Theme Of Censorship In Huckleberry Finn

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Erin Censorship of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain’s novel, Huckleberry Finn may be one of the single greatest works of American literature known today. Novelist Ernest Hemingway once said "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. It’s the best book we’ve ever had"(Hemingway 22). Huckleberry Finn, first published in 1885, records the journey of a rough independent, 13-year-old white boy and a runaway slave down the Mississippi River on a raft through the South. Their little expedition down the Mississippi River may be one of the most enduring images of escape and freedom in all of American literature. Despite Huckleberry Finn’s sanctified place in our history and its…show more content…
The word “Nigger,” used for a member of any dark-skinned race of people and is often known for being offensive, is used over two hundred times in Huckleberry Finn. The word fuels and contributes to black people’s feelings of low self-esteem and to white people’s disrespect for them. In the classroom, while reading Huckleberry Finn, students do not want their differences highlighted to their fellow classmates. Huckleberry Finn accentuates their one difference that is always apparent, which is the color of their skin. People against the use of Huckleberry Finn in the schools believe black children are offended by the use of the word “nigger’ anywhere, no matter what the teacher uses to justify it. Equal Protection and opportunity have also been a popular topic in the Huckleberry Finn controversy. Author, Dorothy Gillmam once said, “1st Amendment rights are crucial to a healthy society. No less crucial is the 14th Amendment and its guarantee of equal protection under the law” (Leonard 19). The use of the word “nigger” in Huckleberry Finn does not provide black students with equal protection and is in violation of their constitutional rights. The attitudes developed by reading Huckleberry Finn can lead to tensions, discontent, and even fighting. Huckleberry Finn implies that black people are less intelligent then whites and at times suggest that they are not even human

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