Why Would a Good Novel be Kicked out of the Classroom? A trashy and racist book wouldn 't be allowed in classrooms. The novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, is getting a lot of negative talk about. The dominant problem that students, parents, teachers, and even professors, face , is the usage of the n-word.
Since this book contains many racial slurs and violence, people want it banned or censored. Although, Huckleberry Finn should remain how it is because altering it changes the impact of the book, people will still be exposed to these slurs, and it is an opportunity to teach readers. The censored version of Huck Finn replaces the ‘N-word’ with the word ‘slave’. This would be an inaccurate representation because they have a
We know that Twain is not racist, but he did use the N-word to show what kind of people his characters were. Delila Lloyd wrote a document that addresses both sides of the issue, but one of the points that sticks out is "Take the N-word out of Huck Finn, and is it really Huck Finn?" (Lloyd). Huck uses the N-word because he grew up in a society where the word was meaningless, and was used to describe slaves as scum. The word practically means nothing, but not as in the word doesn't have a meaning, but in the sense that the people described as the word are meaningless.
According to Raziye Akkoc, a writer for The Telegraph, the American novel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [has been banned] because [of] its use of the N-word was not "inclusive" and made students uncomfortable.” Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn is about a young man that travels down the Mississippi river with a slave named Jim, and the many different journeys they encounter. Many people in society, however, have come across the question of whether or not the novel should be banned because of some of the vulgar language in Twain’s work. Even though it includes poor grammar and spelling, Huck Finn is a novel that establishes good morals, true friendships, and demonstrates the true historic time period.
Censoring the N-word in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a terrible idea with many consequences. Changing Nigger to slave only makes it more comfortable for people who can’t face the idea of past slavery. It also obscures view of what Mark Twain was wanting to. Changing the N-word completely disproves his idea of staying true to others dialects. The N-word should not be censored in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because it changes the connotation of the entire book.
Furthermore, the n-word is used over 200 times in the book which puts students in a challenging and uncomfortable position when reading the book. Huck uses the word to belittle Jim and make himself feel superior to Jim. In one instance after playing a trick on Jim, Huck feels bad and it takes him fifteen minutes to "humble [himself] to a nigger" (Twain 89). The n-word is used to degrade people in the story and in the real world and as a result makes people uncomfortable when reading the
In conclusion, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should remain in schools, the book is useful because it serves as a way to introduce race into a class discussion, the book can bring up “teachable moments” as described by David Bradley in the short clip of 60 Minutes. (Schneider). Censoring books by banning them restrains readers from learning and talking about topics that may be labeled as “controversial” or “explicit”. The “n-word” has a negative connotation due to the usage of the word in the past, it is often correlated with a disrespectful attitude, however this is controversial since David Bradley describes the complexity by comparing and saying “Rednecks can make jokes about rednecks”, this in other words says that one is not “allowed
There’s one thing about The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn people don't agree on and it's the use of the n-word. Should it, or shouldn’t be taught in schools, there are multiple reasons why Huckleberry Finn should be taught! One of the reasons is how it shows the times back then, it gave people a visual on what “normal” looked like in the past. This book could also teach what the n-word actually means. Kids should be taught what it means in a school environment, not in the “real world” where they might not grasp the words' full meaning.
A single word, used 219 times throughout Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, causes a world of controversy surrounding this classic piece of literature (“Leave”). The use of the N-Word throughout the novel makes some people feel uncomfortable as they read and discuss the book; however, others argue that the book provides a valuable learning opportunity that gives students a refreshing perspective on racism throughout American history. Such controversy between Huck Finn’s great teaching powers, yet uncomfortable diction, proposes an everlasting question: should public schools teach The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Many people feel uncomfortable with the teaching of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in public schools due
Change does not occur immediately, it happens through time. In Mark twain’s novel, Huckleberry Finn, the reader journeys along, unfolding the truth about this time period and the reality of slavery. Therefore, the author uses the main character Huck, to demonstrate the ability to change. He use Huck’s experiences and adventures throughout the story, to develop Huck’s character over time not only by the challenges he faces, but the decisions he makes during them.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is controversial and has been debated on being banned, due to its racist character; in reality, these allegations were untrue. Huckleberry Finn is known for the excessive use of the n-word, and many people have reservations about the word being used in the novel. While the n-word is profoundly offensive, “Most of the characters who use the word, including Huckleberry Finn, are racists and it would not be accurate for them to not use the word”(Gardner, 21). This evidence explains the way the n-word has evolved in its use over time. Twain kept his novel realistic to the time period, where that word was said often, and there was not a well-known alternative.
To some the “N” word gets in the way of the story’s powerful message against slavery. To others, Twains simply capturing the way people use to talk back then. I for one, think that schools should keep the book with the “N” word. For this reason, to stay true to Twain’s words is this. We’ve been reading “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Tom Sawyer” for a long period of time and it hasn’t stopped us from passing political rights, law giving, ending discrimination in public schools, passing the Voting Rights Act, engaging in multicultural relations, or electing nonwhite governmental administrators, including our current president.
When confronting the problem of the amount of times The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has used “n-word” some may believe that keeping the word shows the significance of this certain time period. For instance, the book took place in the late 18th century. This period was a time of complete racism and complete segregation of African
With the overturning of Roe V. Wade in 2022, the talk about abortion has been on a rise - with various beliefs. Although the discussion of abortion has been a sensitive topic for years, the amount of forced pregnancies in recent years have been alarming. With being unable to provide services to women it not only puts the mother in risk of her own health but her life as well. The option to have an abortion should be legal in all states to encourage the protection of women's mental health, privacy, and freedom. Abortion should be legal to protect women from suffering from mental health caused by pregnancy.
Students should learn about the value the novel provides from that time-period in which Mark Twain wrote, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain put the N word in the novel for a reason, to describe the time-period in which these events had occurred. Phillip Rawls writes, “‘It’s such a shame that one word should be a barrier between a marvelous reading experience and a lot of readers,’ Gribben said. Yet Twain was particular about his words.”
