Synthesis Essay On Huckleberry Finn

In Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain, a satirical novelist, portrays Huck, the main character of the book, who has adventures with Jim, a slave, who must deal with the problems of slavery in society and eventually isolate themselves from what they believe to be a repressed society, which leads to the discussion of whether or not the book is appropriate to students. The controversy between the two debates is that people say that the book harms others from the foul language that it uses and also if the depiction of racism, but what critics do not understand the book is that it is a satirical novel, which means that the text isn’t suppose to create opinions. It causes people to believe that racism is the major topic in the book, when in reality, there are a variety of topics in the book besides racism. Although critics argue that the book uses foul language that can affect many African American’s self-esteem and how they perceive society, The

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught due to acknowledging our society’s history with slavery and by portraying multiple themes rather than just racism. This debate is crucial because many try to censor out one of America’s best book written, and censoring the book will lead to censoring our history from people who read this.
Critics believe that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be taught because of the harsh language that it uses throughout the book.

Teachers are worried that if they expose their students to such a harsh language, which will be dehumanized as a person. In Jamie Beckett’s article ¨Huck Finn’s fate to be Decided¨ from Chronicle South Bay Bureau, Jamie Beckett, a journalist, depicts the way that people have different opinions whether or not schools should allow their students to read ¨The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.¨ Jamie Beckett writes in his article, he explains that ¨African-American Parent Coalition argues that their children already are exposedwith racial slurs that erode their self-esteem and affect their performance in school¨ (Beckett). Although Jamie explains the side of why the book isn’t for students due to the foul language that could alter the student's way of perceiving society, there are other ways in which Jamie mentions why the book is key to America’s

history.
Many argue that the book should be censored in order for students to receive a “safer” and “realistic”depiction of American history; however, others argue that the book depict much of America’s history, yet still conveying multiple topics besides racism and giving a thought out fictional story. In Joan Smith’s article “Lessons of Huck Finn” from a San Francisco Gate series, Joan Smith, an examiner book editor, clarifies that people don’t want their kids to read a book that considers them to reconsider the past, while others acknowledge that the past can’t be changed and that people can’t hide for what has happened. In his article, he writes, “This is how you are, like it or not.” And that’s why this book is painful and significant. Because it’s what he is still telling us today” (Smith). Smith is acknowledging what Mark Twain had explained to those who criticize his book, and explaining to them that history can’t be forgotten; society must accept what happened in society and also teach others decision making. In addition to why the book should be taught, in his article, he mentions how the book has multiple topics in the book other than just racism. In his article, he writes “...a book the evils, not only of racism, but of ‘the terrible gap between the Christian ideal and the vicious version of Christianity that dominated the world Twain grew up in’” (Smith). Smith is acknowledging that the book has a variety of topics than just racism; that it portrays how Huck handle’s a society where religion has been implemented in society. Joan Smith portrays the book as a novel that gives the reader a sense of what life was in the time of slavery, yet demonstrating different aspects besides just racism. He is depicting that the book should be taught and that since it is a “satirical novel” that it shouldn’t be taken seriously, but still understand the fact that the book depicts our society. Similarly, to what Smith mentioned in his article how the book is a depiction of our nation’s history, Marylee Hengstebeck mentions her opinion the book.
Critics believe that the book should be censored because of the depiction it has on students of color and to our nation’s history, but others believe otherwise the book; it gives an image of the US as a country. In Marylee Hengstebeck’s “Huck Finn, Slavery, and Me” from The English JOurnal, Hengstebeck, a teacher, depicts the way that she depicts The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the reason as to why she decided not to teach her students the book, yet still acknowledging the book as one of the best written books American culture. Although she doesn't teach the book to her students, she clearly gives evidence as to her opinion of the book. In her article, she writes “If we’re going to strip novels of what they are-the very words they’re made of-...then we must either take it or leave it completely” (Hengstebeck). Hengstebeck clearly explains that censoring the book is not an effective idea and that it would leave out the entire meaning if that happens. She clearly emphasizes that Huck Finn is a difficult book to read, and that people should realize that they must read the book how it originally is, or not read it at all. For example, in Mark Twain’s book “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, Mark Twain, a satirical novelist, writes how Huck has problems with being civilized, which isn’t related with racism at all. Huck exclaims, “She put me in them new clothes again, and I couldn’t do anything but sweat and sweat, and feel all cramped up” (Twain 2). It mentions the struggles of living in a civilized society which has been implemented by religion. Knowing that the book is difficult for readers to understand, the book depicts more than just the ordinary; it is a satirical novel which means that it shouldn’t be taken literal.
Many people have their opinions on whether the book should be taught or it shouldn't or whether it should be censored. Teachers and students argue that the language should be censored while others disagree that it will censor out the meaning of the book and will censor out America’s history. Knowing that it is a book that students should be exposed, it must be taught to students, but in a way that they understand that it is a satirical reading and also a depiction of our society in the form of a fictional story.