Why Should Huck Finn Be Banned

Some American school districts have banned Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because of the novel’s use of word “nigger”. The “N-word” is used 219 times throughout the book. (News, C. (2016, October 01). Different schools approach this topic in a variety of ways. Some schools completely ban the book, others teach the book how it was written but ignore and do not discuss the word, they buy a sanitized version that replaces “nigger” with "slave", or they teach the book saying “nigger”. The novel is narrated by a boy named Huck Finn, who fakes his own death to escape his alcoholic father and meets an escaped slave.The two voyage in a raft down the Mississippi River to gain their individual freedom. Mark Twain's purpose in

In an article written by Michiko Kakutani he claims, “Author's original texts should be sacrosanct intellectual property, whether a book is a classic or not. Tampering with a writer's word underscores both editors extraordinary hubris and a cavalier attitude embraced by more and more people in this day of mash-ups, sampling and digital books” (Kakutanui, 2011). Even if a piece of literary work is not famous or well-known publishers should not be able to change the original text. In school, students are taught to have their own ideas written in their own words. The publishing company took a historic novel and changed one word and selling it as their own. School educators teach students that changing or using an original text is considered plagiarism. Mark Twain put thought into each word he used and everything is there for a reason. Twain said, “The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter—it's the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning” (Twain,1890). Even though he said this before the dilemma his statement explains the thought that went into diction he selected while

But the answer to the intense language is not replacing the word or banning the book. “You don't ban Mark Twain-you explain it!” (Schulten,1999). People that are trying to ban this book are only trying to block out a major part of American History. Children are uncomfortable hearing the word because it is not talked about. The word and subject are swept under the rug to forget about the past. The book accurately portrays the time during the 19th century. History should not be a hidden topic. George Santayana wrote, "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it." (Santayana,1902). Although slavery may not recur racism still exists today. The best way to end racism is to talk about. Schools should be a safe place to clarify and explain racism. Children should be taught the whole truth of the past to learn from their ancestor's