Huck Finn Should Be Taught in Schools

Sarai Avila
A1

Huck Finn Should be taught in Schools
"Yeah, "nigger." Get over it,” "You know. Now let's talk about the book."~ David Bradley, University of Oregon. So much controversy has come from this outstanding novel. Should The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain be taught in schools? Many and the majority of those who are opposed to it being taught in schools believe it is wrong to teach it because of the so constant use of the word “nigger”. I believe one understand that this was the language that was used back then and see past it to get the true and deep meanings of this novel. It teaches great morals and values, demonstrates what a true friendship is, and teaches many outstanding life lessons. Twain’s novel Huckleberry Finn belongs in schools because it teaches great morals and values. Youth and kids now days do not have the same morals and values that are required and expected in society. Huck promises to keep his promise to Jim when he says “[[He] said [he] wouldn't, and [he’ll] stick to it. Honest Indian, [he] will. People would call [him] a low-down Abolitionist and despise [him] for keeping mum – but that don't make no difference. [He] ain't a-going to tell, and [he] ain't a-going back there, anyways. So, now, le’s know all about it." He shows that it doesn’t matter what people think about him or say about him, but he was not going to tell on Jim. It appears hear that Jim is more important to Huck then his own reputation or even abiding the law. Towards the end of the book, the duke, the prince, Huck and Jim, stay at the Wilks’ sisters’ house. The duke and the prince try to fool the Wilks’ sisters and take their fortune, and sell all of their goods, promising to take them to England with them. Huck realizes this, and knows that it is not right. He tells one of the sisters, Mary Jane the “The truth. This will not be pleasant but [he could not] change that.” He said, “Those two men are not your uncles; they have simply been tricking you. They’re here to steal your money. I’ve told you the worst; the rest is not so bad.” Huck learns that honesty is something that a person should have, and he demonstrates his understanding of that, when he tells the truth to Mary Jane. Just like he was able to develop a moral understanding for honesty, he was also able to develop the meaning of what a true friendship is like. Huckleberry Finn shows what a true friendship is like. Throughout the novel, Huck and Jim’s friendship grows as they go through many different adventures and challenges. Huck learns the hard way that it’s not right to put your friend’s trust at stake, when he plays a mean joke on Jim.When Huck and Jim are traveling on a raft in the water, there comes a thick fog, and Huck and Jim get separated. When Huck finds his way back to Jim, Jim is sleeping so Huck decides just lie down next to him, and pretend like it never happened. When Jim wakes up he is over exited that Huck is there, but Huck tells him that he was dreaming all along and was never gone. Jim was confused, and when he finally realizes that Huck is playing mean joke on him he tells Huck that “When [he] got all wore out wid work, en wid de callin’ for [him], en went to sleep, [his] heart wuz mos’ broke bekase [Huck] wuz los, en I[he] didn’ k’yer no mo what become er [of himself on] de raf’. En when [he woke] up en fine [Huck] back agin’, all safe en soun’, de tears come en [he] could a got down on [his] knees en kiss [Huck’s] foot [he was] so thankful. En all [Huck] wuz thinking ‘bout wuz how [he] could make a fool uv ole Jim wid a lie.”(The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Jim is deeply offended that Huck tried to make a fool of him and says tells him that he’s what he did to him was trash. Huck feels so ashamed and said “[he] [wouldn’t] do him no more mean tricks, and [he] wouldn't [have done] that one if [he’d] a knowed it would make him feel that way.” Their grown and strengthened relationship is also exposed when Huck is debating with himself of whether or not he should turn Jim in to Miss Watson. He writes a letter to her telling her were Jim and all of the detail to get him back to her, he had the letter in his hand and “was a-trembling, because [he had] to decide, forever, between two things, and [he] knowed it. [He] studied a minute, sort of holding [his] breath, and then says to [himself]: All right, then, I'll GO to hell--and tore [the letter] up.”(Twain Ch.31 pg. 7) At this point Huck know that the “right” thing to do is turn Huck in because that’s what is expected, the law. The statement that Huck makes, that he “will go to hell” is a very serious matter because he truly does believe that he will go to Hell because of the choice he had made. He won’t turn his friend Jim in and will risk going to hell for it. Huck learned this and many other valuable lessons. You may find that Huckleberry Finn teaches very valuable and memorable life lessons. As Huck and Jim travel together they come across two conn artist. They are just two low-life guys who make a living off tricking people into thinking they are someone they’re not, get their money and flee. He learns that some people in this world are just plain bad. The two cons tell lies to other people to make money. In one of the towns they stopped at the Duke and the King decided to put up a circus as one of their cons. They got people to come and Well, when the place couldn't hold no more people the duke he give a fellow a quarter and told him to tend door for him a minute, and then he started around for the stage door, I after him; but the minute we turned the corner and was in the dark he says:

"Walk fast now till you get away from the houses, and then shin for the raft like the dickens was after you!"(Twain Ch. 23 pg. 3)

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