Should Huckleberry Finn Be Taught In High Schools

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a timeless American classic, right? The charming story tells of a young hero who floats down the river with his friend Jim, getting into all kinds of mischief along the way. Sounds innocent enough, doesn’t it? Well, no it’s not. People often forget the fact that this great piece of literature can hurt others. The mature themes in this book can cause people, especially those of African-American descent, to feel targeted or even bullied. Furthermore, places such as a high school, are expected to be a safe space for students to be free from bullying and bigotry. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be required of any high school student to read because of its rash stereotypes, poor representation
This blog definitely won’t be the only one that states how the n-word is used in Huck Finn 219 times. That is 219 times the book hurts an African-American student that is reading this book. That is 219 times that feelings of pain and being targeted are brought up in a student’s homework assignment. The n-word is surround by a dark and depressing past that should not be forced upon any student to read over and over again. Towards the end of the novel, the Doctor states that he, “liked the nigger for that; I tell you, gentlemen, a nigger like that is worth a thousand dollars.” (Ch 42 Page 298). The casualty and and frequency with which the word is used is shocking to say the least. Everyone in the book uses the word like it’s nothing, but it isn’t nothing. Yes, the author is using the accurate vernacular of the time. While this may be true, just because the language is historically accurate, does not mean it is okay for the classroom setting. Racism is a topic that should be candidly discussed in class, but that’s all it should be, a discussion. Racism is not a homework assignment one can just read about and be graded