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Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In Schools

664 Words3 Pages

Nigger is one of the most controversial words in the world which makes Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a highly debated book. The story begins with a young American boy, Huckleberry Finn, running a away with a slave named Jim. As their adventure goes on they encounter a large amount of unfortunate events, such as predetors and racism. As the story comes to an end, Huck discovers Jim isn't a bad guy, it's the American's who make slaves seem that way. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught because it's educational. It's a part of American history, a example of freedom of speech and it teaches the average student the meaning of values. The first reason it should be taught is because it's a part of America's history. This book teaches students about slavery. Slaves did everything for their owners. For example, at aunt Sally's and uncle Silas' they had a slave guarding the slaves. Also, it shows how poorly American's treated the slaves. Huck said "I do believe Jim cared as much for his people as white folks does for their'n. It don't seem natural, but I reckon it's so" (Twain 155). This quote shows that slave owners believed that …show more content…

Huckleberry Finn teaches that friendship is more important then society. Huck is constantly chosing Jim over America's expectations because Jim was his best friend. Jim teaches that family is above all. Huck tells the reader that Jim had said "he would go to saving up money and never spend a single cent, and when he got enough he would buy his wife, which was owned on a farm close to where Miss Watson lived; and then they would both work to buy the two children" (Twain 88). That quote shows that Jim would do absolutely anything to get his family back. Lasty, Tom Sawyer teaches the student to always be creative and to have fun. Tom always wanted to take things to the extreme even in the worst of situations. Growing up isn't a option but a persons values

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697 Words | 3 Pages

It shows the friendship between Huck and Jim, were as history books are dry and boring. The history books do not always relate things to the past, this book shows you what it was like. It shows that slaves and white people could be friends and that not everyone hated slaves. We should support the fact that they traveled together because in this day and age these races have negative views about each other. The only way to end racism is to exploit all of it and learn from it.

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1666 Words | 7 Pages

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.

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465 Words | 2 Pages

Mark Twain writes, "... he was so grateful, and said I was the best friend old Jim ever had in the world, and the only one he's got now..." (Twain 204-205). This quote shows that Huck is realizing that slaves and white folks aren't much different.

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768 Words | 4 Pages

Although there has been an overwhelming amount of debates regarding the teaching of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high school settings, students should still have the opportunity to experience this novel, even if additions or compromises need to be made, because of the story’s historical significance, underlying portrayal of African American dignity, and overall benefits engendered by Twain’s writing. Many argue that African Americans are undermined throughout the story, but the abundance of dignity underlying Jim’s character and the compromises that can be made in the classroom are often overlooked. The most controversial part of the book for many parents seems to be the fact that “it uses the ‘n’ word more than 200 times -- which they say is damaging to their children” (Beckett, Huck Finn’s Fate to Be Decided).

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1823 Words | 8 Pages

Huckleberry Finn is great American literature and should be kept in classrooms because the book contains great satire and themes that can provide a great learning experience for students. Having The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn replaced with another American literature will have students left out from the positive aspects of the book such as its themes, symbols, and the unique ways Mark Twain has incorporated them in the book. Having the book not being taught and given to students to understand the true meaning of the book and not so much worrying about the n-word. The n-word is used in the book has a huge effect to why the book is written how it's written, having such a great American literature book be replaced may not open many student’s eyes or logic of slavery.

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909 Words | 4 Pages

Nigger. This word was used a total of 219 times in Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Some people find the use of this word in mark Twain’s book very insulting, while others say it is a part of literature and it is a part of his book. During the time that Mark Twain wrote America was still very fragile from the Civil War, and that is one of the reasons that so many people were upset about the book, because they were still sensitive to the topic of slavery and racism. No one wanted to deal with the issues that were being brought up in Twain’s writing, so they got angry, and people are still divided today about whether we should censor this book or not.

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162 Words | 1 Pages

In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark twain it demonstrates a relationship between a white boy and a black slave named Jim. Throughout the novel, there is a lot of racism demonstrated in a variety of ways. Many people are complaining about how this novel has a strong use of the N-word and how it is offensive to many individuals and how the novel should be banned from shelves. However, others believe that the use of the N-word is not offensive as it was before during slavery in the old times and it should just be kept in its original form. Another side to this debate would be to support the issue of changing the N-word to “slave” or to keep the N-word to be used throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

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1059 Words | 5 Pages

Everybody has someone in his or her life who teaches him or her how to be a better person. Throughout the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain uses Jim, a slave, as a source of symbolism for Huck’s maturity. First, Jim teaches Huck about what it truly means to be civilized. Next, Jim shows Huck about the value of family. Lastly, Jim teaches Huck about racial inequality and how to accept people.

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316 Words | 2 Pages

I think Huckleberry Finn should be taught in high schools all across the country rather than in college. The reason it should be taught in high school is because it really shows how harsh real life is and the troubles people face every day. Also, it shows how life was like back in the day giving students a chance to relive the past most people want to forget. There are many views of this topic that are contradicting in this paper I will go into my view and explain my reasoning. Most people want to shield high school students from the harsh realities of life that they will eventually find out.

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1583 Words | 7 Pages

Mark Twain has often been referred to as the “foremost living American writer” and his books have long been on the reading lists of most every school (Phelps, 542). However, since it was published, there has been an abundance of controversies regarding whether Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should continue to be taught in school as well as whether it truly deserves the literary accolades it is often rewarded with. Many believe that due to the book’s “inappropriate” language, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be banned from being taught in schools as it can be viewed as racist and make the students uncomfortable. However, those that believe this are truly missing the point. Mark Twain’s use of language does not take away from the beauty of the narrative, but instead it adds a whole new dimension of life to the characters and

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536 Words | 3 Pages

This book was never fully understood because people decided to base their view on this book solely on one word. Having the word “nigger” in Huckleberry Finn is one of the biggest teachable moments for students to grow and learn about the era of those parts in history. If you take out everything in the book that causes the teachable moments then you have no teachable moments, no room for your students to grow and learn. Those who have opposed this book never fully comprehended the full story and how Huck grew to understand that the people who have raised him were wrong about their ways

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192 Words | 1 Pages

Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain has brought major controversy since the moment it was published in 1885 and 125 years later it still remains as one of the top 10 most controversial books today. Huckleberry Finn is a novel about a white little boy who runs away from his father named Huck and a runaway african American slave. Throughout the novel the “N” word is used 219 times. The use of the word has cause the book to be banned from teaching in some school districts because it is found to be extremely offensive and that material should not be taught to students.

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660 Words | 3 Pages

Twain uses Huck’s concerns about his community to show that the community makes people feel like they’re one of them if they don’t go along with slavery. In the book ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ Huck describes that if he were to give Jim up to Miss Watson that she would be mad and disgusted that Jim left her presence in the first place. This explains that the community thinks that slavery is the best thing, and that if an African American leaves his “master” that they are ungrateful of what they have. Huck Finn talks about how if he were to go back to Miss Watson with Jim that he would be judged for helping an African American.

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432 Words | 2 Pages

Huckleberry’s View of Slavery In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, the protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, was conflicted about Jim’s slavery. Throughout the story, Huck was taught by society that slavery was normal and a good thing. However, throughout his journey with Jim, a runaway slave, he learns that he must go with his beliefs instead of society’s.

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1193 Words | 5 Pages

For example, As Huck makes ending remarks to tie up the happy ending of Jim and Tom he says, “but I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can’t stand it” (294). Huck throughout the book, tries to run away from the very people who gave him a way in order to be proper and civilized and his actions foreshadow a reality where Twain dreams of a society that pulls away from the reign of slavery and the unlawful practices that represented the norms of that era. Huck’s adventurous and daring behavior emulate Mark Twain himself because as a man he sought out to go into this world with a purpose and Twain’s anti-racist beliefs show through Huck’s acceptance of Jim. There is no color that separates men and women and Huck eventually learns that even with the oppressive culture that he has been brainwashed into conforming he realizes that skin color does not fit the stereotypes that he was brought on. In addition, in "The Lowest Animal," Mark Twain wrote "man is the only slave and he is the only animal who enslaves…and has always held other slaves in bondage under him.”

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