The N-Word in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the use of the N-word is highly controversial. Some believe the removal of the N-word is highly disrespectful to Mark Twain and doesn't necessarily solve anything, while others believe it is a simple change that will benefit everyone. Personally, I believe the use of the N-word is essential for the overall meaning of the book and forces the reader to acknowledge the racial problems of the time. In Fishkin’s article, “Take The N-word Out of 'Huck Finn'? It's an Insult to Mark Twain - and to American History”, Fishkin adamantly believes the use of the N-word is essential. She begins her article by claiming the removal of the word doesn’t change history and instead, causes the reader to look over that time period. She argues the word
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But the fact of the matter is that these are high school students who are reading and learning about the time period. They, being one myself, are mature enough to handle the word and understand the volumes it speaks. As for parents who don’t want their children reading the novel, I’m sure they can excuse the student from this specific study and simply learn similar information from a decent substitute. Others may claim that the excessive use is unnecessary. But- as many agree that Mark Twain was an extraordinary writer- he obviously chose that term specifically. In reality, that term was used quite often back then and Twain does a very effective job of utilizing diction in his novel. In conclusion, the use of the N-word forces the reader to acknowledge the horrific treatment of blacks, is supportive in capturing the essence of satire throughout the novel, and is effective in recreating the actual diction used at the time to establish a profound effect that cannot be mimicked by mere
But the fact of the matter is that these are high school students who are reading and learning about the time period. They, being one myself, are mature enough to handle the word and understand the volumes it speaks. As for parents who don’t want their children reading the novel, I’m sure they can excuse the student from this specific study and simply learn similar information from a decent substitute. Others may claim that the excessive use is unnecessary. But- as many agree that Mark Twain was an extraordinary writer- he obviously chose that term specifically. In reality, that term was used quite often back then and Twain does a very effective job of utilizing diction in his novel. In conclusion, the use of the N-word forces the reader to acknowledge the horrific treatment of blacks, is supportive in capturing the essence of satire throughout the novel, and is effective in recreating the actual diction used at the time to establish a profound effect that cannot be mimicked by mere