The word nigger is an offensive term used by a white slave owner during the 1800’s. It is used in the beginning of a slaves name to indicate that this person is a slave. It comes from the Spanish word negro and the French word nègre. It is one of the most offensive and controversial words in the English language. With this word comes many years of immoral and unethical treatment of the black man by the white race. This word is used in the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. One of the 60 minutes videos is on the controversy on the N-word in the book Huck Finn. Stating that many different school districts have banned this book because of the word “nigger,” a word so offensive it’s usually called the “N- word.” In the book Huckleberry Finn, Twain uses the word 219 times. This is very debatable because people think that this is a cruel and offensive word and this book should be banned. While others say it’s how whites spoke in the 1800’s. To some people “The word gets in the way of the story’s powerful message against slavery” (Pitts, 1). While this word is a cruel word it’s a part of history and that’s not …show more content…
going to change. Mark Twain choose this word on purpose to show the theme of how society believed that the black race was inferior to white men. “It makes sense in this novel to teach it with the controversy. It makes sense to bring up all the hard emotions” (Wise, 3). Huck Finn is very controversial because it deals with a very sensitive topic race. This novel brings up hard emotions because it’s about a sensitive past. Blacks were treated horribly back then and using the word brings up feelings of anger at the white man. “I feel that the word is in there for a reason. Twain put the word in to get our attention” (Farrell, 3). The word does get our attention and gives the feeling of how society was back then. The N-word in Huck Finn should be left alone because it brings up societal values pre civil war and shows white supremacy. The word nigger in Huckleberry Finn should be left alone because it brings up the issues of racism and how blacks were inferior.
The company NewSouth Books has published the new Huckleberry Finn by replacing the word nigger with the word “slave”. This book is for the schools who have banned the original Huck Finn. “If you can have the discussion and you’re comfortable havin’ the discussion, have it” (Williams, 2). Instead of schools banning the book they should spend time discussing the word and societal value during the 1800’s. The word nigger is okay if it is used in a literary sense but other than that is shouldn’t be used. People shouldn’t be calling each other the N-word because it is calling each other slaves. There is no sense of reclaiming the word because it will always be derogatory. The N-word is very controversial and everyone has their own
opinion.
The Adventures of Huck Finn is a very controversial book which brings much debate on whether it should be taught to children in America. The main reason for this debate is because the offensive word ‘nigger’ is used commonly throughout. The book is a classic and is seen to some people as such a great book that we should overlook the offensive word to understand the real lessons Mark Twain wanted to get across. One solution to this ongoing debate is something called the New South Edition, which substitutes ‘nigger’ for a ‘slave’ a word that is less personal and describes the history of America. Dr. Alan Gribben writes about the controversy and how the change effects the new edition. He uses personal anecdote, emotional appeal, historical references.
How many times have you heard the “N” word being used as not an insult, but as a nickname for a friend? The truth is: In 2016, the “petrifying” “N” word has become less of an insult, and more of a simple nickname that many teens and young adults use for each other. The simple connotation of the word has been modified throughout the years from being something that was used as hurtful slander of the black population, to a petty pet name. For this simple reason alone, all of the arguments about Huckleberry Finn being “Racist
A Persuasive Essay to end the Teaching of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in High School Curriculum
Spears, Arthur K. "Perspectives: A View of the 'N-Word' from Sociolinguistics." Diverse Issues in Education. N.p., 12 July 2006. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.
The book Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, has many themes that appear throughout the text. One such theme is that people must live outside of society to be truly free. If one lives outside of society, then they do not have to follow all of its laws and try to please everyone. They would not be held back by the fact that if they do something wrong, they would be punished for doing it.
It appears as if Twain has no regard for black people regarding the derogatory nature of the word. To him, it seems as if it is just some other ordinary word to describe people of color. He, based on his numerous uses, is negligent and possibly oblivious to what offense the use of the word might have toward black people. Further, it is also a possibility that his book was not even aimed at entertaining black people. According to scholars, “Nigger” is one of the most used words in the book; it is noted approximately 219 times.
... characters. Some critics might feel that Twain’s use of the word “nigger” too much and too loosely. However, this is not enough and good reason because this is how blacks were referred by then. Probably, Twain
It was the start of my 11th grade year, and my English teacher told me that we are reading Huckleberry Finn. I became familiar with the book in 10th grade when my English teacher had us answer a few question about the book. She handed out three different copies of the same passage, but with one word changed multiple times. The word was the n-word, and in different version it was changed from the n-word to slave and robot. I always questioned the decision to change the n-word to those words, from the start of reading Huck Fin all the way to the end. Throughout my reading of Huck Finn, I replaced the n-word to the other options in my head, causing me to have a different interpretation of each passage.
Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, caused controversy throughout the nation due to its constant use of the n word. Many thought it was too inappropriate for high school students, and degrading to African Americans. However, Mark Twain was a satirical writer and most likely his purpose of the derogatory term was not degrade African Americans but to recreate the same dialect used in that time period set which was after the Civil war and the South. The use of the word was to demonstrate how racist America was before and to show the evolution of American now. Although some people want to ban the book from high school because the n word was used numerous amount of times, we should not ban the book because it's used as a historical
There is still a majority of people who believe the book should remain. Many want the book altered or modify so it will not be as offensive as before. As a result, a proposition was asserted to replace the “n word” with “slave” to continue on in schools. The word causes so much controversy that it does not need to be circulated in society. As claimed by Marc Schulz, “ For a single word to form a barrier, it seems such an unnecessary state of affairs.” (Schulz). Many still see the values, lessons, and morals from the book, but they also see that the word is not needed to express them. Seeing the controversy that was erected from this book appears meaningless to readers young and old. As this is taught to the developing generation, it brings to mind the negative connotations the “n word” creates that teachers refuse to teach. Teachers believe that Twain’s message of abolitionism could be still interpreted without the use of the “n word”. Certain people feel that the use if the “n word” in the book is not doing what Twain wanted and in contrary it is dividing us. It is believed that among the populations, “People who use the N-word encourage division, because it is considered to be a fighting word.” (USA Today). In other words, rather than learning the significance and emphasizing precautions on the word it is pulling us apart as the word is not popular in
The way you say something, the context behind what you say, or the meaning of a word can have a large effect on the way it is used. The word n*gger became a derogatory word in the 1800s, when it was used to describe black people. In the 21st century, the same word has developed an entirely new meaning that corresponds with the idea of white racism or white supremacy. Samuel Clemens, formally known as Mark Twain, the author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, grew up in a time when the word n*gger was used simply as a description when it came to black people. Slavery played a vital part of Twain’s early life, because like a lot of southern white families, they relied on slave labor for income. Twain grew up in a time of blatant racism and
The controversial novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, has been considered a classic in American literature. The novel details on the journey of a southern, young, American boy with the name of Huckleberry Finn and a slave, Jim. The two encounter interesting characters along their adventure who bring difficulties. However, one aspect of the book that is hard to miss would be the constant use of the “n-word”. As a result of the repeated use of the word, some schools believe that the “n-word” should be replaced. Others believe that the book should be replaced with another entirely new piece of writing or simply be permitted in class, in its intact form. While those for replacing the n-word and those for choosing another novel
Many schools have chosen to adopt the idea in hopes that the classic of American literature can remain as is, without having to face complaints on behalf of the use of the “n-word.” Coming down to wanting “something less hurtful, less controversial” to be teaching their students (La Rosa, Suzanne). Although, with thoughts such as this one, in making people uncomfortable, the same point of growing from this sense of uncomfort can be found. How can a school claim to teach its children if they are choosing to hide the truth of the past and the powerful oppression found in the word alone? In other words, “there is a reality there that you cannot avoid” (Schneider, David). There is no good that can come from censoring the “n-word” and replacing the word, since it removes much from the point Twain is trying to accomplish and takes away from the overall message. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn manages to tackle the obvious racism and oppression faced in the South during the 1800s, while showing the perspective of a young boy and the way he choose to follow his own morality instead of the societal norms he was raised to believe. In censoring the word, it is the same as removing an important historical aspect of the word and the way it
The first point of the novel from which most controversy stems is the inclusion of the word “nigger”. The inclusion of the word in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is unnecessary and offensive. Initially, critics of the novel disliked Twain’s use of vernacular because it was “vulgar and unpleasant”, disturbing genteel white Americans, not because the word “nigger” was found to be offensive (Kaye 3). Fostering an uncomfortable atmosphere for black students, critics believe that primarily white educators allow the novel because they prefer Twain’s depiction of subservient blacks (Kaye 4). Due to the prolific use of the “n-word” throughout the novel, the NAACP believes the story causes damage to black students’ self-esteem (Powell 3). Critics argue Twain’s use of a...
One word out of an entire novel seems minute, but when that word is the “n-word” and is repeated two hundred and nineteen times people begin to question its necessity. Despite the fact that people are uncomfortable with this word, its use is crucial in the book, and the word itself is unavoidable in today’s society. The “n-word” in any situation is like a game of Operation depending on the context it will bother the other players with the shocking buzzing from the speaker’s lapse in words, or it will go unnoticed by the participants. In today’s society this single word is unavoidable including the title of Kayne West’s song “Ni**as In Paris.” Over time the “n-word” once used as a derogatory term has transformed in the African American culture to a word of selective comradery. Although the frequent use of this word brings a race together, it also contributes to a loose of consideration to those being repressed in slavery and racial segregation in American history. While today’s version of the word may dull the pain of slavery, this word “is attached to one of the most vibrant cultures in the Western world. And yet the culture is inextricably linked to the violence that