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Essay / Racism in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn had. » The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classic American tale with all the essential elements of a story that fuels our imagination. At first glance, the novel appears to be an unpretentious tale of adventure and self-discovery that has earned a place on every high school required reading list. However, if one examines the story closely, it takes on the darker shades of a racist culture full of derogatory language and provides insight into the ugliness and unrest that followed in the years immediately following the war civil and which still exist today. Controversial and racist are two words commonly used to describe The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. It is considered the quintessential American novel, but it remains in the midst of debate over whether or not it should be taught in schools. The first point in the novel from which most of the controversy arises is the inclusion of the word "negro". . The inclusion of the word in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is unnecessary and offensive. Critics of the novel initially disliked Twain's use of vernacular language because it was "vulgar and unpleasant", disturbing to genteel white Americans, not because the word "nigger" was deemed offensive (Kaye 3). Fostering an uncomfortable atmosphere for black students, critics believe that it is primarily white educators who authorize the novel because they prefer Twain's depiction of submissive blacks (Kaye 4). Due to the prolific use of the "n-word" throughout the novel, the NAACP believes that the story damages the self-esteem of black students (Powell 3). Critics argue that Twain uses a...... middle of paper ......E. “Teaching the novel”. Huck Finn's "Hidden" Lesson: Teaching Across the Color Line. Np: Lanham, Rowman and Littelfield, 2006. 81-85. Print. Ryan, Kevin and Karen E. Bohlin. Developing Character in Schools: Practical Ways to Bring Moral Teaching to Life. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1999. 25-40. Print. Smiley, Jane and James Phelan. "Say It Ain't So, Huck: Thoughts on Mark Twain's 'Masterpiece'" Mark Twain Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Gerald Graff. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2004. 456-66. Print. Spicer, Mackenzie. “Censorship Huck Finn.” Electronic vision. James Madison University, nd Web. March 1, 2014.Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Signet, 1959. Print. “Visiting Monticello with Huckleberry Finn.” Education collection. Np, December 2006, vol.72 number 4, p.65-69. Internet. February 28. 2014.
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