Should Huckleberry Finn Be Banned Research Paper
On December 10th, 1884 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was originally published. That was only 19 years after the abolishment of slavery in the United States. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn depicts the struggles and hardships of Huck Finn and his recently enslaved friend Jim. They travel together down the Mississippi river to find freedom and a new life. On the way they encounter many new people and places. Many individuals believe that this novel should be banned from schools and some libraries because of its use of the word “nigger”. Some of the new editions have been censored which caused an uproar. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be banned. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn shouldn’t be banned because it teaches many valuable life …show more content…
One example is when Aunt Sally disregarded the death of a slave on the steamboat crash. “‘Good gracious! Anybody hurt?’ ‘No’m. Killed a nigger.’ ‘Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt’” (Twain 258). These events are things that surely happened in real life and they should not be ignored. By censoring the book they are trying to change history. The word “nigger” has so much history behind it, by censoring it you are taking away the significance of parts of the book. Another example on history is displayed in Huck Finn is when Jim became a free man. “‘They hain’t no right to shut him up! Shove! And don’t you lose a minute. Turn him loose! He ain’t no slave; he’s as free as any cretur that walks this earth!’” (Twain 334). Becoming a freeman was the goal of almost every slave, most of the human rights that they were denied were now given to them. By censoring the word “nigger” they are not changing all the difficulties that the african americans had to face in the 18 and 1900’s. History cannot not be changed but it can be learning
Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In Schools
1011 Words | 5 PagesStarting from a young age, everyone loves to go on adventures and have fun, just like Huck Finn. Growing up in St. Petersburg, Missouri, he is a white 12 year old boy and the son of a drunken father. In the beginning of the book, Huck is seen as a little innocent boy. Until he enters the world with his friend, Tom Sawyer, as they go on adventures, which creates problems and controversy through the history of the North and South, civilization, and racism and slavery. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck has many controversial experiences that are still a problem in today’s society, which is why we should keep teaching the book in school.
The Banning Mark Twain's Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
138 Words | 1 PagesEver since Mark Twain published Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885, it has been one of the most banned books in America. Not only one, but many different people/groups have banned Mark Twain’s classic due to the consistent theme of race. The book is considered inappropriate because of how Mark Twain regards African Americans and Indigenous people. Historically, it is off of many school bookshelves because many may argue that the book even promotes racism. One month after the book’s debut in 1885, a library in Concord, MA stated that Twain’s novel was "trash and suitable only for the slums".
Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In Schools Essay
709 Words | 3 PagesCensoring or hiding the word isn't the way to go, the word exists people will find it sooner or later so why not rip the Band-Aid and let it be taught in the best environment possible, a school. In an article named Masterpiece or racist trash by Barbara Apstein she wrote that “Jim embodies the stereotype of the “darky”: he is superstitious and gullible and often appears more childlike than Huck himself”(Barbara Apstein).Back then African Americans would have to deal with white people being on top of the hierarchy. The stereotype for black people back then was them being gullible and superstitious according to Barbara, having a definition for the n-word is a good thing for the country's society to know so that they can have more knowledge on the things they say. Barbara also stated that “Thoughtful examination of Twain's use of the n-word can help teach students the importance of understanding the context in which the word is used”(Barbara Apstein).Which perfectly sums up why it's important for students to have this knowledge. This history should be hidden under lock and key.
Why Huckleberry Finn Should Not Be Banned Research Paper
913 Words | 4 PagesOne popular book that has been challenged for banning is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is about a runaway boy and his slave on their quest to the North for freedom. They face many obstacles and even though they never make it to the North, Jim is set free anyway. Although some people think that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be banned in schools, it should not be banned because the novel is classic literature that people can easily get their hands on, it shows what life was like for African Americans while slavery was still permitted, and the book teaches valuable life lessons. There is no point in banning The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn because it can be easily acquired by kids since it is a classic novel.
Why Huckleberry Finn Should Be Banned
487 Words | 2 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the most controversial and banned books in American public education. Why do you suppose that is? Is it okay for any school board to remove it from its school libraries or prohibit students from studying the novel in class? Why or why not? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is often considered controversial and banned in American public education because of its use of racial slurs and its depiction of racism and slavery in the pre-Civil War South.
Personal Narrative: America Does Not Need To Censor Her Past
978 Words | 4 PagesAmerica Does Not Need to Censor Her Past I thought racism was a long-dead school of thought when we first began learning about Martin Luther King Jr. in the first grade; I remembering sharing this with my parents, and the dumbfounded look they had in response to my naïveté—or perhaps my stupidity. It took me another year to come around to the idea that racism was still alive and well in this country (after all, no one that I knew was being lynched or denied the right to vote): when I first heard “nigger” used to refer to Barack Obama by my grandmother’s neighbor in South Carolina—a place where prejudice runs deep and some believe the Civil War is still being fought nearly one hundred and fifty-five years later. Since then I must have heard “nigger” used hundreds of times as a term of endearment or as a vile insult; by my black friends or by my white classmates; in song lyrics or in everyday conversation; however, each time one thing remains the same: the immense power and history behind the most loaded word in the English language. “Nigger” is not interchangeable with the word slave; slave is not the invention of American racism and it does not
Why Huck Finn Should Not Be Banned Essay
828 Words | 4 PagesAmerican literature has always been a form of entertainment and education. When slaves were introduced as characters in books, they were always negative, stereotypical characters, but not until 1883 when Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was a change made. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book about a southern white boy in the 1800’s that runs away with an escaped slave on the Mississippi River. For years, schools have been debating on if the book should be banned in schools or not, and it is already on a variety of banned lists. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be banned in schools because it is an anti-slavery novel that teaches students valuable lessons and informs students of the past culture.
Racism In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
917 Words | 4 PagesRosa Parks once said, “Racism is still with us. But it is up to us to prepare our children for what they have to meet, and, hopefully, we shall overcome.” She describes that the future of our world has to be aware of things that have happened in the past, such as racism. The NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is a civil rights organization that displayed their position on this certain situation. The NAACP position is correct in that Mark Twain’s un-sanitized version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught because the book describes the important awareness of the historical oppression of people, it provides a value of morality from that time period that students should learn, and gives an important lesson about race that should be taught to students.
Censorship In Huckleberry Finn
778 Words | 4 PagesAnother 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,
Reasons Why Huckleberry Finn Should Be Banned
724 Words | 3 PagesAfter reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn I could not understand people 's argument on banning this story that had gone way past it 's time showing the friendship between a black man and a white boy, which was almost unimaginable at the time in many people 's minds, and exposing the worst parts of humanity, showing that we don 't live in a picture-perfect world. While doing some research, however, I had found that most arguments against letting Huck Finn were because of the conspicuous and repetitive use of the n-word, as well as the extreme racial theme that is played out throughout the course of the novel. It all made sense to me then. As always America is again trying to cover up their insightful, but very real history, in hopes that it will be forgotten so that they can go on to be recognized as the
Should Huck Finn Be Taught In Schools Essay
746 Words | 3 PagesShould Huck Finn be read and taught in schools? This question has been constantly debated since the book was published 132 years ago. According to the American Library Association, it was number 14 on the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books list for over a decade. Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, contains language that may be considered offensive to some, but this should be overlooked because the lessons the reader learns are more important than the language it contains. By Jim’s kindness and love towards Huck, and the different characters that have impacted Huck’s life, readers can gain a deeper understanding of how racism can lead people to judge character too soon.
Huckleberry Finn Essay
1619 Words | 7 PagesThrough Huck's journey toward self-discovery and moral enlightenment, Twain invites us to reflect on our paths toward personal freedom and social justice. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a novel that has been widely debated since its publication in 1884. The book follows the journey of Huck, a young boy who runs away from his abusive father and sets out on an adventure down the Mississippi River with Jim, a runaway slave. The central issue of the novel revolves around race and racism in America during the mid-19th century.
What Is Racism In Huck Finn
1124 Words | 5 PagesRacism and Slavery are a hand in hand subject, without Slavery, Racism wouldn 't have been a broad topic. Although modern day slavery is nowhere to be found in America, Racism is still an existing matter. Racism against African Americans was a byproduct of permanent and inhumane enslavement of the black population. Although slavery was not only among Afro- Americans, it was also towards white slaves, and indentured servants who all received the same treatment, were punished equally and worked the same hours. The need to solve economic and social problems drove the Colonists to strip Afro-Americans down from their basic rights and such, which rose to naming all blacks, slaves.
Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
251 Words | 2 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel written by Mark Twain in 1884, tells the story of a young boy’s adventures, troubles, and experience growing up in America’s south during the 1800’s. The book has charmed readers for generations and has long become a great American classic. Personally, I did not enjoy The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I understand Twain’s desire to have the book come from a young boy’s perspective, but he did not execute this intention well. The book was choppy and difficult to read.
Social Issues In Huckleberry Finn
1233 Words | 5 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was wrote by Mark Twain in February, 1885, 20 years after the Civil War. However, the setting of the book takes place before the civil war in various locations as Huckleberry Finn, a boy about 10 years old, tries to race up the Mississippi river to escort Jim, a runaway slave, to freedom. Over the course of Huck and Jim’s adventures, they both become reliant on each other, as Huck develops what he feels is a moral obligation to see Jim to freedom, and Jim comes to respect and nearly worship Jim because of his efforts to free Jim. Throughout the book, the cultural attitudes and imposition of cultural norms at the time are very evident, and when reading it is plain to see that The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn’s
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