Huckleberry Finn Racism

Is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Racist?

Racism remains a prominent issue throughout the history of America, weaving itself into the foundation of American culture and society as a tender, sensitive subject. Critics of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often condemn its author, Mark Twain, for his blatant depiction of racism, and due to the sensitivity surrounding the controversial subject, many schools ban the novel from their curriculum. As a coming of age story, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn narrates the journey of teenager Huckleberry Finn and his Black companion, Jim and exhibits Huck’s inner conflict regarding the morality of society’s conventions and Jim’s struggle against the consequences of the prejudiced views. Twain’s
portrayal of racism and bigotry serves as the subject of much criticism since the novel’s release with some claiming that the tale supports racism and reveals the author’s true narrow-minded and xenophobic nature. However, Twain’s implementation of racism during a pre-civil war era serves to authenticate the setting and enhance character development, thus accurately illustrating society during the time period of the story.
The inclusion of ubiquitary racial slurs in the dialect and language remains faithful to the etiquette of the antebellum South presented in the text and reveals key attributes of the characters.
All of the characters in the story frequently use, almost as second nature, one prominent derogatory term, the word “nigger”. Even Huck, the protagonist, who grows to care for Jim as a friend and companion, uses the term in reference to him when declaring “It was fifteen minutes before [he] could work myself up to go and humble [himself] to a nigger…” (Twain 117). Huck’s frequent use of the derogatory term exemplifies the commonality and acceptance around its application in everyday conversation and reflects the pre-Civil war time period. In addition, Huck evidently experiences great societal influence, for he never questions the origins of the word nigger and simply follows the conventions he observes from others from an early
age.
The public perspective on blacks during the time preceding the Civil War embodied many sentiments and opinions perceived as racist today. People perceived blacks as inferior to whites and in some cases, especially with slavery in existence, they dehumanized blacks and placed them on the same level as animals. For example, when Huck, disguised as Tom Sawyer, informs Aunt Sally they “blowed out a cylinder-head” and it “killed a nigger”, she replies, “Well it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt” (Twain 312). Though she displays excessive passion and concern towards the possible death of Tom, she fails to show any compassion or sorrow at the death of a “nigger” and does not regrard blacks as people. According to the three-fifths clause of the Constitution, each slave constituted only three-fifths of a person.The clause remained in effect before the Civil War in the historical context of the novel, supporting the public’s dehumanization and derogation of slaves (Brennan). Though racism existed in both the North and the South preceding the Civil War, the abolitionist movement predominated the North while the South continued to support the immoral institution of slavery (Kennedy, Cohen, Bailey). The South greatly antagonized the growing abolitionist movement, as shown by Huck’s concern that “people would call [him] a low-down Abolitionist” (Twain 59). Huck’s thoughts merely mirror the major Southern opposition to abolitionism, not serving as a method for Twain to promote or justify racism. Thus, the novel’s presentation of the public’s opinion reflects the historical reality of the pre-Civil War era (Kennedy, Cohen, Bailey).
Twain also presents the common belief of the public in the time period of the novel which views slaves as property, while also adding depth to the character of Jim through his friendship with Huck.
Miss Watson intends on selling Jim though she wishes not to because “she could git eight hund’d dollars for me, en it ‘uz sich a big stack o’ money she couldn’ resis’” (Twain 60). Miss Watson’s intentions reflect the widely accepted philosophy in the south of slaves being no more than just property. However, Twain counters the common acceptance of slaves as simply property by having Huck discover the regard and love Jim possesses for his family, equivalent to that of a white man. Right before Huck tears up his letter to Miss Watson which reveals the location of Jim, Huck realizes Jim’s extreme devotion to him, truly perceives him as a friend, and disregards the previous notion society instills in him of Jim as a piece of property he needs to return to its owner. Though racism constitutes a large majority of the novel, the outcome of the novel displays how the bond of friendship functions stronger than the bigotry of
society.
By and large, the racist degradation of Blacks as realistically portrayed in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through dialect and the public opinion and maltreatment of blacks serves a deeper purpose in the understanding of the novel, by effectively contributing to the development of the setting and characters. As a result of witnessing the prejudice that was common in the South, pre-Civil war, Huck evolves and breaks societal barriers possibly preventing him from developing a deep bond of friendship with Jim, a black man. The society and characters presented within the story are reflective of the racist ideologies of its historical time period; however, the novel itself does not advocate these racist beliefs. The narrator, or any other character presented in the story, does not serve as a mouthpiece for the author, and their actions do not convey his personal beliefs. As a whole, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn acts as a lens into history, imparting meaningful truths regarding slavery, friendship, and the morality of society and presenting a blatantly racist, yet accurate reality of the pre-Civil War era. Included in school curriculums, the novel conveys accurate historical information and deep moral principles to impressionable young adults thus creating a more mature and morally conscious future generation.