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Censorship In Huckleberry Finn

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The argument of censorship of books has become a recent topic in the modern age of sensitivity. This can be proved by Merriam-Webster’s definition of censorship which is “The system or practice of censoring books, movies, letters, etc.”, the first example they give proves it is an important modern issue in today’s society. One particular example of censorship in literature is the elimination of indecorous words and racial epithets in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. For example, the use of the word slave as a replacement of “nigger”. Another way sophisticated people wish to censor the book is to ban it completely from impressionable readers who risk having their minds corrupted by such convoluted ideologies. This topic is discussed in the article from Huffington Post Education entitled, “Educate Don 't Censor: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the N-Word” by Hetert-Qebu Walters, …show more content…

In conclusion, the thought of censoring in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is plainly idiotic. It suppresses the message Mark Twain is trying to send by, as Hetert-Qebu Walters says, “changes are another form of censorship, seeking to gloss over the complexities of life during a horrific period in American history.” therefore destroying the meaning of the novel. Children will not be tainted by the words used because they know why the words are used, because of education and the fact that they plainly won’t bat and eye at the words. People such as publishers who wish to reprint the book with censored words have no respect for literature and just care about printing more copies for more money. With all of this said I cannot help but to agree with Walters when she says, “choose an edition of Huckleberry Finn that respects the words of Twain as he wrote them & his critique of our nation 's history”. It is the just and right thing to do to protect the rights of Twain and the rights of us as readers to better ourselves by reading the original text of The Adventures of Huckleberry

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