Around the world, there have been a plethora of arguments about subjects of racism, freedom of speech and censorship in classrooms. As seen in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there is much controversy over the use of racist language and how different races are described. Some believe it is useful to read the novel, while others perceive differently.
There are varied reasons behind why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is so controversial. Many reasons for this are that Huck and other characters in the book are racist. Slavery was a big part of history in the world, but some believe it should not be something students are exposed too. A second way the book is controversial is the freedom of speech, or the language used.
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There are many cuss words, and racist slurs in the novel that could affect readers. On the other hand, others believe the novel should be read in class. They argue that slavery was a part of the past and it is an important part of history to learn about that. Lastly, the language in the novel should not be censored because words are just words. Ever since the book opened to the public, there has been controversy on whether the novel should be allowed to be read by students. Many people believe that the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be censored. It is said that the racism and freedom of speech in the novel should not be taught to students. The first reason students should not be reading this novel is that it is racist. As Mrs. Nancy Mathis says, “I have experiences some difficulty in the area...Rather, a conversation takes place between me and a particular student in which I try to asses or her level of discomfort with the work”(Ferris 1). There are many adults and students that feel the book is not for a classroom. Students such as Nancy Mathis’s can become uncomfortable reading a book about slavery and racism. Slavery and racism take up a huge part of the United States history. It is not uncommon for students to feel uncomfortable talking about it, and that's what Mark Twain does. One key quote in the novel is when Huck says “It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger(Twain 49). The fact that when Huck knew he had done something wrong, it still took him 15 minutes to say sorry. This is because of the way Huck was brought up. Jim is seen subservient to Huck. This idea really bothers people. Secondly, the book is controversial because of the language used. The word nigger is used 214 times in the novel. To many students and parents, this type of language is seen as something that should not be read or said in a classroom. As a black student of Nancy Mathis said, “I was offended by the language of the book”(Ferris 2). The use of certain words in novel may affect students which is why the novel should be banned. Not only where blacks bothered by the language, but so were whites. A white student said “Some of the whites snickered, others giggled. I can recall nothing of the literary merits of this work that you term "the greatest of all American novels." I only recall the sense of relief I felt when I would flip ahead a few pages and see that the word "nigger" would not be read that hour”(Henry). The word is very derogatory and is seen as a word that should not be used in school. An example of this type of language is when the novel says “Niggers would come miles...strange niggers would stand with their mouths open”(Twain 6). The use of nigger, which is a derogatory term for black people, is used twice in two sentences. A book with this type of language and racism is the reason many say the book should be banned from the classroom. On the other hand, others say that the novel should not be censored because it is a part of history.
The use of language helps emphasize the story, and the racism by Huck and other characters from the book only helps portray what went on back then. The first reason many say the book should be read in classrooms is that it helps show what went on back in the day. As Zalisk says “If we try to banish works that some people feel are painful, we’ll be left with nothing to teach. The question is how to teach”(Zalisk 4). The way that Twain was brought up, was a way of life for him. It is an outlook that many people had to grow up believing. and it is important to know that it is wrong. In the novel Huck says, “Miss Watson’s nigger, named Jim, was setting in the kitchen door”(Twain 4). The fact that a man is referred to as someone else’s is wrong and it is important to really grasp the topic. That is what the book …show more content…
does. Secondly, the language that is used is seen as bad, but words are just words.
The word did mean something derogatory back in the day, but again, it is just a word with a significant meaning. It would be wrong to remove the word “nigger” from the book because “Sanitizing the language which aided and abetted white America's denial of the humanity of black Americans from the nation's founding doesn't change that history”(Fishkin). This goes back to the point of history. The word was used wrongly in history, but that can not be changed. The language used in the novel is a part of the US history, and “"What's going to happen to a kid when he gets into the world if he's going to let a word paralyze him so he can't think?”(Henry) All that can be done now, is to learn about it and why it was so wrong in order to prevent it. There is so much educational value to reading the novel Huck Finn. A boy who was brought up in thinking that slavery is ok is able to change his beliefs. As Huck finds Jim after being separated he says, “Well, I warn't long making him understand I warn't dead. I was ever so glad to see Jim”(Twain 43). Huck is able to see Jim for a real man, the same way we see everyone now. There is so much educational value in the novel. The use of language and racism was a major part of history that can not just be removed by censoring a book. It is not a problem to have the book in a
classroom. Censoring the novel is not the right thing to do. What happened during Huck’s time was a real life problem. The use of slavery and racism was a huge issue. Blacks were treated very unfairly, and were forced into slavery. When it comes down to the language, the words are just words. They are portrayed as bad words because of what they used to stand for. Since then, the word has become history, and is not seen as a horrible word. Taking away certain words would take away from the educational aspect of the book. Even though the novel is looked at as wrong or not suitable for the classroom, “Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry FInn is regarded by many as the greatest literary achievement America has yet produced”(Telgen 1). It is important to know how life was back then, and how certain types of people were portrayed. In conclusion, the novel should not be banned from schools as it shows educational value, the importance of historic past, and uses language to emphasize and connect the reader with the time period of the novel.
The book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first published in December of 1884. It was first banned in Concord, Massachusetts from the Concord Public Library in March of 1885. Since it was first published, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been opposed and banned. The book is powerful and provides an amazing window into what this country was like in the time period it takes place in, banning this book is not an ethical thing to do because readers learn and grow from it and people should know how the United States was in that time period so that we do not regress and move backwards as a society.
Over the 129 years for which the book has been in print, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been regarded with much controversy, for many different reasons. As it has progressed, the subject of this controversy has been almost constantly changing. This essay will explore some of the claims and explanations of the controversy, as well as a discussion on whether the book is even that controversial. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion about this novel, The main complaints seem to revolve around three core topics: Twain’s portrayal of Jim and other blacks, The extensive use of the racial slurs and racism, and the final chapters of the book itself.
Mark Twain’s novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has sparked much controversy since its publication in 1884 due to countless racial slurs and stereotypes; in fact it is the most commonly banned book in American history (source). While many argue that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be banned, the literary merit, namely the realistic setting and characterization, outweighs the vulgarity and crude language. Twain’s satirical social commentary
“Who gets to decide what I get to read in schools?” This question was brought up by Dr. Paul Olsen in a recent lecture. This question inspires many other questions revolving around the controversy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. It makes one wonder if books like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be included in high school curriculum even with all the controversy about them or are they better left alone. Should The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn be taken off of school reading lists because of a single word when it has so much more to offer students? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be included in high school English curriculums because it is relevant to current issues, it starts important conversations about race
Why would a man who fought against slavery, injustice, and discrimination write a racist book ? For some time, many students, educators, and scholars debated whether The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain deserves its place in our literary canon. Certain readers find the relationship between Huck and Jim especially problematic due to abundant use of the N word and Twain’s stereotypical depiction of Jim. On one hand, Jim is viewed as an uneducated slave who is always in peril due to Huck’s playfulness and immaturity. Yet, on the other hand, Jim is a complex secondary character crucial for Huck’s development from naiveté into maturity. Despite, the glaring overuse of racial epithets, Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn should remain in the literary canon and continue to be taught as it allows readers to address racial misconceptions, such as racial
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain, published in 1884, and according to Alison Flood in the article US school stops teaching Huckleberry Finn because of 'use of the N-word', “one of the most-challenged [novels] of all time.” The story depicts the relationship between a young white boy who is running away from home and a grown slave who is running away to escape slavery. The novel focuses on Huck Finn growing up pre-civil war in deep and very racist south. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should stop being taught to high schoolers because it is too open to interpretation, and doesn't
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.
How would you feel if an author published a book that contained a word that was once used frequently but has now developed into one of the most derogatory and unfriendly things a person can say? Since 1884, when the book was first published, there has been much controversy regarding the use of the word “nigger” in the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Many people all over the world, predominantly the African-American population, feel that the word demoralizes the Blacks, and feel that the novel should be strongly censored from society. Some say that the constant use of the “n-word” forces the reader to conceive one of the main characters, Jim (Huck’s slave friend), as a buffoon, and it therefore embarrasses the African-American community through the use of stereotype. Although it may be hard for many people to read it without having a negative reaction, the censorship of this American classic would be preposterous. As one reads this novel, one can begin to notice that the main character, Huckleberry Finn, reached a turning point with his troublesome behavior and slowly but surely began to mature and settle down into adulthood. Mark Twain actually used the relationship of Jim and Huck to portray the moral values these characters come to learn and, therefore, his book should not in any way be censored or be kept away from the classrooms. This message is more powerful than the usage of the n-word in the novel.
The largest debate as to why the novel is a racist work is because of the use of the "N-word." Although there is an abundance of evidence pointing towards the theory that Mark Twain was a racist, therefore making the book itself a reflection of his ideologies, Huckleberry Finn is created as a form of social commentary, on the racism of the time period. As reflected in the essays in Satire or Evasion?, the perspectives on the views of racism in Huckleberry Finn vary widely (Arac 113) and it can be concluded that “there is no single ‘black’ position on Huckleberry Finn any more than there is a monolithic white one” (Leonard
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is very important to the American culture. When Mark Twain was around, the use of the word “nigger” was quite common. That was how they referred to African Americans in that time. In the book, Twain makes Pap look like the worst possible white trash where as Huck and Jim, the slave, get closer throughout the book. The book shows how people felt towards African Americans back in the day and how it was wrong. They considered them as “inhuman.” In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, Aunt Sally seems to be a nice person, but when the little black boy was killed she does not care since “no human was hurt.” This shows how far along we have come since this time period. Huck plays three jokes on Jim, but in the end begs for his forgiveness because he felt he had done something indeed quite wrong. This shows that not all Southerners in the day were “racist.” Mark Twain makes fun of how many people in the South were wrong to think badly towards the African Americans. This book is a very good book to get an understanding of how things were wrong back then and how far we have come since then.
The classic American novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain has been a source of controversy since it was published. The controversy is centered around Twain’s use of the N word. It is a very heinous, powerful word that is almost always offensive. Mark Twain is well known as a satirist, in laymen's terms he makes light of social issues through his use of language. The story takes place in pre-civil war America so in order to effectively show the racism of the decade he had to use their vernacular. He did not intend to offend. He actually meant to make you feel uncomfortable with the racism. Huck Finn should not be censored because literary decisions should be left to the authors to make (5 Kathleen Parker), we need examples of ignorance to provide contrast to how far we have come, and because The powerful language Twain uses is necessary for the story and the story would be worse off for it.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an incredible novel. It is hard to believe that people would protest against it, but they do. Mark Twain set his story twenty years before the Civil War, during the slave era. It is written just as everyone spoke at that time, using the word “nigger.” This book uses the word a lot, which has upset many African-Americans. I believe that the word can be obscene, but in this book it is not. It only shows the reality of that time.
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...
This book has been banned from school libraries all over the country because of the main character's teenage angst, which many feel is too graphic for teenagers, and its profanity. Profanity, whether it be frequent or a rare occurrence, is a characteristic of many literary classics, as is the use of racial epithets.In the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (ranking number 2 on the list), an epithet is use many times over to describe the people of color in the book. Now since the book was published in 1885 and such language was common at the time, I do not belie...
Despite all the criticism, of racism and other questionable material for young readers, Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written novel, which in the opinion of this reviewer should not be remove the literary cannon. Twain’s novel is a coming of age story that teaches young people many valuable lessons and to some extend makes students reexamine their own lives and morals. The most common argument for its removal from the literary canon is that the novel is too racist; it offends black readers, perpetuates cheap slave-era stereotypes, and deserves no place on today’s bookshelves. However one must ask if Twain is encouraging traditional southern racism or is Twain disputing these idea.