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