Thursday, January 31, 2008

Huckleberry Finn is here to stay.

Huckleberry Finn proves to be a staple in American Literature. It portrays the American culture and explores the boundaries and core of racism. Many who open Huck Finn are immediately angered and pained by the "n" word that constantly shows up in Twain's diction. Although I am aware of the meaning of this word, shouldnt we be able to read it on paper and learn from it rather than pretend like it never happened?  One of the parents from the movie we watched in class told the audience that students began to use that hateful word. She stated that the books content inflicted this upon children's lips. It is not the novel's words but the students mind. Huckleberry Finn should not be read lightly and definitely pertains to an older and more mature age group who comprehends the controversy over the "n" word.  To become a great nation, we must learn from our past in hopes to make a brighter future. We must establish an understanding of our freedom and how such a privlege came to be. Huck Finn provides the voice of a young American boy to portray an anti-racist attitude when the society he has known promotes slavery.  His journey appears to be so far incredible and I am aware there is so much more to come. I am thankful that educators are teaching this in schools because if we picked up this book on our own we may misinterpret Twain's sarcasm.   The "n" word was used in Huck Finn for the purpose of historical accuracy and the beautiful piece of literature should not be punished for it's interesting take on America. Despite the controversy, we can all learn something from Twain's novel "Huckleberry Finn." It's time for Americans to adapt a mature attitude and let this novel remain the American classic it has proved to be.

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