There are a handful of books read in school that could be considered controversial, but The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn seems to take the cake. This fictional novel by Mark Twain has many lessons and great ideas on maturation, friendship, violence & cruelty in society, African-American history, and morals. Some people, though, don’t see the positives of reading this story. They see the inappropriate language, the stereotypes used against Jim, and the light treatment of the horrors of slavery towards the end of the novel. Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is regarded as one of the most classic American novels, some may say it is too inappropriate to be taught amongst high schoolers. Argument’s have been made that students have taken offense to the overuse of the racial slur against African-Americans. In the article “Parent Objects to ‘Finn’ Slur” by Meghan E. Moravcik, Dolores Fisher makes the case that the slur makes her son, who is the only African-American student in his class, uncomfortable. I’m sure that many parents agree with her position considering the slur brings negative thoughts and feelings towards African-American culture. If the language isn’t what sets people off, it is the harsh stereotypes used against Jim and slavery not being portrayed in a negative enough light. Although they are on this long …show more content…
In chapter 2, Tom Sawyer wants to pull practical jokes on Jim while he’s asleep.
Jim being an African American slave, people give him racist remarks and treat him horrible. Slavery and racism was a big deal back then, even though we have omitted slavery today, racism still continues to be an issue in society. These controversial topics are good examples and can be beneficial for discussion in a school classroom, along with the basis for American history which is why people need to keep teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry
In the novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is a book about a boy named HuckleBerry Finn who 's from St. Petersburg, Missouri. Huck has a drunk and abusive father who only wants huck for his money, so Huck fakes his own death. At the same time Jim (a black slave owned by Miss Watson) heard that he was going to be sold down south, where he would be mistreated and separated from his family. They team up and try to make it up to the free states up north. This book shows examples of large amounts of racism and stereotyping threw out the book, and the big question is show it be taught in today 's school systems?
According to Raziye Akkoc, a writer for The Telegraph, the American novel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn [has been banned] because [of] its use of the N-word was not "inclusive" and made students uncomfortable.” Mark Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn is about a young man that travels down the Mississippi river with a slave named Jim, and the many different journeys they encounter. Many people in society, however, have come across the question of whether or not the novel should be banned because of some of the vulgar language in Twain’s work. Even though it includes poor grammar and spelling, Huck Finn is a novel that establishes good morals, true friendships, and demonstrates the true historic time period.
Ever 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".
"I believe that Huckleberry Finn is one of the great masterpieces of the world..." a quote from H. L. Mencken. Many people believe Huckleberry Finn should be taught in schools, but then on the other hand many believe it shouldn’t for its vulgar language. A handful of people are offended by this book, they complain and say it’s not appropriate for high school students (Powell, Fight over Huck Finn). When the students have heard more explicit language than what is used in the book. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a wonderful tool for education because it shows many life lessons through the characters of Jim the slave, the Duke and the Dauphin, and Miss Watson and Widow Douglas.
A single word, used 219 times throughout Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, causes a world of controversy surrounding this classic piece of literature (“Leave”). The use of the N-Word throughout the novel makes some people feel uncomfortable as they read and discuss the book; however, others argue that the book provides a valuable learning opportunity that gives students a refreshing perspective on racism throughout American history. Such controversy between Huck Finn’s great teaching powers, yet uncomfortable diction, proposes an everlasting question: should public schools teach The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Many people feel uncomfortable with the teaching of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in public schools due
The word ‘nigger’ is used 219 times throughout Mark Twain’s novel ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’. This fact, along with Twain’s depiction of Jim and subtle attack on religion, has offended not only multitudes of African-Americans, but also the Catholic Church. Twain’s novel has simultaneously revolutionized American literature and become one of the most frequently banned books in history. ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ was extremely provocative from its very publication, as its themes of rebellion, disobedience, and interracial friendship were thought to corrupt young children. In recent years, debates have no longer centered around Huck’s disobedience but implications of racism and anti-religious allusions.
For the reason that the n-word appears 219 times in the novel, many schools have decided to ban the book in their classrooms. Cautiously questioning students whether or not the novel arouses an “uncomfortable” (Coeyman) feeling, teachers debate on teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Multiple teachers feel that their inter-racial classes may include students who feel offended by the n-word. Various schools have considered the novel to be “...too racially offensive…”(Coeyman). For instance, school districts in Virginia have banned the book after a mother complained about how her son was disturbed by the “‘...racial slurs in there and offensive wording that you can’t get past…’”(Balingit).
The definition of a sterotype is, "A widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. " In the interactions between Huck and Jim, I do believe that Jim is being stereotyped. Although Jim is perceived as ultimately much more of an adult than any other character in this book, intelligent, and practical, it is shown that that stereotyping is an underlying theme with this character. He is your typical black slave, who believes in all of the superstitions that he was most likely taught to believe him, being from a slave family.
Huckleberry Finn Needs To Stay In Schools Did you know that Mark Twain’s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn is one of the most challenged books in history. In fact, it was banned within the first year of its release. Recently, schools have been banning the book and removing it from the curriculum due to the racial slurs within it and its offensive nature towards students.
American 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.
Rosa 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.
In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the racist attitudes of the Deep South in the late 1800's are shown. Mark Twain portrays a runaway slave, Jim, as a racist caricature who does whatever is asked of him and exhibits little intelligence. The reader can initially see this through the use of the word "nigger" that is all throughout the book. In the modern 21st century this term is taken offensively, but in the 19th century this term was commonly used and Twain took advantage of it.
After Huck finds out that Jim is captive, Huck “set down and cried. [He] couldn’t help it” (210). After returning to the raft and not finding Jim there, Huck is overcome with emotion. The fear of Jim not being around causes Huck to realize how important Jim is to him. The friendship they developed on the river and through their adventure causes Huck to be more concerned for Jim’s safety than society’s need to keep Jim captive.
Toni Morrison effectively analyzed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, covering different perspectives and ways to interpret the novel that displays a higher level understanding of a “challenging” text. Good writing and analysis skills are crucial for a variety of different tasks students will have to perform beyond school. Additionally, challenging literature offers a great opportunity for students to learn about censorship. As many books read in schools today are being censored, any opportunity for students to directly learn more about the issue is beneficial. In the article “Schools Can’t Ban Books Because of Complaints, Court Says,” Mark Walsh addresses a woman who wishes to discard of controversial works, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, that provoke racial harassment in the school system (Source B).