Number The Stars By Louis Lowry: An Analysis

If you got the chance to go back in time and change a past event, would you? Keep in mind that it would also alter the present. Every single human being is different, whether in race, religion, mentality or emotions, that is why discrepancies will forever be unavoidable. Gladly, despite those aspects, human beings have found a way to almost completely set aside one of the most deep scars in history, slavery. Mark Twain openly writes about this topic in his book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Whether it should be read in high school or not, has been a huge controversy due to the high deal of racism in some aspects of the book. However, the history of humanity has many obscure phases, not only racism and slavery. If one would begin to avoid

Every single book on slavery creates consciousness and awareness of these cruel acts as a reminder to white people of their shameful past. Though as shameful as it is, it is part of our history and mistakes shall be learned from, not avoided or hidden to evade unarguable shame. How would a Jew student feel when discussing the Holocaust? Very much offended, one assumes. But surely, that does not stop any teacher from talking about that topic. In fact, most read Number The Stars by Louis Lowry or learn about The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne, way before entering high school. Moreover, what about the Twin Towers which occurred only fourteen years ago? That event is extremely recent compared to how long ago slavery took place. The terrorist attack on the Twin Towers is an offense to every single North American. If discussed in class next to an Islamic student, both would feel ashamed, but it is still openly discussed. Islamic people would also feel offended when talking about terrorism, specifically about terrorist groups like ISIS. However, with today’s advance on technology and its various uses, this is a current trending topic. Of course, there are people who talk derogatively in favor of these inhumane wrong doings, but Mark Twain only creates consciousness. The problem is not in the book; the problem is in society’s mentality. The

Jim, a black slave in a journey for freedom, is a representation of compassion, loyalty and determination. Those are the characteristics that are the foundation of his friendship with Huck. The essence of the book does not lay on racism or slavery, but in how despite the situation of the era, a white kid guided by his recklessness and tender heart, builds a friendship with a black slave. This represents how most human beings have managed to set our differences aside, forgetting society’s racial implements. Twain’s book repeatedly establishes a tone of equality and empathy in his novel through the dialogues between the two main characters. For example, Jim says: "Pooty soon I'll be a-shout'n' for joy, en I'll say, it's all on accounts o' Huck; I's a free man, en I couldn't ever ben free ef it hadn' ben for Huck; Huck done it. Jim won't ever forgit you, Huck; you's de bes' fren' Jim's ever had; en you's de ONLY fren' ole Jim's got now." (16.14). Twain emphasizes how, even as a white kid raised to follow racist rules, Huck has been the one that adopted the huge responsibility of changing someone’s life, and without noticing, changing his own life too. Sadly, people still refuse to accept the positive impact that this might have caused in today’s society. Huck represents the white people who believe in equality, whom back in the day would have been the