The use of the n-word in the novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain became an extremely sensitive topic. There were many groups of people, including concerned parents and grade school teachers, that were offended by the use of the vulgar word and deemed it inappropriate to use the term in a classroom setting. However, many others opposed this theory and claimed that to censure the word would be censuring the messages that Twain was trying to convey through the history and culture that he was trying to teach. While it is valid to say that censuring the word may make some people more comfortable reading the book, this is the exact opposite of what Twain intended. The use of the n-word in the novel epitomizes the time period in which the book takes place and by censuring you miss out on the learning opportunities.
The n-word, in this day and age, could be argued to be a non offensive word due to the degree of casualty in which people use it, “it’s part of our public and private lexicon” (Nelson). The argument can be made that Twain’s intention was to unsettle the reader by using the controversial word. The derogatory word represents the disrespectful and offensive way African Americans were treated in the 1830s, when slavery was legal. The “n-word” and “slave” are not interchangeable words, nor do they have remotely …show more content…
Although the n-word is casually thrown around in today's times, people find it offensive enough to censure it from one of the greatest works of American literature. Despite this, there are multitudes of people who claim that to censure the word is to censure the messages Twain was trying to relay to his audience. Twain's use of vulgar language may offend some, however it adds truth to the text and allows the reader to understand the book better
The n-word, in this day and age, could be argued to be a non offensive word due to the degree of casualty in which people use it, “it’s part of our public and private lexicon” (Nelson). The argument can be made that Twain’s intention was to unsettle the reader by using the controversial word. The derogatory word represents the disrespectful and offensive way African Americans were treated in the 1830s, when slavery was legal. The “n-word” and “slave” are not interchangeable words, nor do they have remotely …show more content…
Although the n-word is casually thrown around in today's times, people find it offensive enough to censure it from one of the greatest works of American literature. Despite this, there are multitudes of people who claim that to censure the word is to censure the messages Twain was trying to relay to his audience. Twain's use of vulgar language may offend some, however it adds truth to the text and allows the reader to understand the book better