Discrimination In Huck Finn

A man whips another person for the simple fact that they are different. The oppressed is forced to work under harsh conditions, with his only payment being able to live. Discrimination is embedded into America’s history as many expressed hate towards those who were simply different for most of it. America’s dark past should not be allowed to terrorize its open-minded future, yet many things in our world uncover the prejudiced views America once held. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain should not be required reading in 11th Grade American Literature classes at Issaquah High School because the book upholds racist ideals and can potentially destroy a classroom environment. Despite praise for Twain’s intended purpose of promoting

Halfway through the novel Twain tosses Jim “to the side of the narrative” causing him to take the backseat of the story as the Duke and King, and later Tom, treat him poorly and ignore him (Smiley 63). Jim is left on the raft as the Duke and King go about their antics, all but forgotten by Huck. Despite Huck’s respect for Jim, he ignores him as he enjoys his life of adventure with the frauds. Jim is treated as the stereotypical slave, whose job is to be the loyal watchdog and stay on the raft. Jim never has a say on how he feels about remaining on the raft and, like a black man in the 1800’s, he is never allowed one. This discrimination reflects the racism of America’s past, and is not something students today should be forced to learn in class. Jim is also discriminated against when Tom decides to place a “rattlesnake” in Jim’s cell because “a prisoner’s got to have some kind of dumb pet” (Twain 263). Despite Tom’s knowledge of Jim’s freedom, he decides to keep the information secret so that he can enjoy his prison break adventure. He disregards all of Jim’s objections, and subjects him to the torturous ideal of being a prisoner. Tom drags Jim to all of his whims, under the claim that he is helping Jim escape and be free even though Jim already is. Tom’s treatment of Jim reflects a way of thinking that treats black men as toys. Similar to white supremacists, Tom subjects African Americans to dehumanizing and unequal levels despite the freedom that they are entitled to. By the end of the book, Jim is treated simply as equal to whites in all ways. When Jim helps save Tom after he was shot, Huck only hopes that “one or two of the chains” would be removed rather be disappointed with the fact that Jim might no longer be free (Twain 287). Twain ends the novel by dehumanizing Jim, so as a reader, the last