mr.palacios

I Introduction: Mark Twain’s compelling novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” has been criticized and also valued by many of all ages. The novel gives us a critical viewpoint of American history that should never be forgotten, but learned from. 11th grade American literature classes have the right and should be required to include this amazing read in in the local public school. We should include this book in curriculums because America’s past should not be hidden as an ugly truth, without it we deprive a learning experience to students, and to dispute over it due to possible racism is just wrong.

II Reason 1: America’s past should not be hidden as an ugly truth.
A) Textual Support
1) Takes place during important time of slavery.
2) Gives perspective of the people in that time period.
3) Thought Process of those times.
B) Source Support
1) “Huck Finn and the Ebb and Flow of Controversy” (Jonathan Yardley)
III Reason 2: without it we deprive a learning experience to students.
A) Textual Support
1) Students do not support ban of book.
2) Students need book to bring together history and literature.
3) Takes away from learning.
B) Source Support
1) “Twain Classic Bounced from Class Again” (Valerie Strauss)
2) “The Teaching of Huckleberry Finn” (Kevin J.)
3) “Dropping the N-Bomb” (Frank Rich)
4) “English Journal” (Allen Carey-Webb)
IV Reason 3: to dispute over it due to possible racism is just wrong.
A) Textual Support
1) “Nigger used to describe African Americans back then.
2) Book part of different time period and ideology.
3) Why is it racist when it’s everywhere like our music.
B) Source Support
1) “Huck Finn and the Ebb and Flow of Controversy” (Jonathan Yardley)
2) “The Teaching of Huckleberry Finn” (Kevin J.)
3) “Playing in the Dark” (Toni Morrison)
4) “Dropping the N-Bomb” (Frank Rich)
5) “Learning to Read Past the Pain” (Donna Britt)

V Conclusion: In the final analysis, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be kept part of school curriculum. Mark Twain wrote this novel to give readers a book full of adventure and hardship. Twain wanted to bring in comical ties of other literature as well as show the many struggles of the setting in Huck Finn. Twain uses satire to mock the many different aspects of his time period. In his novel Huck encounters a variety of people and situations that are designed to ridicule the American people. Twain did not believe slavery was right in anyway, through which the character Jim, and the major moral dilemma that followed Huck throughout the novel, Twain mocks slavery and makes a strong statement about the way people treated slaves. Twain also uses satire to show how hypocritical Miss Watson is as a good Christian woman when owning slave property. In the end though in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Miss Watson leaves in her will Jim’s freedom. Huck Finn is of historical importance and needs to stay in school curriculum. Without this novel we just lower ourselves to racists with no motivating reason. Students can comprehend and learn from this book which will help them excel in literature. An outstanding book by Mark Twain should be kept and read. Never should this be left to waste.