Mark Twain´s Language Use in the Adventures of Huck Finn

Controversy arouse regarding whether replacing the n-word with slave in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was censorship. Though others might argue that accessibility would be better, the new edition decimates the deeper meaning of the novel and the truth of the cruel treatment toward African Americans in the 1800s. This attempt to remove the n-word silences Mark Twain in his campaign for social change.

Regardless of the removal of the word, it will not be refrained from being heard. Whether heard out on the street or in a song, people are still guaranteed an introduction to America’s dark past. Instead, it could be taught in a classroom setting to teach students about slavery and its history, along with Twain’s use of irony throughout the novel. However, Huck Finn has been repeatedly judged as unsuitable for students to read. David Matthews explains that Huck Finn is “not a children’s adventure book” but “a scathing indictment against slavery, hypocrisy, gender roles, and class” (Source F). Young kids reading Twain’s novel will not comprehend the purpose and it would be useless to exchange the words for children with the incapability to understand it. Authors write for a purpose and readers read for a purpose, whether for leisure or education purposes. If authors’ words are censored, their purpose is also censored, and readers’ minds will never have that full learning experience of that author's purpose.

Like the Holocaust, American slavery is not an event to be forgotten, but to be acknowledged. Germans do not take pride in their dark history, but understand it. On the other hand, some American people attempt to sugarcoat their treatment towards slaves. Shannon Agnew argues, “Just because an offensive word is removed from a wo...

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....the difference between lightning and lightning bug” proves that he chose the word “nigger” for a reason (Source C). For example, Pop’s criticism of the state for “[letting] that nigger vote” suggests that, if replaced with “slave”, the African American man was enslaved though he was actually free (Source E). The words “nigger” and “slave” have different connotations. The n-word is not only used for slaves, but for the entire African American race. In this case, it not only depicts that every black person in America was enslaved, but it also implies that only black people are slaves.

Although printing a new version of Huck Finn that disregards the use of the n-word with “slave” in order to protect the younger generations from the negative language, it remains to be pure censorship and destroys the purpose which is to show the harsh attitude towards African Americans.