Now that we’ve had our in-class committee, I want to hear what YOU think! You’ve read the book, you’ve seen your peers' position statements, and you’re high school students – you are among the most qualified to settle the question: Should we teach The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high school? Compose a 250-400 word post that expresses your opinion. Some areas you may want to consider (I don’t think you’ll be able to address all of them in such a short post; pick one or two, or focus on something else that you find interesting):
• Does exposing students to the racism in the novel have a positive or negative effect?
• Would we be better off teaching the book in college?
• Should we consider teaching the censored version of the novel?
• Are there other books that could replace Huck in the curriculum? Is the novel truly an irreplaceable American classic?
• Do parents have a say in what their children read in school?
• What should a student who is not comfortable reading the book do?
A couple of helpful tips:
• Feel free to mention someone else’s comments in your post! This is a conversation!
• Write your post in Microsoft Word, and then copy & paste it into the comment page. This way, you will be able to keep track of your word count and avoid losing your work to a browser crash.
• Make sure you include your first name and last initial in the “Name” section. Do not use your complete last name.
The post is due by 11:59 pm on Friday, November 16. If you have any questions, email me at tioconnor@arlington.k12.ma.us. Have fun!
-Mr. O’Connor
About Me
- Paul McKnight
- Email:
pmcknight@arlington.k12.ma.us
22 comments:
To kick things off, I personally think that Huck Finn was a good book to “experience”, and I think it is a vital part of a High School curriculum. Having already read an abridged version Tom Sawyer in the 6th grade, I was intrigued to read the sequel, and experience the full impact of Twain’s writings without the simplicity of an abridged version. Like the arguments in the School Committee debate, Huck Finn, in my opinion, has a positive effect on students with reference to one person who said “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” However, although I am a supporter teaching the book, I don’t think that the book should be taught to freshman, or for that matter even sophomores, simply because they don’t have the maturity level (correct me if I’m wrong) of the upperclassmen. That said, I also don’t think that the book should first be introduced in collage. High school, in my opinion, is the perfect time to teach Huck Finn, because it introduces a controversial topic into the classroom that high schoolers might relate to in their surrounding environment. It also gives students a chance to see the word in a different context, used in a historical sense of what the word meant back in the days of slavery and the antebellum period. In terms of how to handle teaching the book to uncomfortable students, I liked how we handled it in our class, by first discussing how we should deal with the word when reading in context, and then meeting in small groups to talk about what we should do when we come across the word. If a student is uncomfortable reading the book, then they shouldn’t be forced through that, especially if it’s going to be a painful experience for them.
After reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, while I did say in the school committee debate that I think the book should be banned from the Arlington High School curriculum, I do in fact believe that Huck Finn should be taught everywhere. However, any book written by Mark Twain should not be introduced to children before the eleventh grade simply because they are not mature enough. We cannot take away from the fact that the book does in deed use the word nigger over two hundred times. However like Harrison said in the debate, “It touches people in ways no other book can.” It is completely necessary to read because it shows a young boy developing morally throughout the story, even if it means going against society. Some may argue that it is bad for children to read about a kid going against society, but we cannot look over the fact that society then was not like it is today. It was completely different. Still, some believe it would be better to do without the book. Will depicted on the white board that if a teacher were to substitute the book for an edited version or completely different book altogether the outcome would have more of a positive effect on the students. I disagree however because like we addressed in class, you cannot change a book in any way, because if you do it is not the same book. A book is meant to be read the way the author wrote it, and is not the same book if you substitute one word for another. It also would not be historically accurate. We must not forget that people during that time period used the word nigger all the time, it was the way of life back then. Overall, I really enjoyed reading Huck Finn though, it was interesting to read about what society was like back then and it was altogether a fantastic book.
I would like to begin by politely disagreeing with Noel and Bobby’s reference to our maturity as eleventh graders. Those students who went to Ottoson may remember reading the book Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals. This book was based on Beals’ childhood experience as a member of the Little Rock Nine. The layout of the novel exposes the reader to extreme racial tensions that existed in the South a century following the Civil War. While civil rights activists were attempting to outlaw segregation, white society was vehemently resisting by employing intimidation tactics and discriminating language. This book, clearly intended for a mature audience, was presented to us in seventh grade. Based on my perspective, not a single one of my seventh grade classmates appeared to have an issue with use of the n word. Personally, I appreciated having this controversial aspect of our country’s history explained to me by a teacher with authentic testimony to emphasize the concept. If this book had not been incorporated in our seventh grade curriculum, my knowledge of post Civil War racial tensions would be pathetically limited to a few historical facts.
The same holds true for Huckleberry Finn. Though I am familiar with information about the 19th century South based on lessons in history class, following Huck’s experience with racism breathed life into the matter. Much like segregation, this topic is not generally mentioned outside of a classroom setting. If the book were to be removed, students would be robbed of an irreplaceable source of educational enhancement.
In my opinion, there is little difference between teaching seventh graders about racial sentiments in the 20th century and exposing eleventh graders to Huckleberry Finn. If anything, the former should incite more controversy. Because Huckleberry Finn has gained significant popularity, it is under harsher public scrutiny. I question the validity of those who oppose the teaching of this book in high school. If they were truly concerned, a noteworthy fraction of American literature would be purged from school curriculums across the nation; a feat which would reduce children’s understanding of a meaningful subject.
I would like to begin by politely disagreeing with Noel and Bobby’s reference to our maturity as eleventh graders. Those students who went to Ottoson may remember reading the book Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals. This book was based on Beals’ childhood experience as a member of the Little Rock Nine. The layout of the novel exposes the reader to extreme racial tensions that existed in the South a century following the Civil War. While civil rights activists were attempting to outlaw segregation, white society was vehemently resisting by employing intimidation tactics and discriminating language. This book, clearly intended for a mature audience, was presented to us in seventh grade. Based on my perspective, not a single one of my seventh grade classmates appeared to have an issue with use of the n word. Personally, I appreciated having this controversial aspect of our country’s history explained to me by a teacher with authentic testimony to emphasize the concept. If this book had not been incorporated in our seventh grade curriculum, my knowledge of post Civil War racial tensions would be pathetically limited to a few historical facts.
The same holds true for Huckleberry Finn. Though I am familiar with information about the 19th century South based on lessons in history class, following Huck’s experience with racism breathed life into the matter. Much like segregation, this topic is not generally mentioned outside of a classroom setting. If the book were to be removed, students would be robbed of an irreplaceable source of educational enhancement.
In my opinion, there is little difference between teaching seventh graders about racial sentiments in the 20th century and exposing eleventh graders to Huckleberry Finn. If anything, the former should incite more controversy. Because Huckleberry Finn has gained significant popularity, it is under harsher public scrutiny. I question the validity of those who oppose the teaching of this book in high school. If they were truly concerned, a noteworthy fraction of American literature would be purged from school curriculums across the nation; a feat which would reduce children’s understanding of a meaningful subject.
I would like to begin by politely disagreeing with Noel and Bobby’s reference to our maturity as eleventh graders. Those students who went to Ottoson may remember reading the book Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals. This book was based on Beals’ childhood experience as a member of the Little Rock Nine. The layout of the novel exposes the reader to extreme racial tensions that existed in the South a century following the Civil War. While civil rights activists were attempting to outlaw segregation, white society was vehemently resisting by employing intimidation tactics and discriminating language. This book, clearly intended for a mature audience, was presented to us in seventh grade. Based on my perspective, not a single one of my seventh grade classmates appeared to have an issue with use of the n word. Personally, I appreciated having this controversial aspect of our country’s history explained to me by a teacher with authentic testimony to emphasize the concept. If this book had not been incorporated in our seventh grade curriculum, my knowledge of post Civil War racial tensions would be pathetically limited to a few historical facts.
The same holds true for Huckleberry Finn. Though I am familiar with information about the 19th century South based on lessons in history class, following Huck’s experience with racism breathed life into the matter. Much like segregation, this topic is not generally mentioned outside of a classroom setting. If the book were to be removed, students would be robbed of an irreplaceable source of educational enhancement.
In my opinion, there is little difference between teaching seventh graders about racial sentiments in the 20th century and exposing eleventh graders to Huckleberry Finn. If anything, the former should incite more controversy. Because Huckleberry Finn has gained significant popularity, it is under harsher public scrutiny. I question the validity of those who oppose the teaching of this book in high school. If they were truly concerned, a noteworthy fraction of American literature would be purged from school curriculums across the nation; a feat which would reduce children’s understanding of a meaningful subject.
Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, although it can be considered offensive, should not be banned from school curriculum. The novel is a great American classic that should not just be left by the wayside. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has a significant moral and educational value that should not be taken out of the school curriculum. The main objection against the novel is its use of the n-word. But the reality is that the n-word can only have the connotation that the reader gives it, “it is the consensus that gives [words] true power,” (Naylor 252). If people did not dote so much on the terrible meaning that they give the n-word that meaning would disappear. In addition to this, the n-word is used on purpose by Mark Twain to be ironic. Twain wishes to demonstrate to the reader the hypocrisy of white “society”. All along Huck's journey he meets very many white people, most of whom are low-lives or just plain bad people. Where as all of the “n-words” that Huck meets are generally nice and helpful people. The use of the n-word in this case is purely ironic, and in no way meant to be offensive.
I also believe that a censored version of the novel should not be taught. Twain used the n-word for a reason, and changing it would turn the novel into something that it was not intended to be. In addition to this, exposing students to the racism in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn would teach them a valuable lesson about our history. This novel could also enlighten students by showing them the wrongs and hypocrisies of racism. This amazing classic should be taught as is in High Schools across the country without being tainted by censorship or interrupted by racism.
I want to start off by saying that I thoroughly enjoyed our school committee debate yesterday; I love hearing differing opinions and different viewpoints on controversial issues. Anahis brought up some very interesting points in her comment, yet I would have to agree with Bobby and Noel in general. The way I see it is “Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will never hurt you.” Yes, I do realize the years of pain and anguish that the n-word contains, but this is a modern world where we all know that it is not only socially wrong, but morally wrong to use this word (unless it is being used as a friendly term between African-Americans). In my opinion, people do not really want to change the n-word to clave because it is very wrong and deeply saddening; it’s because when people read this word, they feel guilt, which they do not want. There seems to be a reoccurring theme in history, in which Americans seem to blame everybody but themselves. Who completely obliterated the Native Americans? American citizens. What was their excuse for doing so? The Natives were “inferior savages.” Then Americans start to call blacks “niggers” simply because of their skin color, but their excuse, once again, is because blacks are “inferior”. If Natives and African-Americans are inferior, then I say that Americans are perfect. Clearly these statements are untrue. If Americans were not so self centered, thousands upon thousands of people, not savages, would still be alive today. Therefore I see it as immoral for a white person to try and change such a pure and raw book that is necessary to keep history alive. However, if a black person were to change the n-word, I would not object to this. When the opinion comes right from the source, I generally see it as a truth. I would still encourage the use of the original text, because I believe that forgetting the past is one of the most devastating mistakes a person could make. What if everyone forget about, or used selective memory towards the Holocaust? I am an extreme believer in the statement “those who do not learn from their mistakes are bound to repeat them.” That is why I am a true supporter of teaching the book, especially in high school when a person is discovering their morals and who they are. If a compromise must be reached, I would suggest only teaching the book in honors or AP level classes for juniors and seniors. Thank you for reading my rant :-).
I agree with Anahis, it is one thing to learn about historical facts but another to read about the society of the time through the eyes of a young boy questioning the society he lives in. I thought the book was even more relevant because we were learning about the civil war time period at the same time as reading the book. I never really understood the point of view of people in the south, I always took the side in debates arguing the South’s infractions on human rights but to see how deeply prejudices were ingrained in the culture opened my eyes. I saw how Huck struggled so much to decide to help a slave and how as soon as he reached the “civilized” world he immediately and startlingly regressed to what was expected of him. Although the extreme discrimination of the South still angers me, I now understand why it was so hard to rewrite the basic beliefs of so many people. Huckleberry Finn helps to humanize history, it is fascinating to learn from something that was written in the 1800s yet is still relevant and enlightening in the 21st century.
I am sure there are many books that would help to teach the lessons in Huckleberry Finn, to be honest many may do so more effectively, but I don’t think they should be used. Huckleberry Finn is a classic for a reason, what ever that is I know that I never would have read it if we had not in class. If I had not I would be missing a part of American culture and a book I now love. Huck is not the best example for children to follow, he doesn’t go on to end slavery in the south or any other ending that would appear in a heroic fiction story. Huckleberry Finn gives an extremely accurate representation of the results of what happened in his “adventures” in his point in history. People then may have realized that blacks were not so inferior but the pressure from society was so great that unless they were very strong and influential they would have been shunned if they acted upon their new found beliefs. Despite Mark Twain’s disclaimer, that there is no point to the book I feel there at least has come to be one. The story preserves life in the antebellum south that is influential today. If the story was in fact was written for its hidden point that would explain why so many people have trouble with the dialects and slightly confusing plot line, it was written for the big picture and subtle pictures of the culture not as the fun boy’s adventure it is presented as.
I, like almost everyone else here, believe that “Huck Finn” should most definitely be taught in all High Schools. It is a great book to learn from and a great discussion topic. Teachers all over the place love the book, because it demonstrates qualities of American literature that are not easily found. The dialect is an example of history, and it is done so well that there is no chance of it being racist in any way. Sure, there are arguments against it, but (excuse my language) how ignorant and stupid do you have to be to think that the n-word is used maliciously, for gosh sake?! Aside from insulting the opposition, I would also like to say that the book is a classic, a figurehead, a representation of America, and do we really want to let that go? Do we really want to kill off something so inspirational that has been around for centuries? NO! We most certainly do not.” Huck Finn” should only leave the school systems around the globe when the earth burns to a crisp.
No one should deny history, and no one should think about “Huck Finn” as if it were insulting. Those who do are a blemish on this book’s record and deserve to, as Twain says himself in the introduction, be shot. I apologize for my violent argument and to any people whose feelings I have hurt. I just feel very passionately about the book and like the cover art, and in turn would hate to see it go away.
As entertaining as it may be, the controversy and tumult initiated by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in communities across America is completely overblown and excessive. Having read the novel myself and witnessed the reactions of peers who have also read it, I honestly find it hard to comprehend the amount of scrutiny placed upon it. Yes, we all know that the n-word is found in 219 different places throughout the novel, but is its visibility really more harmful than if we were to hide our children away from it. How many kids grow up in America having never heard the n-word in a song, from a friend, in a historical document, or any other time in their life? The word will always remain what it is, a word, even as the meaning changes. Words are malleable and susceptible to change, moving like dust in the wind with changing times.
The controversial word that Twain excessively put in his novel was not only a racial slur and derogatory term for African-Americans, but an integral part of the everyday lexicon of the Antebellum South. Contrastingly, the world we live in today deeply frowns upon the word, and it has become a symbol of a dark time in our history that outside of the history classroom we are forbidden to discuss. While we must acknowledge to origins of the word and the history that it comes branded with it we must also not succumb to the word’s negative power and allow it to influence us. By exposing our children to the word in the structured setting of a high school classroom the status it previously enjoyed as the pinnacle of racial slurs becomes obliterated. In no way shape or form am I advocating for the reinstatement of the n-word into our everyday language, but rather that students learn the context in which it was once used and how there is simply no need for it today.
Written long ago Huckleberry Finn has the profound effect of truly engaging students in a time period that happen over a century before their first breath. Satire aside the story gives readers an accurate glimpse into the past. Because the story is written in a different time period, with a different set of social and moral standards it is vital that students be able to distinguish these differences. That being said I do not believe any high school student actively participating in an English class will fail to see the context in which it was written. Still if any problems with the novel persist with a student, there is no need for extravagant commotion. High school students are young adults who should be somewhat rehearsed in developing their own opinions and being able to practically express them. For students that simply cannot come to terms with Huckleberry Finn, they simply need to accept this and move on.
I definitely enjoyed our school committee debate yesterday, but honestly I disagree with about 90% of the argument I made. I do not think removing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the curriculum is rewriting history, as long as the basic ideals are still taught in school. My main reason for believing this book should not be taught in high school is the possibility of making students uncomfortable. Being white, it is almost impossible for me to relate to a colored student who would have to read this book in class, but many articles have displayed it definitely is not harmless. In class I don’t think any student should be forced into such an uncomfortable situation. That being said, I think the book should definitely be offered in numerous college courses. This way students are voluntarily opting to read the book and could always chose to drop the course if it is too much for them to handle.
Based on my high school experiences so far, especially in history classes, I definitely think my knowledge of our nation’s horrifying history regarding slavery is anything but lacking. In actuality I think reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was a bit contradictory to the usual teachings of the horridness of slavery. Clearly “nigger” was in the book many times, and I have to honestly admit that by the end of the book I was much more comfortable reading the word. This is horrifying to me. I definitely do not think “nigger” should be a taboo, but after reading it so many times in a row it almost seemed to lose meaning. Matters such as this (and as I mentioned in class, the Holocaust) definitely need to be discussed and taught delicately. If too much is thrown at still developing minds of high school students at once, often not all the facts are still retained.
I remember in elementary school when any swear word seemed beyond my ability to say, something that has obviously changed for me by now. Clearly “nigger” holds way more weight than almost all other swear words, and I would never say it in a disrespectful context, but I think the overuse of it, even in class, can take away from its meaning.
(In my post, I will focus on the first two bullet points for areas of discussion.)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a very well-written novel, and I personally enjoyed reading it with our English class. I strongly believe that this classic American book should be taught to high school students because there are so many valuable lessons and facts that can be extracted from its pages. Although people of all ages can certainly benefit from reading Huck Finn, I think that high school students are capable of getting the most out of it. Noel brought up a very good point about how high school juniors and seniors are at a mature enough age to understand the controversial themes and ideas that are present in the novel Huck Finn. One might argue that college is a better time to teach the book to students because they are older and even more mature than high school students usually are. While it is true that college students are more mature, it is also true that high school students are closer to the age of the main character, Huck. Being around the same age as Huck Finn is an enormous advantage for readers because it allows them to more closely relate to Huck’s thoughts and make more connections to their own lives than a college student could make.
Exposing students to the racism in the novel has both positive and negative effects. However, I have found that there are far more positive effects than negative effects, which is another reason why the book should be taught in high school. One negative effect may involve some individual students feeling uncomfortable towards the massive amount of racism that is taking place during the story “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Though there may be a couple negative effects, the positive effects from racism exposure in the novel are more abundant. One example of a positive effect is that students will become much more aware of how racist American society was in the south during the setting of the book. Our country’s racist past may not be a pleasant reflection on Americans, but it is still quite necessary to educate America’s youth about life during that time period. It is extremely important for a high school student to possess a better understanding of what daily life was like in the south during the late 1800’s because history must not be forgotten – no matter how ugly it may be!
This debate really kept me on my toes. I think that some of what I wrote in my committee verdict comes from my own personal opinion. I really enjoyed the discussion as points I never would have thought of came into play. Doug shared an inspirational tale of a boy who realized that he didn’t have to conform to society and I had totally forgotten about the man versus society side of the novel though fiction, his story did remind me how much people depend on literature as an outlet to learning about society and ones self. Anahis’s statement also swayed me. She brought up that there are other – equally if not more so – qualifying books that address the problem without using the same language. But in my opinion we need to face the truth, however ugly it may be, to be able to move forward. If we as a society were to push this topic under the rug or dismiss it as a history wrapped up long ago, we would never be able to face the problem. This problem did not just vanish. It took decades and we as a nation still do not see everyone as equals. There will always be stereotypes and discrimination that inadvertently sway peoples’ opinions. We can not disregard the past and romanticize it into a time of change. Horrible things happened to innocent people. In the future people still need to hear of this gruesome past partly just to ensure nothing like this will happen again. We have learned from those miserable times and we have grown. This book is a necessary reminder.
Also, in response to the comparison of Warriors Don’t Cry, I remember that I did have an African American in my class and he made it… uncomfortable to use the word. By that I mean he joked and pretended to be offended and whatnot. That made me wary about using it even in context of the book. But now as juniors we are more mature. This is an honors class and we were able to be respectful and considerate. Basically I’m saying it is good to be taught in High School, we are at the appropriate age.
I would like to start by saying that I greatly enjoyed the school committee discussion that we had, it was a very fun and interesting experience. Anyways, Noel, I think that it's pretty great of you to be the first one to post, you set a precedent in a way, giving us all something to refer to eh? While on the topic of posts prior to mine, I'd like to chime in and say that I agree with a lot of what Shannon has said, the book has to be kept how it is, to have a link to the thoughts and ideas of a society that we view as wrong today. "Huck Finn" is a fantastic book for schools, it tells a story set in a racist time, through one who is in that time period which offers us a very unique glance into history that cannot be gathered simply through a history book. Twain's, dare I say genius, is present in spades in this book, his depiction of Jim I would like to think is a work of fantastic satire on his part. One that lets the readers(in our instance, students) learn about the racism of the south, and how those who lived in this time without the obstruction of someone from today deciphering events from the past. This book evokes much of what has been wrong with America in its past, events that many people would like to forget. Yet that is why it is so invaluable and irreplaceable, it brings to the front of one's mind so many issues that popular culture and political correctness would sweep under the rug if they were left to have their way with them. We need that, so that we can learn from these issues and grow stronger for it, instead of just ignoring them and hoping that they will disappear.
I personally don’t mind if offended people have the need to make a cleaner version of Huckleberry Finn. It has no affect on me whether they read the clean or explicit version. However I am still unsure it is fair to the author to change his writing from the original version. It is done all the time in music, but at least the writer gives permission to change his song. On the other hand if the reader is truly offended by the novel then why read the book at all. I personally understand the reason some people might have to need to read the clean version. I feel very uncomfortable when saying nigger even if I’m alone and singing a song. However I truly enjoyed reading the book while in high school, because The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was so unlike any other book that we have read in school. I feel that the high school teachers will have a better discussion with us about the book, which will help us get over the awkward feelings easier. After reading the word “nigger” hundreds of times I don’t think that it made me anymore comfortable with the word. I have a good amount of black friends but I have never actually asked one of them how the word made them feel. I think that would help me understand it a lot more. I understand where people are coming from if they just don’t feeling comfortable around the word “nigger,” but I don’t respect the people that are trying to run away from American’s cruel past time. Taking the word nigger out of the book Huckleberry Finn will not help people forget our past or even remove racism. Racism is an idea that is past on through generations and generations of stereotypes and other forms or unfair assumptions. Taking racist words out of books will do nothing. Not even brain washing everyone in the word will stop racism. That would just pause it until it is created again through human nature. The only way to totally decimate racism is facing it, learning from our mistakes, and look at yourself next time you are going to make a racist stereotype or joke.
I just have to start off by saying I dislike debates because I almost always agree with points from both sides. Although this debate was different for me because I feel strongly that this novel belongs in the curriculum of all 11th grade students. This novel provides a great portrayal of what life and culture was like in the antebellum south and to not teach this would be hiding from the truth of the past just because it makes people feel awkward. Taking this book out of the curriculum would allow people to ignore the past and to go on denying the unfortunate reality that these racial tensions are still in our society today. Also the idea of racial tensions expressed during this novel allow for Huck’s moral choices to disregard what he is supposed to do as a civilized child. Even as a white child in a society where you are brought up to be a racist towards all African Americans, Huck still goes on to try to steal Jim from slavery because he believes it is what he is supposed to do. This shows that Huck undergoes a tremendous mental growth and can inspire high school readers to move away from the norms of society and be who they what to be such as the character I portrayed in the class debate.
During our debate in class, Sonja brought up the point that if we start to replace the word “nigger” with “slave” why not just use “intern”, further proving that the replacement of this word would change the novels identity. Furthermore, if critics believe that the word “nigger” is offensive and should be taken out of the novel to be taught, then one could make the argument that the character or Jim should be completely taken out of the novel because it mocks the intelligence of a black man. If this was the case the changes wouldn’t stop and the book would not hold any of its original meaning, thus making a censored version of the novel being taught in school pointless.
I believe the original version of this book is a crucial part of the English curriculum. Reading this novel will do nothing other than leave a well written and inspirational novel to dwell in the minds of mature teens.
I have a few comments to share on our class discussions of Huckleberry Finn. First, I also greatly enjoyed the class debate. There were many opinions expressed and there was a good balance of the different viewpoints in this discussion. I also appreciated seeing the costumes that we all created as part of our roles. The debate was a great way to bring these different views to life. In a comparable way, the novel was able to bring the views of racism to life. I found the novel provided much detail about the treatment of slaves as well as the culture of the antebellum period. There novel provided insights that were beyond what we have read as part of our history text. Since we were able to spend a length of time on this topic in our English class, we were able to go into depth and get a better appreciation of how slavery and racism impacted people on an individual level. It would be really good if this book were assigned in English at the same time we were learning about the Civil War/Antebellum South in History class. I disagree with Noel’s view that it should be presented to high school students who are upperclassmen. I think that it would be good to have students read this at the eighth or ninth grade level. It makes such important statements about racism and how prejudice can be overcome. That way, students entering high school can learn from this— not to judge people but to get to know who they are.
Why study the book? It is a fun novel to read; Huck finds himself in a lot of situations that are exciting and funny. It is a classic piece of writing that brings out the essence of freedom and adventure in America. The reader experiences the delight and fear that Huck goes through. However, most arguments regarding the book have nothing to do with the adventures of Huckleberry Finn; they cite offensive language and take the book as a dictionary rather than a piece of historical fiction. When I go and look for a nice piece of fiction to read I am not searching for the words in it, honestly, when was the last time you picked up a book and said, “I’m not reading this book because on page 123 it has the f-word” ? The problem that I perceive with the book is not of the book itself, it is of the reactions to racism seen in it. It would be foolish to say that racism does not exist today. It would be foolish to say that racism does not affect this state. It would be foolish to say that racism does not affect this school. As much as we like to shield ourselves from the truth, we still live in a racist world. Even with these horrid problems, Huckleberry Finn should still be taught. I would be extremely surprised if The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has made any person racist. Racism comes from propaganda, culture, and jealousy. Let me briefly explain: Propaganda can be exemplified with pre-war and warring Germany in WWII, banning Jewish rights to marry, etc. (anti-Semitic, but the point lies true). Culture is our peers and parents, passing down and passing across thoughts, if you have ever heard a joke with “(A), (B), and (C) walk into a bar” you know what I am talking about. Jealousy in the sense I am talking about is making up for one’s flaws by taking race as a reason that one can use to feel higher than another individual. It is a sort of a, “I may not be smart but this person is obviously worse because he is (race).” In a futile effort to describe what I mean I will point the class to this comic that describes it perfectly: http://xkcd.com/774/ . Jealousy does not define all cases for racism, but still defines a major portion of it. Huckleberry Finn is not propaganda, it is not Mein Kampf in any way shape or form. The book is also not what I would describe to be culture, it would be hard to see it as anything close to modern. The book does not put the reader into any sort of jealousy either. With little social effect beyond the arguments over it, I believe it is safe to serve Twain’s novel on a silver platter in school libraries, and should be taught as a reminder to us that we are still setting ourselves straight. Besides, it is a great read.
I think that Huckleberry Finn should be keep in the curriculum. I believe that the real problem is not the derogatory term that is mentioned many times, but it is the stereotype of Jim. He is portrayed as dumb, uneducated slave. This could make the students reading the novel stereotype all African American people as dumb and uneducated, if they students are not mature enough. Besides this i think that this book is great for students to read in high school. it brings pride to African Americans, because it shows how much the have overcame. It shows that even though they were severely oppressed they had the strength to overcome it and become equal to the white race. This book also shows that it is alright to stray from the societal norms, and do what you think is right as opposed to what others think. I believe that at this age in high school the students would be able to ignore the stereotypes of the slaves in the story and focus on the part that is really important, doing what you think is right. Although there are many other books that would illustrate this same theme, I think that this particular novel is important because of all the other smaller themes in the book, for example his moral development and his influences from authority. It might not have made a huge impact on my life specifically, but I do think it has the potential to make an impact on someone else’s.
I honestly do not think that Huckleberry Finn should be taken out of the curriculum. It is a great book and high school students should be able to figure out for themselves that using offensive language is not okay. Plus, it’s not like one book is going to have a major impact on someone’s views on what’s right and what’s wrong. It’s just a book, readers don’t have to treat every aspect of it like it’s the law. I highly doubt that if someone reads this book, they’ll decide to use offensive language in their everyday life just because the characters do in the book. Students know that this book was written during a time period when language like this was normal. I do not believe that censoring the book is the answer because, to be frank, it’s just stupid. Even changing only one repetitive word is making the story something that it wasn’t intended to be. Just leave the book alone. Also, parents should have a say in what their kids read in school, but only to a certain extent. By the time a student is in high school, the parents should just back off and let the school do its job. Also, it really doesn’t matter whether the book is taught in high school or college. It’s only a few years difference. People would interpret Huck and Jim in college the same way they would in high school.
I do understand how the offensive language can make people feel uncomfortable. Let’s face it, we’re not all going to agree on this particular topic. I think that instead of removing the book, there should be some type of alternate reading assignment for those who feel uncomfortable reading Huckleberry Finn. That way everyone wins, right?
First off, I just wanted to say that I as well enjoyed performing the school committee debate. I am not sure how realistic of a setting it projected, but its concepts defiantly exposed the various ideals of each side of the argument, whether it was how we actually felt or not. Personally, I respectfully disagree with the point made by Sonja where she stated that due to the extreme repetition of the word “nigger” in the novel, it lost its value and overall meaning. I thought that, though it was overwhelming to see the word on almost every page, the word did not lose meaning, but the thoughts that are associated with the word when it is said could almost drench each page and distort the meaning of the word. For example, when I read the word, I constantly began to think about the civil rights movements in the mid 1900’s and stereotypical racial images of the Civil War period when clearly this is not what Twain would have wanted his readers to focus on. This in itself almost took away from the overall mood of the story.
I also would like to mention Noel’s point about Huckleberry Finn being taught in high school. I agree. I believe that 11th grade is a proper environment for the incorporation of this novel. I feel that although still rather confused, we have matured to the point where we are no longer completely impressionable as young children tend to be. We can decipher the meaning of a text and not absorb it realistically. For example, after having finished the novel, I am not a racist although being confronted by several racist ideas. I believe that a censored version should not be incorporated into the curriculum nor should the novel be suspended, but I do feel that a student should be given the option to read it or not. A censored version would take away an irreplaceable part of American history. It taints American literature as a whole, and as many classmates have previously stated, it emits a sense that we are ignoring the past.
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