Huck Finn Institutional Racism Analysis

Institutional racism happens when an institution such as a school, business or government agency implements policies and procedures that result in different treatment between blacks and whites. Even though there is no intent, the outcome is racist. In other words, institutional racism is the practice of discrimination that is so in the fabric of the institution and its policies that the racism is invisible to that institution. According to Jocelyn Irby “ When we teach Huck Finn and we identify it as a classic, we sort of participate in institutionalized racism. We perpetuate in an institutional manner certain stereotypes (and) myths, particularly myths concerning the African-American male."I agree and at the same time disagree with her as nevertheless even though Twain has used the n-word over 200 times in …show more content…
The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a platform for Twain to attack the working of institutes. His main purpose is to highlight the injustice done to black people at that time through his work in this book. As said by David F. Burg ”The American Humorist attacked our institution with a great ferocity, as evident in Huckleberry Finn: yet he made himself disarmingly acceptable to the institutions and the people he attacked”,(Page 309,“Another view of Huckleberry Finn by David F.Burg).” By this quote the author is basically justify Twain’s true intention is to attack the institutions and the system by pointing out the discrimination they did to the black people just because of their colour. This also means that instead of being racist by mentioning these things in his work, he is just trying to portray the conventional morality and wisdom of his own time. The act of stating them as discriminants, Twain is basically saying that regardless the colour of one's’ skin everyone deserves the same kind of