Free Huckleberry Finn Essays - Inappropriate for Children

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The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Inappropriate for Children

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is, not and

should not, be considered a child's story. A story like this may corrupt

a young child's mind. It deals with adult themes and concepts that are

generally not suitable for young children. Als o, if used as a child's

story it may confuse them or give them the wrong idea about slavery and

the terminology of the time.

First of all, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is extremely

inappropriate for children because it may put bad ideas into a young

impressionable mind. At the young age of about twelve, Huck is roaming

around the woods all by himself and later on is flo ating aimlessly down

the Mississippi River with a bunch of criminals. Huck is living what may

appear to the children to be a very exciting and glamorous life. Most

parents would never steer their children the wrong way in life, don't want

to tell childr en about a kid around their age or little older than they

are that is homeless and basically cheating and stealing to survive. This

novel explains in depth about various scams such as the Wilks brothers

scam, and the teaching schools like the dancing sch ool or "yellow

cution". In addition to the royal nonesuch plays which teach children

that all you need to do is take the money and run like the King and the

Duke did. After reading this novel the majority of children won't go out

and try to scam their n eighbors. However, it may seem like an appealing

lifestyle for them. It may also give them the impression that being a con

man for a living, or being homeless and wandering is a wonderful and

glorious carefree lifestyle, and because your Mommy or Daddy tells it to

you, it must not be the wrong thing to do.

In addition to giving the wrong idea about life, it is a brutal

and vulgar book that children should not be exposed to. There are a

couple of deaths like when Colonel Sherburn kills a harmless town drunk

named Boggs. Earlier on Huck is staying with a the Grangerford family

that is in the middle of a feud with the Shepherdson family.

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