The Importance Of Huckleberry Finn In Our Schools

Improved Essays
1. Huckleberry Finn constantly pokes, prods, and makes fun of many of the values that make up America. Exposing the stereotypical Christian, mimicry of one of the most iconic play writers in history, and brings to light the beliefs of right extremists (Nicholas 210).
2. On the surface, Huck Finn may seem crude and unintelligent; however, there are many underlying satirical lessons that Twain is trying to get the readers to grasp, and because of this, we need to keep teaching this book in our school systems. One reason to keep it in the curriculum is to expose the violent and fake culture of America in the 1800s. Secondly, it reassures the democratic ideals that celebrate people being themselves no matter their skin color or economical/social status. Also, with America being quite the melting pot, this story gives the readers hope for an equal and peaceful society made up of every type of person across the face of this planet. Finally, this book over exaggerates the fact that in our country, everything good, such as our independence, is always at stake of being taken (Nicholas 210). 3. Twain’s satirically genius mind can be seen at the end of the novel when he lampoons the old confederates, and the boundless measures they are willing to take to make sure the oppression and slavery of African-Americans continued (Nicholas 213). III Personal Opinion Section A. Why it Is Racist 1. Huckleberry Finn includes the N-word over 200 times, and it is mostly used as an insult. This derogatory term is looked down upon by most people in today’s society, and if the book were to be allowed in schools, it should be handled with extreme care. 2. Besides how Huck speaks to Jim, he also treats him like and inferior. Constantly struggling with himself to not turn Jim in, it can be questionable sometime is Huck has changed to a better person, or is still following societies racist standards. Huck and Tom use him in their little adventure game in the last part of the book, and this shows how they still do not see Jim as a human. 3. Twain doesn’t look into how an actual slave would handle this situation. He plans it around how him, and other whites think that slaves should act, which is a completely different perspective. This shows how ignorant and racist he is since all he cares about is his perspective. 4. Nat, the other main slave besides Jim, is depicted as a stereotypical slave. He is very suppositious and believes that witches are messing with him. Twain is trying to show here that slaves are very gullible and stupid. Nat is also very obeying towards white people, and will do as they command. This is Twain giving his example of a perfect example of how a slave should act, and even though they are unintelligent, they will do whatever a
…show more content…
If someone reads this book without looking into what the words mean, they will completely misunderstand the meaning of what Twain is trying to say. By having it taught in the classrooms, teachers are able to go in depth with their students into the underlying meaning of Twain’s text. Together, students and teachers will understand why Twain uses specific words and diction to allow readers to dive into that time. He also satirizes many of the ideas in this book, so with the help of teachers, kids can see what Twain was actually trying to say. C. How We Should Handle Teaching Huckleberry Finn in the Classroom
1. I think that many schools should take after the Cherry Hill example. Their curriculum is a perfect example of the way this book should be taught in high school. By giving teachers a wide variety of activities, other texts that relate to the book, projects, and many other resources, teachers can create their own curriculum that is meant to be specifically for their set of students.
2. Before reading Huck Finn, students should be educated in the history of what is going on in the book. Slavery, the n-word, and the diction are just a few examples of themes that teachers should explain before reading. By teaching these beforehand, it prepares students for what they should expect in the book, and so they will not be shocked when they read the n-word over 200 times in a 300-page

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Should The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn be Banned in Schools? The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain can be seen as a very controversial book. Some readers object to the strong and sometimes racist language and believe it is inappropriate for children. However, many educators believe giving a proper context the book allows students to benefit more from the book.…

    • 913 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One specific critic had a strong viewpoint of how Twain unsuccessfully wrote the novel. “The Villain here is Mark Twain, who knew how to give Huck a voice but didn’t know how to give him a novel” (Smiley). Smiley is right to judge Twain’s work. The Advantages of Huckleberry Finn is a terrible book, due to the fact that it introduces characters that only cause a distraction to the actual goal, his avoidance of seriously taking Jim’s desire into account, and Twain…

    • 988 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Ever since the book was published in 1884, the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by author Mark Twain has been making waves all across the country with its repetitive and controversial use of the word nigger and apparent disregard toward the dignity of black people. The argument has been raging on ever since: Should the original and uncensored version of Huck Finn be allowed as a tool to teach our country’s youth about American Literature? My answer to that question is yes, that with a combination of understanding, preparation, and maturity this book could be a very helpful tool in education. One reason I would like to point out as to why we should stay with the original book and not replace them all with censored versions is that nothing comes free, and somebody somewhere will have to find a way…

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Huckleberry Finn was written in 1885, a part of history where racism, slavery, and a low level of education was prominent in America. Now being in 2015, the language has changed, and the stance on racism and slavery has changed. Although the book has been looked at as coarse and racist, Huckleberry Finn should not be banned or censored in schools. Twain's use of satire relating to racism and religion, points out the flaws in society of Twain's time. Huckleberry Finn is one of the most influential pieces of literature in American history and by taking it out of our hands, we miss out on a new perspective of racism in America's past.…

    • 747 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel created by Mark Twain, which mainly talks about slavery. The protagonist, Huckleberry Finn, is a twelve years old kid. He starts his adventures with a escaping slave named Jim. They become friends in need in the end of story, but because of the sensitive issue - slavery and the using of “nigger” in the novel, the problem whether The Adventure of Huckleberry should be taught in school is being discussed by people. In my eyes, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an important novel to our life and should be taught in school.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novel, a boy meets a runaway slave and they get close and work together to ‘be free.’ Huckleberry Finn should be kept in schools for the following reasons: it is important to American culture, it is a valuable teaching resource, and censorship, in all forms, is not right. Huckleberry Finn, or even Mark Twain himself, is very important to American culture and has influenced many other authors. Kakutani, and multiple other sources, quotes Ernest Hemingway saying, "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.” A big influence that Twain’s style…

    • 1152 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    American novelist Ernest Hemingway claimed that, “All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since” (Goodreads). Huck Finn follows the journey of a young boy trying to help a runaway slave reach freedom.…

    • 738 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    As our society continues to evolve, the characteristics that were once acceptable in our society may not be anymore due to the changes in our standards. The usage of particular words, for example, may be connotated in a negative manner that makes them unacceptable to use anymore. Teaching a novel that involves historical events may lead to controversy as some of the words may offend readers. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an example of a book that makes many readers and educators teaching the novel uncomfortable due to the usage of the word “nigger”. Due to the large controversy of the novel, it has led multiple school districts across America to ban the book from being taught in their classrooms.…

    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Mark Twain knew what he was doing when he wrote his book and should not be disrespected, nearly a century after his death, just to give readers a more enjoyable read. In the second article, “Send Huck Finn to College”, our Author expresses a different view on the censorship. Lorrie Moore believes that the novel should not be taught in high schools, or anywhere that the concept language could not be understood properly. “Huck’s voice is a complicated amalgam of idioms and perspectives and is not for the inexperienced contemporary reader.”…

    • 862 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the classroom, teachers censor almost everything they say. When explaining Huckleberry Finn the negative term used to justify an African American is repeated multiple times. If Huckleberry Finn is not explained, it can cause tension in the classroom and some students may lose the desire to learn. Being a satirical novel, students must understand what Mark Twain was satirizing. Mark Twain satirized many topics in Huckleberry Finn including, the cruelty of one man to another, superstition, the society, and more.…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a difficult book for me to read because I do not relate to this time at all. The book is set in the 1830’s and takes place in the south during a time when blacks and whites did not integrate. The setting is Missouri along the shores of the Mississippi River and it is a time of segregation, politeness and family. I truly find the book boring with no redeeming qualities. This is not to say that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a bad book, I think one person can't make such a broad statement, but in my opinion, it is a book that is inconsequential and does not translate to our world today.…

    • 311 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    With this, the reader is able to get a better understanding on how Twain satirized the…

    • 1271 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    I however, think that this book should continuously be taught in the schools because, it not only gives students a chance to see what the nation was like back when the book was written, but it can also teach children that it is okay to go against their better judgement and help them see that everyone is human despite our differences. Any reader can see that this book has outdated grammar, setting, and a societal ranking of people through dialogue and Huckleberry Finn’s point of view. Although these elements may make the book a bit hard to read and…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The way light is shed on issues of racial discrimination and the enslavement of a certain type of people is very important and needs to be taught in schools. A lesson on the history of slavery is nothing compared to the real feeling that is created through reading Huck Finn. The way Huck progressively becomes more and more morally sound is an essential aspect to molding our youth into virtuous young adults. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an eyeopening masterpiece containing all of the necessary literary elements that are present in an incredibly well written story and it should most definitely be a mandatory read in schools so we can teach the future leaders of our country about the cruel past of our nation and how they can become morally sound, ethical, young adults. Mr. Hemmingway 's take on the viewing of Huck Finn in schools as being an essential part of educating high school students is to me a very supportable claim…

    • 1142 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    When Ernest Hemingway commented that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the best book that we have he was talking about how there are many different themes that were done well throughout that other books can draw from and be inspired by, but it is not the most amazing or best book in the world. This novel is not the best book that there is because of the at times overwhelming satire and the poor, undeveloped ending to an otherwise thought provoking storyline. The satire that Twain used could seem like he was making fun of or rudely imitating the social classes that he was informing his readers of. Satire is meant to add to the story by exaggerating a concept that people over look or bring light to an issue that people naive or wrong about using exaggeration. At times Twain seemed to go overboard with satire.…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays