Censorship Rough Draft “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame” (Oscar). The words remarked by renowned author Oscar Wilde oppose the numerous efforts of many current governments to censor threatening texts. Many books are banned, because they showcase offensive themes; however, this depicts America’s appreciation of literature, or rather lack thereof. Books should not be banned because they depict realistic ideals and conflicts that many people may relate to. A literary classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, for example, should not be banned because it depicts the internal struggle of morality that age groups reading this novel endure. The novel demonstrates the different paths that one may lead to, should they partake in immoral actions. However, the moral characters in the novel end up “rich,” motivating students to follow. No books should ever be banned because they reveal realistic ideals and conflicts that prescribe the struggles of the lives of many Americans. Yet, …show more content…
Previous concerns occurred because of the “lack if decency and moral values,” but in the wake of the civil rights movement, the main concern was the “prevalent use of offensive terms” (Telgen). In plus, the uneducated characters of the novel reference to vulgar language: “—would come miles […] he was more looked up to than any— [strange--]” (Twain, 255). This type of language is offensive to people because it references a time where people were bought for labor, and worked under extremely harsh conditions, that they would rather not be reminded of. However, the word was very commonly used by white men in that era. It is a part of history that one may not hide and that students have the right to learn about. In addition, despite referencing --, Huck never does anything to hurt any black man. In fact, he tries to defy all odds to save Jim from
If you ask two different people what the n word meant you would probably get two completely different responses. One might say it is insulting and degrading, another might say it is a term of endearment. Throughout Huck Finn this word was used a total of 219 times. If the n word were not a degrading term there would not be so much controversy about banning and censoring Huck Finn. However, the word has been altered since it was used in the time period of Huck Finn.
Should the word “nigger” be used in high school literature? That is the tough decision that many high school teachers face when try to decide whether or not to teach The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Huck Finn uses the n word throughout the book to refer to a friend who is a slave. Even though that word can be very offensive, it is a big part of our history that high school students should be mature enough to learn about. Many students do not continue on to college after high school; therefore, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be allowed to be taught in high school.
Even though the idea is mainly about replacing the “N” word not much would change if you add “slave.” The usage of the “N” word was not meant to bring disagreement and argument but for educational purpose just how Twain intended it to be. Since the book has has been read and analyzed for many years the idea of the “N” word is going to be in everyone's mind so when they are reading the “new” edition of the book the word “slave” is pretty much not going to change much. Both words themselves present a very intense and memorable moment to when African Americans were being used as slaves and were being mistreated. This then brings the concept of racism and people think The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is racist and should be banned for that reason.
One 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.
The Banning of Fahrenheit 451 Throughout history, writers have challenged society through the use of controversial art. From author Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451 touches on the suppression of literature by the government and the power of language. Due to the harsh realities present in the book, many schools and individuals believe it should be banned. However, Fahrenheit 451 is necessary in schools curriculums because it reveals the power of language to the reader, which drastically outweighs the dilute possible negative influences. The most common subject, books, is brought up countless times throughout Fahrenheit 451.
Classic books that will move and shape society for years to come are often challenged for the ideas and themes that they give but these things are what makes those books so powerful in the first place. So many popular books that everyone knows about regardless of age have been challenged, for example, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, both of these books have been challenged yet they are often brought up when looking into famous classic books. “Books dealing with edgy, dark subject matter such as addiction, abuse, suicide and can offer young adult readers a broader perspective on the world.” Writes Ellen Hopkins “but these qualities often make such books and their authors a target for would-be censors.” This idea is shown in Fahrenheit 451 when Beatty talks about burning books with ideas people don’t
One of the key principles that make the country great is our freedom to say, write, and read whatever we want. Despite this, countless public figures and schools have chosen to restrict access to certain books, whether it’s in order to protect political correctness or explicit sexual content and violence. Rarely do these people stop and consider the dire effects book banning might have on both students and society as a whole. An author does not write because they are looking to offend someone, they right because they have a story to share. The First Amendment of the Constitution not only works to protect this right to the fullest extent possible, but also serves to protect the rights of the people that choose to be offended by these stories.
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.
Although the society’s standards and his father are repressing, Huck has his own inner voice and would listen to them. That’s why when he meets Jim, a running away slave, Huck helps to save Jim and runs away with him. By the society’s standard, running away slave is intolerable and has to be caught and punished. However, Huck acts against the society’s standard even though he knows it’s wrong to help Jim run away. There exists so much racism in the society.
Ironically, Fahrenheit 451 is one of the most banned books in American schools. The book was seen as evil for ideas like opposing the suppression of freedom by parties that presumed they had all the answers. Books such as Fahrenheit 451, 1984, Brave New World, The Giver, and The Hunger Games have been banned in schools, and they all explore the themes of suppressing freedom, information, and intellectual thinking. Prohibiting these books will only lead less thought; it will lead to the ultimate demise of society. If we do not learn from them, we will become them.
When you tell people they can’t do something it makes them want to do it more, so telling people that they can’t read a certain book makes them want to read it more and most importantly the banned books that are classic have an important message. In conclusion, books should not be banned, due to the fact that they teach us many things. Although some books have different and unpopular opinions, it doesn’t mean that they have less of a right to be read. All books should have an equal opportunity to be cherished and read.
In 1998, McClintock High School in Tempe, Arizona assigned students to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. The book has long been regarded as a controversial novel, and each generation that comes upon it has found something that rubs against the current societal norms. The mother of a student at McClintock took serious offense to the use of the word, “nigger” throughout the book and protested that it be banned due to the racial discrimination (Source I). Huck Finn is just one of the many pieces of literature that have been labelled “challenging,” and many feel that they do not deserve a place in schools’ curriculum. However, the study of challenging literature introduces students to new ideas and lessons that they can apply
Every child deserves a proper education. Banned books are depriving students of a well rounded, culturally aware, literary education because of the culture that is discarded, the history that is being withheld, and the education that young people could get through these banned books. The point of history is to learn from it and learn from others mistakes, but how can we do that if we are not allowed to learn it. As teachers shouldn’t you be teaching us how to make judgment calls like understanding that Mark Twain was a racist, but a man of his time and that doesn’t change him being an amazing writer. We cannot learn things such as that if we cannot even read most of Mark Twain’s books.
Books, Should We Ban Them Or Not: Banned books are books that have been taken out of public environments because of many different reasons. Books should not be banned simply because we have the rights to any books. Banned Books can teach important things about our history. Books that have been banned teach great morals/lesson even with the negative content. Banning Books infringes on people 's personal rights.
In the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the reader gauges morality through the misadventures of Huck and Jim. Notably, Huck morally matures as his perspective on society evolves into a spectrum of right and wrong. Though he is still a child, his growth yields the previous notions of immaturity and innocence. Likewise, Mark Twain emphasizes compelling matters and issues in society, such as religion, racism, and greed. During the span of Huck’s journey, he evolves morally and ethically through his critique of societal normalities.