The antebellum era dates back before the Civil War, when slavery and the cotton industry dominated the Southern economy. It was the time period in American history that symbolized the injustice and immorality of human nature, in which displayed the ubiquitous threat of racism imposed upon the African Americans. The slur promoting racism, known as the “n” word, was used to mock the enslaved African Americans, and exemplifies why this expression is derogatory and consists meaning of negative connotation. When Mark Twain released his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, regarding this topic of the Southern antebellum society, it triggered disputes among critics about racial discrimination and the controversial issues concerning the merit
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However, some may argue that this novel should be banned in the high school curriculum since it is racist, coarse and uses the derogatory “n” word 219 times ("Huckleberry Finn"). Individuals such as Alan Gribben, a professor of English at Auburn University, has made an effort to replace the “n” word with the word “slave” which contains a less derogatory connotation (Kakutani). However, doing so would unintentionally rewrite history and completely demolish the purpose and context of this novel. Twain did not deliberately encompass the “n” word throughout the book; instead, he wrote the dialect as it would have been for the majority of Southerners in the nineteenth century. It was a common word used to label the enslaved African Americans in the past, and was not intended to be offensive when the novel was first released. However, racial slurs are not the single most controversial topic concerning the merit of this novel; there are various others, which includes Huck’s immoral behaviors, such as smoking. Although these qualities demonstrate incivility, it was only used as a tool for Twain to demonstrate Huck’s naivete and innocence. Since Twain dealt with realism, he had to portray the American settings and context as is, which included the Mississippi River and the hypocritical antebellum Southerners. Though I concede some may find this novel insulting and disrespectful, I take stance that history cannot be revoked, nor can anyone alter the “n” word. Doing so will deprive students of the historical context and knowledge this classic novel can bring forth. The realistic depictions combined with a naïve narrator, and satire incorporated throughout the novel, gives it merit and the qualifications to be studied in high
However, some may argue that this novel should be banned in the high school curriculum since it is racist, coarse and uses the derogatory “n” word 219 times ("Huckleberry Finn"). Individuals such as Alan Gribben, a professor of English at Auburn University, has made an effort to replace the “n” word with the word “slave” which contains a less derogatory connotation (Kakutani). However, doing so would unintentionally rewrite history and completely demolish the purpose and context of this novel. Twain did not deliberately encompass the “n” word throughout the book; instead, he wrote the dialect as it would have been for the majority of Southerners in the nineteenth century. It was a common word used to label the enslaved African Americans in the past, and was not intended to be offensive when the novel was first released. However, racial slurs are not the single most controversial topic concerning the merit of this novel; there are various others, which includes Huck’s immoral behaviors, such as smoking. Although these qualities demonstrate incivility, it was only used as a tool for Twain to demonstrate Huck’s naivete and innocence. Since Twain dealt with realism, he had to portray the American settings and context as is, which included the Mississippi River and the hypocritical antebellum Southerners. Though I concede some may find this novel insulting and disrespectful, I take stance that history cannot be revoked, nor can anyone alter the “n” word. Doing so will deprive students of the historical context and knowledge this classic novel can bring forth. The realistic depictions combined with a naïve narrator, and satire incorporated throughout the novel, gives it merit and the qualifications to be studied in high