ipl-logo

Huckleberry Finn Arguments

1047 Words5 Pages

Huck Finn Argument Essay
Schools in Virginia have recently banned novels like Huckleberry Finn from their libraries for use of the “n” word. The novel, written by Mark Twain, has received many critical reviews for being racist. The reason is obvious, although it is rare that one word used in a book can receive millions of critical and positive reviews. The use of the “n” word is overused in my opinion, but since the story took place 20 years before the Civil War, people who lived in that time knew that word. It was the way things were dealt with at the time. To some, it would be incredible if they didn’t use that word. Mark Twain was not a racist himself. He was born in a slave state, Missouri, and his father was a judge. If you read closely, …show more content…

Huckleberry Finn was written to show the culture and lifestyle of the Pre Civil War era. Mark Twain shows his knowledge of slavery, and the Mississippi River. The book also shows Huck’s change in personality, and wanting to be himself. The book is about freedom and the quest for it. It’s about a slave who breaks the law just to be reunited with his family. A white boy helps him escape, so it can hardly be seen as a racist book. In more detail, a boy, Huck, fakes his own death so he can run away from his hometown to find freedom. “Because Mary Jane 'll be in mourning from this out; and first you know the nigger that does up the rooms will get an order to box these duds up and put 'em away.” (197) This basically says that all black men are thieves. This isn’t true or else Huck would not be breaking the law to try and help Jim. Along the way on the Mississippi River, he meets Jim, an escaped slave also looking for freedom. “For what you want, above all things, on a raft, is for everybody to be satisfied, and feel right and kind towards others.” (93) Huck has a dilemma. A dilemma is when you have two bad options. Jim is his friend, and an escaped slave, which is what he wants to be. He also is contemplating that he should follow the law and that helping an escaped slave is a crime. Huck helps Jim escape, which can never be described as being a

Show More
Related
526 Words | 3 Pages

In Chapter 16, when Huck sees Jim’s reaction to being near freedom, Huck describes his feeling as, “miserable”, “abusing”, “scorched”, and “die”. Although Jim is happy to face his future, Huck becomes burdened by societal beliefs and more importantly, his own moral values. For Huck, bestowing freedom to a slave is shameful and unethical; no different from one’s “property”. This also implies that Huck values the societies view more than his relationship with Jim. Later on, Huck’s view of the past changes as he separates his own conscience from the societal values.

Read More
966 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More
1481 Words | 6 Pages

The “n-word” and term “slavery” both have a negative connotation to them, in regards to the book, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, the excessive use of the n-word has negatively impacted the book. As viewed by many, the immoderate use of this word has caused an uproar in schools around the United States and various schools have already begun removing this book from its curriculum. Mark Twain used the n-word a total of 219 times which has lead to many speculating that if students read this book, it will promote the language used in the book, such as the “n-word”. Although many suggest that the “n-word” impacts the book in a negative way, some also state that this word helps set the foundation of how racism was in the 1800s. A new version

Read More
1724 Words | 7 Pages

These reasons show why Twain may have intended to discourage racism. In the novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain it is a story of a troubled young boy and his good friend Jim. In the story Twain is not trying to portray racism toward the character Jim but rather is discouraging it. We see examples in the novel where Twain shows how Jim differs from other White men who cheat others, how he describes the white and black symbolism, and shows empathy for Jim.

Read More
440 Words | 2 Pages

But Huck also feels like he can not turn Jim in because deep down he knows that Jim’s life will be better not being a slave. This shows that Huck battles between himself whether to follow society’s rules or his own morlas. When Huck chooses to not turn Jim in as a runaway slave, that makes it evident that he matures or so it

Read More
1402 Words | 6 Pages

Huckleberry Finn is taking place where slavery and racism is hugely used and courage. Even though, Huckleberry was not racist himself, he believes in the same rules as the society around encourage. When he has to be put to the test whether what the right thing is at what mind state Huckleberry Finn must decide. Growing up Huckleberry Finn is raised with a wrong heart and only has a mindset for two different types of people: slaves and whites. Huckleberry was now in a different position as he was a younger and now will make a different person with a different Heart a “Sound Heart”

Read More
611 Words | 3 Pages

“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, written by Mark Twain has been a major debate on whether or not the book is racist and should be banned from schools. Mark Twain’s theme of slavery and racism in this book is showing the readers that slavery is wrong, and how big of a problem it used to be in the South.     Many people have different perspectives on this novel. In the book, the word “nigger” is used several times, and many people find it very offending and racist. These people believe that no matter how or why it's used that it is racist, and should never be said.

Read More
1403 Words | 6 Pages

The black man on the back porch is afraid of the rattle snake because it is bad luck, or the innocent little slave is quick to believe everything one tells them at the drop of the hat. These are just some of the many racist stereotypes of the 1840s. A character named Jim is the star African American whom Twain bestoys the mission of being the stereotypical black man to prove a point. He along with his much more pallor companion Huck go on exciting adventures that unfold the events which expose the racist conduct of the time. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain saturates his novel with potent images of acute racism severe enough as to create a satirical mien that exposes the absurdity of prejudice.

Read More
774 Words | 4 Pages

As he had time to think he realized that he was unsure about helping Jim escape. It was illegal for Jim to escape. Jim was Miss Watson’s slave. Huck said Jim had no right to leave, she didn’t do anything wrong to him. Jim’s head was telling him it was not right to help Jim escape, but his heart was not going to let him turn Jim in.

Read More
884 Words | 4 Pages

Throughout their journey, Huck is aware that Jim has escaped but does not know whether or not to turn him into the authorities. Huck’s mentality about society matures and he realizes his need to protect Jim from dangers. As the novel progresses, Huck begins to realize the flaws in society. Huck ultimately chooses to follow his own

Read More
142 Words | 1 Pages

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the racist attitudes of the Deep South in the late 1800's are shown. Mark Twain portrays a runaway slave, Jim, as a racist caricature who does whatever is asked of him and exhibits little intelligence. The reader can initially see this through the use of the word "nigger" that is all throughout the book. In the modern 21st century this term is taken offensively, but in the 19th century this term was commonly used and Twain took advantage of it.

Read More
1202 Words | 5 Pages

Huck thinks about Miss Watson and how he is betraying her by helping Jim escape. Huck encounters slave catchers and he is internally whether to tell about Jim but decides not to and says, “They went and I got aboard the raft, feeling bad and low, because I knowed very well I had done wrong, and I see it warn’t no use for me to try to learn to do right; a body that don’t get started right when he’s little ain’t got no show -- when the pinch comes there ain’t nothing to back him up and keep him to his work, and so he gets beat” (Twain 102). Then later in the novel Jim is sold by some con men for $40 which upsets Huck and causes him to realize he cares about Jim and says, “All right, then I’ll GO to hell” (Twain 225). Huck is defying society’s laws by deciding to help captured Jim. Huck is maturing significantly because his perception of Jim has changed.

Read More
1083 Words | 5 Pages

(Twain 87-88). At this stage in the novel, it is important to denote his ambivalence toward the situation. Though he helps Jim, he feels a sense of guilt for going against societal standards. Regardless, Huck has a myriad of opportunities to turn Jim in--and doesn’t. This verifies that Huck progresses in developing his maturity and poise.

Read More
540 Words | 3 Pages

Derek Lee Schoenfeld PD 2 Huck Finn Final Essay Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered an American classic because of the controversy surrounding the book and the issues it addresses in the story. Many consider Twain a racist because of the use of the derogatory term nigger and the half-witted nature he gives to Huck Finn’s sidekick, Jim. Countless times in the story, Twain includes scenes where Jim asks the most simple and obvious questions. However, this only adds to the facade of stupidity Twain gives Jim which was Twain’s true intentions.

Read More
1245 Words | 5 Pages

Twain’s ability to communicate to the world through his words, tried to put the idea that there were still problems in the way society viewed right and wrong, blacks, whites, and just plain out society in general. Huck’s story was an innocent way to entertain the young and to instill a grain of humanity in the

Read More

More about Huckleberry Finn Arguments

Related Topics

Open Document