because of Complaints, Court Says,” Mark Walsh addresses a woman who wishes to discard of controversial works, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, that provoke racial harassment in the school system (Source B).

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Why Huck Finn Should Not Be Banned Essay

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American literature has always been a form of entertainment and education. When slaves were introduced as characters in books, they were always negative, stereotypical characters, but not until 1883 when Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was a change made. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book about a southern white boy in the 1800’s that runs away with an escaped slave on the Mississippi River. For years, schools have been debating on if the book should be banned in schools or not, and it is already on a variety of banned lists. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be banned in schools because it is an anti-slavery novel that teaches students valuable lessons and informs students of the past culture.

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History Banned because it is Offensive Was Huckleberry Finn written at a time when racism was considered acceptable? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a controversial book series considering its racial attributes. This book is about a boy who fakes his death and starts an adventure with a runaway slave who he befriends. Many argue that the book should be banned for racism, but others disagree because of its originality and illustration of a major turning point in history for America.

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, is a book in which captures the adventures of a young boy named Huck Finn who runs away from home and makes his way down the Mississippi River in which he meets a runaway slave named Jim, together they undertake serious of adventures. This piece of literature has left many of its readers shocked and angry due to the extensive use of the n-word. In Huckleberry Finn, the n-word is used over 200 times which has led many schools to ban the teaching of this book or simply replace it with another classic American literature. There is always two sides of a story, in this one there is three. The argument continues with the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn whether it should be kept

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The announcement of a new, censored, version of Mark Twain’s classic, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn sparked controversy across the United States in regard to which version would provide the best educational experience. Even though the revised publication may be more politically correct due to the replacement of the word “nigger” to “slave”, it dampens the milieu of the story. Additionally, the argument for censorship in the novel is flawed considering the social discomfort created from word “nigger” can be used to form an intellectual lesson or discussion. Alan Gribben’s edition of the novel is less literarily enriching because the unnecessary censorship worsens the syntax compared to the original publication.

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Through his eyes, windows are opened up into the life of the American people before the Civil War. High school juniors from all around should be presented with the opportunity to read the tale of Huckleberry Finn, because it is a classic piece of American Literature that touches on timeless themes through humor and satire and is most relatable to kids of that age. Many say this book by Mark Twain should be banned from schools due to its racial comments and remarks, claiming that it could offend or “scar” the youth that read the novel. Yes, the N-word fills the pages of the story, making people of our time who read it uncomfortable, but that

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Mark Twain has often been referred to as the “foremost living American writer” and his books have long been on the reading lists of most every school (Phelps, 542). However, since it was published, there has been an abundance of controversies regarding whether Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should continue to be taught in school as well as whether it truly deserves the literary accolades it is often rewarded with. Many believe that due to the book’s “inappropriate” language, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be banned from being taught in schools as it can be viewed as racist and make the students uncomfortable. However, those that believe this are truly missing the point. Mark Twain’s use of language does not take away from the beauty of the narrative, but instead it adds a whole new dimension of life to the characters and

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Controversy In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

1402 Words | 6 Pages

The Huck Finn Controversy Ever since the book was published in 1884, the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been making waves all across the country with its repetitive and controversial use of the word nigger and apparent disregard toward the dignity of black people. The argument has been raging on ever since: Should the original and uncensored version of Huck Finn be allowed as a tool to teach our country’s youth about American Literature? My answer to that question is yes, that with a combination of understanding, preparation, and maturity this book could be a very helpful tool in education. One reason I would like to point out as to why we should stay with the original book and not replace them all with censored versions

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Personal Narrative: America Does Not Need To Censor Her Past

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To censor Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would not only do a complete disservice to the author himself, who chose his words carefully to convey a certain message, but

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Why Should Huckleberry Finn Be Banned

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The controversy over whether or not The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be banned has been a recurring topic over many decades in public school districts. The appearance of the ‘n’ word and the treatment towards the African American race, has made many readers uneased. In this novel, Mark Twain expresses realness of the world in that time period and projects it onto the characters in this story. Getting rid of this book in schools would reflect on children not learning the realness of the past, our history. Why should Mark Twain’s writing be penalized because of what’s going on in the world today ?

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1441 Words | 6 Pages

“... and the book is still selling--more than 20 million copies worldwide to date--and still generating controversy, many scholars consider it a classic of American literature” (Bilyeu). Why would a novel that is a bestseller worldwide, be banned? In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, major controversy has immersed. This novel has been sparking controversy for over 100 years, with people arguing over the ideas discussed in the book. Many critics do not believe the story belongs in the classroom, because of its use of racial slurs and other argumentative topics.

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Racism In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

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Rosa Parks once said, “Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.” She describes that the future of our world has to be aware of things that have happened in the past, such as racism. The NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is a civil rights organization that displayed their position on this certain situation. The NAACP position is correct in that Mark Twain’s un-sanitized version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught because the book describes the important awareness of the historical oppression of people, it provides a value of morality from that time period that students should learn, and gives an important lesson about race that should be taught to students.

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