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Should Huck Finn be canonized Huckleberry Finn is a novel that has been considered a bad book by a few people but seen as a great classic piece of literature to others. Mark Twain writes about the life of a young boy named Huck who does not have a great childhood. Toni Morrison and James Smily are two literature experts that has similar opinions with different reasons about Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. Huckleberry finn should be looked at as a great piece of literature but not as much in a way that it should be read by people who want to learn about this not as a book that is handed to young people in a english class and have to read it without any guidence. …show more content…
And she describes that reading this book can make people feel angry or upset. “So she done it. And it was the niggers-She said the beautiful trip to England was most about spoiled for her; she didn't know HOW she was ever going to be happy there, knowing the mother and the children warn't ever going to see each other no more”(Twain 218). Twain uses the word in the book because that is how the life was for people in the 1840’s although those words may be offensive. Toni’s points in her essay talking about how situations in the book and how Huck Finn shouldn’t be but put into english class in school and that it should still be seen as a classic piece of
...time to aide his slave friend, Jim in escaping from slavery. The book not only depicts Huck's adventures, but it also provides readers with a view of American life in the Mississippi before the Civil War. The book obviously offers many indictments of corruption at all levels of society by Huck Finn learning human nature's evil side as well as its kinder side. Before placing judgments on what is considered to be a "masterpiece," perhaps society itself should confront their own individual conflicts about what is right and what is wrong.
Paula Lieder is a high school English teacher, and in her classroom while teaching this novel, she leads the class in discussions about racism and slavery. Lieder says that when reading this book “the discussion of race and prejudice must occur.” Her class also discusses the controversy of the book and the use of the word “nigger” (Lieder). When reading this novel students may ask themselves questions about the use of the word “nigger” and how it affects the book like Holbrook did. It’s obvious that Mark Twain was a good writer, and he knew what he was writing. So why would he use the word “nigger” repeatedly? (“Huckleberry Finn”) Holbrook would say it’s because Twain wants the reader to feel disgusted and upset. In order for Twain to get his readers to understand the hurtful nature of this word, he hit them with it over and over (“Huckleberry Finn”). Huckleberry Finn also stirs students’ imaginations while presenting information about human nature. Leo Marx says in Sharon Rush’s article,
Many words the book contains are full of vivid disgust towards black slaves. Every single line talks about how white people despise and refuse to accept the black race. Answering Aunt Sally's question about whether or not anyone is hurt Huck answers, "no mum, just killed a nigger."(Twain 213) This is the one and only acceptable way to talk about black people in the "white" society. In addition to this, not only is the black people treated differently from the white, they are also considered to be one's property. "He is the only property I have," (Twain 122) Huck is perforce to say in order to save Jim. This is the only way to get through without the essence of suspicions. Though Huck shows racism in public as society teaches him, deep inside he understands that Jim is a great person. Through the eyes of Huck Finn, Mark Twain shows that there is more to people then looks and race, showing the importance of beliefs and character.
Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatest American novels ever written. The story is about Huck, a young boy who is coming of age and is escaping from his drunken father. Along the way he stumbles across Miss Watson's slave, Jim, who has run away because he overhead that he would be sold. Throughout the story, Huck is faced with the moral dilemma of whether or not to turn Jim in. Mark Twain has purposely placed these two polar opposites together in order to make a satire of the society's institution of slavery. Along the journey, Twain implies his values through Huck on slavery, the two-facedness of society, and represents ideas with the Mississippi River.
The decision to ban the novel Huckleberry Finn from classrooms and libraries has been an ongoing controversy. The presence of the 'n word' and the treatment towards Jim, and other blacks in general, has made many readers uncomfortable. Despite this fact, Huckleberry Finn has been and remains a classic read. I do not believe the novel should be banned or sanitized because it is a part of American history whether it is good or bad, also we have no right to change someone's writing simply because we do not like how it is written, Mark Twain's writing should not be penalized because of the ideals of today.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a controversial book. With its racial slurs and an it's portrayed of African American slaves. The book is also a great book because of its coming of age story and likeable characters. This book has caused 2 authors to write 2 different reviews about the book. Toni Morrison is about how the book is a good book and Jane Smiley is about how it's a bad book. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a controversial book in the aspects that Huck and Tom don't take Jim's freedom seriously, and the fact that Tom Sawyer is in the book, but the book has these good qualities such as, Jim as a father figure for Huck, and a black slave as a main character.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered to be a classic must-read novel written by the Missouri legend Mark Twain. It is praised as one of America’s greatest novels because of it’s humor, dialouge, and the way he displays pre-civil war America. These concepts are demonstrated well not only by Twain’s writing style, but the characters in the story. Huckleberry Finn is a story about a young boy who runs away from home and meets a runaway slave named Jim; together they journey down the Mississippi River looking for a better life. Loyalty is a central theme in the story Huckleberry Finn, Huck shows loyalty to Jim on Jackson's Island, by helping him escape from the Phelps, and by staying loyal to their friendship.
Mark Twain’s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through much criticism and denunciation has become a well-respected novel. Through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy, Huckleberry Finn, Twain illustrates the controversy of racism and slavery during the aftermath of the Civil War. Since Huck is an adolescent, he is vulnerable and greatly influenced by the adults he meets during his coming of age. His expedition down the Mississippi steers him into the lives of a diverse group of inhabitants who have conflicting morals. Though he lacks valid morals, Huck demonstrates the potential of humanity as a pensive, sensitive individual rather than conforming to a repressive society. In these modes, the novel places Jim and Huck on pedestals where their views on morality, learning, and society are compared.
Mark Twain incorporated a lot of fantastic and different scenes in the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and made it a book that will always be remembered for that. This is a different type of book for the way that it is written. Mark Twain himself said,He admits that there is not real plot throughout this book, yet it is full of the greatest of moments, from growing up, to seeing through skin color, and even escaping people that have hurt you in the past. One thing that this book really points out is that it is not okay to lie, and you have to be true to yourself when all else fails. This quote from Ray Bradbury really expresses how this book my Mark Twain works and is set up. Being a child no one wants to listen to you, but they have to come around at some point and listen to what you have to say or else nothing will work out they way they should.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is considered a classic novel from the realism period of American Literature that accurately depicts social conventions from pre-civil war times. Despite this reputation as a historical lens of life on the Mississippi River, elements of blatant racism overshadow the regionalist and realist depictions. Huck Finn does not promote racism because all derogatory or racist remarks are presented as a window to life during the 1850s, in a satirical context, or to show Mark Twain's moral views on racism.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, shows moments of a lifetime of one boy. As one reads Huck Finn, they begin to grow with Huck , which could be considered good and bad.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a masterpiece. I can agree with Andrew Lang on this, but his reasoning behind it, I cannot. Lang sees Huckleberry Finn as, “a vivid and original picture of life . . . naturally displayed . . . possible and plausible.“ All of these are true, but I believe it is Twain’s strong use of irony in his presentation of truth, and the tension between What Huck has been taught and his instinctively good nature that make The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and extremely well crafted novel.
The lessons Mark Twain teaches throughout his book are vital for every High School student to experience. One of the major points for arguing that The Adventure’s of Huckleberry Finn should be banned is the repetitive and overuse of the N word. On a surface level, the way the N word is used could seem very disrespectful however as one dives deeper into analysis, Twain seemingly uses the N word loosely to portray a message. Throughout the book, Jim is always looked upon with a negative attitude and being just a typical black person because of these traits. However, as Huck and Jim venture along the Mississippi river, Huck begins to act more and more like Jim is an actual person. A prime example of this is when Huck says “they’re comin for us” (Twain 63) rather than saying they’re coming for you. Huck sees him and Jim as a relationship rather than just him and a slave. Another example is when Huck says, “It was 15 minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a n----” (89). Huck’s apology shows how Huck’s mindet towards not only Jim but all black people has changed, and that he actually has feelings for them now. The overall lesson tha...
...that are brought forth by society and Twain on the head. Morrison closes her essay by saying, “For a hundred years, the argument that this novel is has been identifies, reidentifies, examined, wages and advanced. What it cannot be is dismissed. It is classic literature, which is to say it heaves, manifests and last.” (pg323). I agree completely with Morrison's account of Huckleberry Finn. She touched all of the problem that society, and she her self, have/had with the book and addressed them all. I do not feel as if any other critic did Huckleberry Finn justice by giving a good account on the novel.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is an immensely realistic novel, revealing how a child's morals and actions clash with those of the society around him. Twain shows realism in almost every aspect of his writing; the description of the setting, that of the characters, and even the way characters speak. Twain also satirizes many of the foundations of that society. Showing the hypocrisy of people involved in education, religion, and romanticism through absurd, yet very real examples. Most importantly, Twain shows the way Huckleberry's moral beliefs form amidst a time of uncertainty in his life.