“It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn't ever sorry for it afterwards, neither. I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't done that one if I'd a knowed it would make him feel that way”(Twain 49). Despite the time period in which he lived, and the overwhelmingly racist atmosphere that he was placed in, this is an example of how young Huck Finn is able to see a black man with the human qualities that Huck’s upbringing was supposed to rip from all blacks. Huck’s mind, from the very beginning, is open to the possibility of Jim being just another human being, regardless of him being taught otherwise. Around the time period in which The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is loosely based (1830-1845, roughly), slavery was prominent throughout the U.S. and there was very little precedent for some of the ideas in Jim and Huck’s story.
Huck was raised by a family with extreme animosity towards blacks, and so at first his attitude towards all blacks is seemingly very narrow-minded, much like the majority of people during this time. In order to fully appreciate this book, one must have a comprehensive understanding of just precisely what this time period was like. During the period between 1830 and 1860, the free colored population was nearly doubled, and the slave population was halved. The free blacks fell into the following classes: Those whose families had never been slaves, but possibly indentured servants; those born to a free parent, those who had purchased their own freedom (usually with help from relations), and those who had successfully escaped. Strict regulations were added to the slave codes resulting in regulations such as that every free black ...
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... ERA ABOLITIONISM, NORTHERN ABOLITIONISM." - Slavery, Slave, Slaves, and American. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. .
Morrison, Toni. “In Defense of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Social Issues in Literature: Race in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. Claudia Durst Johnson and Elizabeth Des Chenes. Farmington Press, Greenhaven Press, 2009. 103-109.
Lester, Julius. “Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James S. Leonard, Thomas A. Tenney, and Thadious M. Davis. Durham, Duke University Press, 1992. 199-207.
Smith, David. “Huck, Jim, and American Racial Discourse.” Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James S. Leonard, Thomas A. Tenney, and Thadious M. Davis. Durham, Duke University Press, 1993.
Jones, Rhett S. "Nigger and Knowledge. White Double-Consciousness in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James Leonard, et al. Durham: Duke UP, 1992. 173-194.
Many words the book contains are full of vivid disgust towards black slaves. Every single line talks about how white people despise and refuse to accept the black race. Answering Aunt Sally's question about whether or not anyone is hurt Huck answers, "no mum, just killed a nigger."(Twain 213) This is the one and only acceptable way to talk about black people in the "white" society. In addition to this, not only is the black people treated differently from the white, they are also considered to be one's property. "He is the only property I have," (Twain 122) Huck is perforce to say in order to save Jim. This is the only way to get through without the essence of suspicions. Though Huck shows racism in public as society teaches him, deep inside he understands that Jim is a great person. Through the eyes of Huck Finn, Mark Twain shows that there is more to people then looks and race, showing the importance of beliefs and character.
Over the 129 years for which the book has been in print, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been regarded with much controversy, for many different reasons. As it has progressed, the subject of this controversy has been almost constantly changing. This essay will explore some of the claims and explanations of the controversy, as well as a discussion on whether the book is even that controversial. While everyone is entitled to their own opinion about this novel, The main complaints seem to revolve around three core topics: Twain’s portrayal of Jim and other blacks, The extensive use of the racial slurs and racism, and the final chapters of the book itself.
Mark Twain opposed many of the ideologies of his time. Through his novel Huckleberry Finn, he explored human nature and the society. He made apparent his dislike for them. The book focus’s on the general treatment of black people during this time. Specifically, the author criticizes morality, slavery and racism.
Pearce, Roy Harvey. "Yours Truly, Huck Finn." One Hundred Years of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. Robert Sattlemeyer and J. Donald Crowley. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1985. Rpt. in Mark Twain. Modern Critical Views. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. 159-82.
Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was one his most acclaimed works to be censored from the public for its controversial nature. Its main purpose was to show the culture and lifestyle in the 19th-century American frontier society. When Twain wrote Huck Finn, the civil war had ended and slavery had been abolished, however, there was still moral and racial tension regarding the treatment of ex-slaves. Throughout the novel, Mark Twain uses satire to mock the lifestyles of people and overall different aspects of American society. In doing so, Twain showcases how hypocritical some Americans can be when it comes to certain issues mainly race relations.
Lester, Julius. “Morality and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: A Case Study in Critical Controversy. Ed. Graff, Gerald, and James Phelan. Boston and New York: Bedford Books of St. Martin’s Press, 1995. 349-359. Print.
Mark Twain’s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through much criticism and denunciation has become a well-respected novel. Through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy, Huckleberry Finn, Twain illustrates the controversy of racism and slavery during the aftermath of the Civil War. Since Huck is an adolescent, he is vulnerable and greatly influenced by the adults he meets during his coming of age. His expedition down the Mississippi steers him into the lives of a diverse group of inhabitants who have conflicting morals. Though he lacks valid morals, Huck demonstrates the potential of humanity as a pensive, sensitive individual rather than conforming to a repressive society. In these modes, the novel places Jim and Huck on pedestals where their views on morality, learning, and society are compared.
Lester, Julius. “Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Satire or Evasion?: Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James S. Leonard, Thomas A. Tenney, and Thadious M. Davis. Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1992. 199-207. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Thomas J. Schoenberg and Lawrence J. Trudeau. Vol. 161. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resource Center. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.
Jones, Rhett S. “Nigger and Knowledge. White Double-Consciousness in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James Leonard, et al. Durham: Duke UP, 1992. 173-194.
There is a major argument among literary critics whether Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn is or is not a racist novel. The question boils down to the depiction of Jim, the black slave, and to the way he is treated by Huck and others. In the 1950s the effort to banish The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from required classroom reading lists came publicly to the floor again, not chiefly on the grounds that its depiction of black characters and the use of the word “nigger” were demeaning to African-American students. Many feel that Twain uses the word too loosely. However, many believe that Huck Finn should be taught in schools on the grounds that the novel’s racist theme accurately depicted what life was like for a slave in pre- Civil War times.
Mark Twain’s book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, educates high school students on how the Southern society operated at that time. When analyzing the novel, one can see that Twain’s writing clearly does not endorse slavery or the use of derogatory language toward African-Americans. In a petition to remove this book from a high school required reading list, a school board in New Jersey concluded, "the literary value of the book outweighed the negative aspect of the language employed.” (2) Huckleberry Finn is a satirical novel that was written to show the flaws of 19th century American society. It shows how people thought and acted back then, and points out what was wrong with the white supremacy mindset of many Southerners during these years. “The book itself is a great testament that...
Jones, Rhett S. "Nigger and Knowledge. White Double-Consciousness in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Satire or Evasion? Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Ed. James Leonard, et al. Durham: Duke UP, 1992. 173-194.
Despite all the criticism, of racism and other questionable material for young readers, Mark Twain’s The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written novel, which in the opinion of this reviewer should not be remove the literary cannon. Twain’s novel is a coming of age story that teaches young people many valuable lessons and to some extend makes students reexamine their own lives and morals. The most common argument for its removal from the literary canon is that the novel is too racist; it offends black readers, perpetuates cheap slave-era stereotypes, and deserves no place on today’s bookshelves. However one must ask if Twain is encouraging traditional southern racism or is Twain disputing these idea.
In the beginning, Huck understand what is expected of a white man in his actions towards Blacks. When Jim and Huck are leaving to head to free country Huck says, “People will call me a low down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum—but that don’t make no difference. I ain’t agoing to tell, and I ain’t agoing back there anyways” (Twain 43). This demonstrates how people will judge Huck if he gets caught with an African American. This represents Huck’s views on slavery at first. He, as well as others, were born into the belief that the white race was superior to the African race.