Should The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn Be Taught At The Sophomore Level?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been shrouded in controversy ever since the book came out. In Twains time, many said that the book is only suitable for the slums because of Huck's lifestyle. He used choice words and lived like an uncivilized person back then. In today's time the book has different problems. The use of n-word and racist attitudes plague the book causing the main message of the book to be hidden. The way the book is written makes it challenging for readers to interpret the books meaning. Huckleberry Finn should not be taught at the sophomore level because of the use of the n-word, the racist actions toward Jim, and the lack of maturity in some high-school students Admittedly The Adventures of Huckleberry

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

While some students may be able to handle these themes, others may not be on the maturity level of others and are not ready to read Huckleberry Finn. Some of the themes include abusive parenting and animal cruelty. For example, Huck's father, Pap, is a drunk who beats on his son. He tells Huck that he will "tan [him] good" (Twain 21) if he catches Huck around the school. Twain uses satire to mock Pap and his abusive relationship with his son, but a student who doesn't understand the satire may misinterpret what Twain is trying to convey. Another example of an explicit theme is the animal cruelty demonstrated when Huck enters a small town in the south. In the small town, nothing could "make them happy all over, like a dog fight" (Twain 143). The townsfolk go as far as lighting stray dogs on fire and watching them run away in misery. Many students that are forced to read the book may not be at the maturity level needed to understand and interpret it in the way Twain would