Racism In Huck Finn Essay -- essays research papers fc

Racism in huck Finn     Ever since it was written, Mark Twains huckleberry Finn has been a myth that many people have put up disturbing. Although some argue that the novel is extremely racist, careful reading will prove just the opposite. In recent years especially, there has been an increasing make do over what some will call the racist ideas in the novel. In some cases the novel has even been banned by public school systems and ban by public libraries. The basis for the debate is how Jim, a black slave and one of the main characters, is depicted. However, if one was to look at the underlying themes in the novel, they would acknowledge that it is non racist and could even be considered an anti - slavery novel.      The most popular problem people have with this book is the use of the word nigga. It must be remebered that during this time period it was not considered much of an insullt. You can also notice in the book it was not meant of fensively by Huck, or taken offensively by Jim. This is what Stephan Shepard had to say about the banning of the book and the use of the word niggerIn addition to removing Mark Twains novel from the necessary reading list, the district decided to use a censored version of the novel on its optional list. Admittedly, the censorship is minor the infamous "n-word" is deleted throughout the novel - however,it is not only a dishonest alteration of Twains craft, itis also an unfair attempt to enforce the tastes of a few upon all students in the district. (Shepard 1)Also a column in The New York Times pointed out, "Huckleberry Finn is in constant trouble with teachers, librarians and parents because of its iterations of nigger, a word that has a preemptive force today that it did not have in Huck Finns Mississippi Valley of the 1840s" (Ritter 2).     Another aspect of the novel that some consider racist is the description of Jim. The first time the ratif ier meets Jim, a very negative description is given. It is give tongue to that Jim is illiterate, childlike, not very bright and extremely superstitious. However, it is important not to lose sight of who is giving this description. Although Huck is not exactly a racist ... ... Twain meant no disrespect to black people in his novel Huckleberry Finn. It can even be said that this book was anti - slavery and did more disrespect to whites than blacks.Works CitedAllen, Micheal. Classic Literary Criticisms. New York Oxford University Press. 1981Baldanza, Frank. Mark Twain. New York Barnes and Noble, Inc., 1961. Conn, Peter. Literature in America. New York Cambridge University Press, 1989. Fishkin, Shelley F., Was Huck Black? (New York Oxford University Press, 1993), p.3. Marx, Leo, "Huck at 100," The Nation, Aug. 31, 1985. Nichols, Timothy. Classic Criticism. New York Cambridge University Press. 1976Ritter, Frank. Polically Correct. Op - ed page, Tennessean Times. September 18th 1996.Shepherd, Stephen (Oak Leaf Staff Writer) Was Mark Twain anti-Semite(a)?. New YorkOxford university Press. 1983Smiley, Jane, "Say It Aint So, Huck," Harpers, January 1996.Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Norton Anthology of AmericanLiterature_. 2 vols. Ed. Nina Baym, et al. 4th. ed. New York Norton, 1994. 29-214.Wallace John H, The Case Against Huck Finn