Since the release of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885, Mark Twain’s novel has been subject to debate over the story’s racial and societal themes. In an era with a growing intolerance for demeaning epithets and culturally degrading undertones, the United States educational network has quarreled over the novel’s place in American schools. Several school systems have banned the book from the classroom, citing that the continuous use of “nigger” and other racist rhetoric in Twain’s prose has engendered humiliation to American racial minorities. These educational organizations have conveyed that the story does not reflect the principles of social harmony and other progressive philosophies that schools are trying to promote. Conversely, others have argued for Twain’s novel to remain a topic of discussion in American schools, claiming that novel’s entertaining storyline and racial burdens are worth analyzing. Supporters of Twain assert that barring the novel from academic settings defeats the entire …show more content…
The harsh tone of the novel provides an example of time to which the nation must not return. The story does incite contentious debate over the representation of African-Americans, but it serves for the advancement of American societal coalescence. In these forums, students have the ability to question Twain’s prose and discourage this dialogue from being a part of the American vocabulary ever again. Without them, no noticeable change occurs. Removing the narrative as a literary classic because of the presence of “nigger” is a limp excuse, as this swiftly oversteps an in-depth discussion of racial history in American literature. This approach seems to intentionally elude development within the classroom by disregarding the African-American community’s dark, yet relevant history. Conversations about race are inherently discomforting, but overlooking them obstructs progress and fosters an ignorant
In his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain uses colloquialism throughout his writing in order to highlight the time period and setting of the novel. In this passage the reader notices the slang and difference in dialect from other parts of the book. There is a stark difference between how white folks talk and how African-American individuals talk. The purpose of separating the two different dialects is to emphasize the two separate worlds that blacks and whites live in, yet, coexist with each other as well. Furthermore, the reader is able to connect to whoever is speaking. For this specific case we as a reader can connect to the black individuals and how they may struggle in society. Illiteracy and unique diction such as double
Be that as it may, while Huck needs to recognize his association with Jim, he can separate himself in different ways. To begin with, he can call him a "nigger" - a word whose derivation Huck likely knows nothing about. At that point he can fill the word with importance, with the implications he gained from his Pap: about the unconscionable lives that niggers lead; how their extremely nearness can aggravate a terrible circumstance; and how connecting with them can recolor a decent man's whiteness. "It was by the well-known axiom, 'Offer a nigger a bit of leeway and he'll take an ell,' " Huck says. "Here was this nigger which I had on a par with fled, coming appropriate out level footed and saying he would take his youngsters - kids that had
Part of the reason that makes Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain a masterpiece is because of the way he forced the readers to fondle the details to find a greater meaning. He places details in the language for the readers to further their understanding of the characters and get a good feel for the setting of the novel. Twain places a heavy emphasis on Jim’s dialect, he does this by making Jim’s speech hard to read and digest. He does this to show Jims place in society, his level of education, and to show how most slaves during the time period talked. Twain also uses his language to show how slaves were treated in different states and to show the amount of education they receive. For example
Occasionally there are times when it is more beneficial to do what is necessary or useful to you as opposed to doing what's right. Huck Finn is met with a similar situation when he is stopped on his raft and he is forced to conjure up a lie to defend Jim. After the situation has been resolved, Huck decides that he "wouldn't bother no more about it, but after this always do whichever come handiest at the time".
Many books around the world have been banned because they are offensive. One example is Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel about the journey of a thirteen-year-old boy named Huck, who fabricates his own death to run away with an escaped slave named Jim. The two voyage in a raft along the Mississippi River to gain their individual freedom. In addition, Huck gains a new understanding about humanity. Huck Finn has been creating great controversy on both sides of the argument: to ban or to keep in the school curriculum. Currently “much debate has surrounded Mark Twain’s Huck Finn since its publication in 1885, but none has been more pervasive, explosive, and divisive than that surrounding the issue on race”
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel written by Mark Twain, is an important literary work because of it's use of satire. It is a story written about a boy, Huck, in search of freedom and adventure. In the beginning of the story you learn what has happened since The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Huck and Tom found a hidden treasure that was later invested for them. Huck was taken in by Mrs. Watson, who attempted to teach him religion and proper manners, but was taken away when his father returned. Pap, being a drunk and abusive father, imprisons Huck because he wants the money Huck has invested for him. Huck fakes his own death and hides out on Jackson's Island, where he discovers Jim, Mrs. Watson's former slave, is also hiding. Jim
In “Rethinking Huck,” Mintz implicated that truly understanding the book is difficult through his use of rhetorical strategies in his writing. Mintz begins by praising Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for its influence on American literature and its superiority compared to other novels, describing it as “a picaresque tale of adventure, a coming of age story, and a novel of escape and liberation” and much more. After praising the book with support from other people, he introduces the negative criticism Twain’s novels receives over “its frequent use of racial expletives, its condescending portrait of the runaway, Jim, and its misogyny, depicting women either as nurturers or as controlling and repressive figures.” Mintz uses a contrasting structure in order to implicate that people cannot see the true purpose of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as an informational, satirical piece of literature tackling the issue of
The history of racial bigotry in the United States presents a challenge in the teaching English literature. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn uses degrading terminology to portray the paternalistic nature of the South in the 19th century. The novel challenged African American inferiority in an era of unquestioned racial inequality, while simultaneously presenting an uncensored account of the treatment of African Americans. While Mark Twain commonly uses offensive Southern vernacular in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, removing the novel from school curricula negates the educational and satirical value of the book, which presents an unabridged illustration of racial discrimination in American history.
“All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn,” this is what fellow writer had to say about this classic novel. Still, this novel has been the object of controversy since it was published more than 150 years ago. Some people argue that Huckleberry Finn is a racist work, and that the novel has no place in a highschool classroom. This feeling is generated because a main character in the story, Jim, and other slaves are referred to many times as “niggers.” When Mark Twain wrote this book, he was striving to show the general public that society was wrong in the past, that the way white people thought black people were less than human was a wrong viewpoint. The
It is odd to think that a high school student would pick up the word “nigger” and use it against another student because high school students have already been exposed to topics such as slavery and racism. Therefore, it would be unlikely for a student to use “nigger” against another student given the fact that race is still a “volatile and divisive subject” in this country and high school students is not ignorant infants that can’t distinguish the rights and wrongs about the word “nigger.” (Williams, Randle). At this point in time teenagers are exposed to excessive profanity through the media, music lyrics on TV and many times it is not censored. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be kept in library shelves and schools in its original form because students can receive moral lessons and therefore, mature as human beings. A big part about how a student can react to the novel is how the book is being taught. Teachers should acknowledge the intention and purpose of Mark Twain, which was to appeal to the reader 's emotions through the use of specific diction. Along with teaching the literary elements of the novel the teachers should also imply the ideas and controversies that are being presented in the novel. Twain’s purpose was also to capture the moments that defined the 1800s such as slavery and racism. After all, the novel should be taught in its original
Ever since its publication over a hundred years ago, controversy has swarmed around one of Mark Twain’s most popular novels, Huck Finn. Even then, many educators supported its dismissal from school libraries. For post Civil-War Americans, the argument stemmed from Twain’s use of spelling errors, poor grammar, and curse words. In the politically correct 1990’s however, the point of argument has now shifted to one of the major themes of the book: Racism. John Wallace once said of the book, “It’s the most grotesque version of racist trash” ever written. Were Twain’s archetypal characters and use of vernacular language an assertion of his own racist views, or a critique of the injustice of
Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is perhaps one of the most controversial novels the North American Continent has ever produced. Since its publication more than a hundred years ago controversy has surrounded the book. The most basic debate surrounding Twain's masterpiece is whether the book's language and the character of Jim are presented in a racist manner. Many have called for the book to be banned from our nation's schools and libraries. Mark Twain's novel is about a young boy who was raised in the south before slavery was abolished, a place where racism and bigotry were the fabric of every day life. The novel is the account of how Huck Finn, who is a product of these
People often hesitate to accept what they do not understand. In the absence of love and compassion, it is no question that fear, ignorance, and hatred, all contribute to a melting pot of negativity in the world. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, is about the love and friendship cultivated by a young boy and a black slave on the Mississippi River. Despite the pair’s differences, they are able to endure the struggles and difficulties that the toilsome journey brings. Mark Twain, in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, emphasizes the shift in Huck’s view towards slavery by contrasting Huck’s initial tone of reflectiveness to his assertive tone, both collectively addressing the issue of racism in society.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered by many to be the greatest American novel ever written. Despite this praise, Mark Twain’s masterpiece has never been without criticism. Upon its inception it was blasted for being indecent literature for young readers because of its lack of morals and contempt for conformity. Modern indignation toward Huck Finn arises from its racist undertones, most notably Twain’s treatment of the character Jim. As is the case with many canonized yet controversial books, the biggest conflict revolves around the inclusion of Huck Finn on required reading lists of public schools throughout the country.
Since its first publication in 1884, Mark Twain’s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has proven to be one of history’s most controversial novels; especially recently, the novel has often been banned by schools and censored by libraries. Characters in the book are constantly using disparaging language toward slaves, and the repeated use of the word “nigger” makes many sensitive and offended. Critics denounce the novel and Mark Twain as racist for this word being insulting and politically incorrect and for its depiction of black people and how they are treated. However, Twain was not attempting to perpetuate racism; on the contrary, he used satire to expose the ignorance and paradoxical views held by many in America at that time.