Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In High Schools Essay

Mark Twain’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ has been viewed as controversial, and has been banned from many high schools and libraries. It is viewed as controversial because of the strong and sometimes racist language, as well as the bad grammar used throughout the book. ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ should be taught in high school. First of all, ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ is a good example of how our country once was, and teaches us about America’s past. The book takes place sometime in the 1830s-40s which was during the slave era. During this time our country can be remembered as a “nation divided”. In the book Jim is an African American slave. Huckleberry grows close to Jim and respects him, but Huckleberry’s father and many other people do not respect him. This show’s how in America at this time some people were pro slavery and some were not hencing the term a

“The best way to become united is to gain greater understanding of each other and our histories.” - Rothstein Williams. The book is an anti-slavery novel and helps American’s to learn from America’s dark past. By learning from America’s past we can not only become united with one another, but we can avoid committing the same mistakes. A final reason for why it should be taught in high school is that it portrays how African Americans were looked upon, and how they were treated. Understanding the history of African Americans will help the American people understand the current movement for racial justice. The n-word is used many times in the book and causes lots of controversy. It is the main reason for why the book is being banned in high schools and libraries. The word has a history behind it that young people should learn about, so that they can gain an understanding of the current movement for racial