Censorship and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

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*CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE* Censorship and Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been one of the most controversial books in the history of American Literature. It is a book about a white kid escaping his alcoholic father and a black person escaping slavery hoping to see his family again. It has been criticized by many people for the use of certain words. It was banned in many schools and libraries in the past. Although The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been criticized by many scholars for offending some people. I personally believe the book should not be taught to 11th graders because of its moral theme and the friendship between Huck and Jim. The book has been mainly criticized for using the “N” word, which some people find offensive. By the using the word, the book portrays the atmosphere of the south and slavery at that time. David Bradley, a Mark Twain expert featured in “Born to Trouble: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, says that,“The ‘N’ word was a word used during that time to call black people. It was a common word”.(Born to Trouble) David Bradley clearly states that it is just a word which was used during that time and people should get over it. It is how people talked. Also the word itself does not have as much power as people have given it. Huck as a white boy has shown moral values by making certain decisions. Huck felt bad for lying to Jim on the raft by telling him that he was with him the whole time whereas he wasn’t. Huck said to himself, “I felt so awful that I almost kissed HIS feet to get him to take back what he’d said. It took me fifteen minutes to work myself up to apologize to a n-----. But I did it, and I wasn’t ashamed of it afterward.” (Twain)(Page 89) This quote clearly shows how there is morality in the book and it is not racist. Twain writes how a white boy is ready to kiss a black man’s

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