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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
By Mark Twain
Twain’s book was met with much criticism when it was first published in 1885, and the controversy has followed the book, in different forms, ever since. First critics felt the book was too kind to Jim, Huck’s family slave. Then, Twain was accused of using racist stereotypes to create a “minstrel” effect around Jim. Finally, people reacted to Twain’s frequent use of the n-word as offensive and not suitable for children.
Those who support Twain’s work argue that to excise the word or to remove the book from schools is a form of censorship and that Huckleberry Finn is an important reflection of the social atmosphere of its time. Besides—removing books with the n-word removes opportunities to discuss why it was used in the first place.
By Mark Twain
Twain’s book was met with much criticism when it was first published in 1885, and the controversy has followed the book, in different forms, ever since. First critics felt the book was too kind to Jim, Huck’s family slave. Then, Twain was accused of using racist stereotypes to create a “minstrel” effect around Jim. Finally, people reacted to Twain’s frequent use of the n-word as offensive and not suitable for children.
Those who support Twain’s work argue that to excise the word or to remove the book from schools is a form of censorship and that Huckleberry Finn is an important reflection of the social atmosphere of its time. Besides—removing books with the n-word removes opportunities to discuss why it was used in the first place.