Huck Finn and The Censorship of the word nigger - Research Paper Example

?In Censoring Huckleberry Finn’s Words Words have colors. This is true, particularly in printed works. Thus it made the popular ic literature ofMark Twain, Huckleberry Finn, as the one of the most challenging books in the United States. Although already taken action with, it is still an intensive debate whether the censoring of N-word and “injun” served rightfully its moral purpose or it downgraded the context of the classic literature. Words have colors and it’s meant to be that way especially if one is as the literary genius as Mark Twain. However, there are things to consider in executing ideas through words such as kind of audience, sensitivity of audience, appropriateness in setting, and the likes of these. Censorship is the ultimate resort in filtering some content that seems inappropriate in situation and kind of audience. Censorship is the “suppression of words, images, or ideas that are offensive, happens whenever some people succeed in imposing their personal political or moral values on others.” (American Civil Liberties Union 2006) The implementation of censorship can be done by the government and can also be carried out by some private sectors that are concerned with the case by appellation. Pornography, violence, and slurs are the subjects that are often being censored if being presented for general viewing. Figure 1 Huck Finn and Jim History. The censorship of Huckleberry Finn doesn’t take place recently. Huck Finn was highly criticized and equally censored one year upon its publication. The book was banned at Concord Public Library in 1885. The library declared Twain’s book to be “demeaning and damaging” with its crude language. This particularly pertains to the use of Twain of the word “nigger” for over 200 times in the book, as well as the slang “injun” that is meant to be a derogatory term for American Natives. Brooklyn Public Library in New York had followed Concord Library’s lead in pulling out their copies of Mark Twain’s controversial book in 1905. They have explained that “Huck not only itched but scratched, and that he said sweat when he should have said perspiration.” Contemporaries’ Stand. Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, had berated publicly Twain with the kind of writing he did with the book. She commented, “If Mr. Clemens cannot think of something but to tell our pure-minded lads and lasses he had best stop writing for them.” On the other hand, Twain found a defender in Ernest Hemingway. “It’s the best book we’ve had,” Hemingway praised Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain was just fortunate during his time as his fans outnumbered his critics, that’s why the censorship of the of the context that time was not as persuasive as today. In Other Media. Due to the censorship controversy of Huckleberry Finn, the CBS had produced TV-movie adaptation of the novel in 1955 without casting any African-American actor to portray the slave Jim. It did not even tackle the subject of slavery which is its prominent theme in the novel. The result is a safe material for general viewing but lacks the complete thought that Twain had intended to convey. It also appeared to be racist for casting non-black actors while a black character has prominent role in the story. The New Huck Finn: Censored. The new U.S. edition of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn has now the words “slaves” replaced the more than 200 “nigger” word. Mark Twain is obviously an anti-racist and Huckleberry Finn is actually the book that holds the strong message of his disconformities with the dehumanized treatment to the non-white race. The evidence is that through its disturbing dialogue courtesy of Huck and his Aunt Sally. “No’m. Killed a rigger,” answered Huck when Aunt Sally asked him upon hearing about the riverboat explosion. “Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt,” replied by Aunt Sally. The insensitivity to the misfortune of the black people is very visible in the context. Prof. Alan Gribben, a scholar of Twain, had revised Huckleberry Finn by replacing the words “nigger” into “slave” and removed the term “injun.” Although executed, he was still worried as “textual purists will be horrified” to the outcome of the revision. “Race matters in these books (including Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer). It’s the matter of how you express that in the 21st century,” he further explained in Publishers Weekly magazine. Conclusion. This is what Twain wanted to convey to his readers, that through the characters of the book, with their perspective and treatment towards black people though their conversation, the bigotry of black discrimination was deeply seated to the core of the “white supremacy” during that time. His intention to wake up the American readers from this bigotry is in the subtle form through the insensitive characterization of Huckleberry Finn. Even he found a father figure to the person of Jim, a black man, he still treated him as a random “nigger,” couldn’t fully embrace the feeling as Jim is in the “lower” class of social structure. To prove his anti-racism intention, Twain had helped to personally fund one of Yale’s first Law School for African American students. He even released personal statement pertaining to his philanthropic act, saying “We have ground the manhood out of the African Americans, and the shame is ours, not theirs, and we should pay for it.” Stepping out from Twain’s anti-racism concern, Huckleberry Finn as a book for children is considered a serious threat for its “offensive” use of words for some considerable effects. Think about how the African American parents would feel when their children, while in class will hear the word “nigger” many times to emphasis the social status of the slave character in Huck Finn. Think about how the African-American children would feel upon hearing those words being read by white classmates. Worse, it will become an introductory tool for possible racial discrimination inside the classrooms brought by the derogatory and term that may put African American people in anger and humiliation. Therefore, censoring the book within the primary academic sphere is justifiable and understandable, while the uncensored version of the book is necessary to be recognized in the higher level of education particularly with its contribution in history and literature, as well as a form of art. Works Cited “What is Censorship?”. American Civil Liberties Union. Free Speech, Censorship. 30 Aug 2006 Messent, Peter. “Censoring Mark Twain’s “n-word” is unacceptable.” Guardian.co.uk. 5 Jan 2011 < http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/jan/05/censoring-mark-twain-n-word-unacceptable> Michaud, Jon. “The Power of N-Word.” New Yorker. Back Issues. 21 Mar 2011 < http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/backissues/2011/03/the-power-of-the-n-word.html> Page, Benedicte. “New Huckleberry Finn edition censors 'n-word'.” Guardian.co.uk. Mark Twain. 5 Jan 2011 Swaine, Jon. “Censored Huckleberry Finn prompts political correctness debate.” The Telegraph.co.uk. 5 Jan 2011 < http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8239737/Censored-Huckleberry-Finn-prompts-political-correctness-debate.html> Read More