Reviews of Huckleberry Finn in the late 19th Century
In the 20th Century, no other book was discussed or fought over more then The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. The book has been banned and reinstated in many school systems and libraries throughout this century. Controversy over the use of the word "nigger" has been one of the biggest arguments. The fact that people are still feeling the sting and abuse from the creation of this slang word is understandable. The other problem that many people have is that Jim, the black main character, was played off as a comical, half-wit character. This didn't help much when this character was used as the icon for the early minstrel shows of the 20th Century. Both of these arguments have been used since the 50's as reasons to ban the book and never have it in any public facility. The controversy that surrounds this book has followed it wherever it goes and it's a wonder that it still is used in classrooms around the country today.
The reasons above have kept this book in discussion and in circulation through out the 20th Century and probably this will continue into the 21st Century. What concerns me about most about this is that we are imposing 20th Century values on a book that was written in the 19th Century. Trying to censor this book is like trying to fight for child rights in the novel Oliver Twist. The main thing about this book that interests me is what did the critics of Mark Twain's time have to say about the novel? What concerns did they have about the book? Did they like it, hate it, and why?
To commence with (as Huckleberry Finn would say), Twain at the time was a respected author and writer. When this book came out in the late 19th Century, The Civil War had been over for a few years, The Reconstruction era was ending as the country's scar were beginning to heal, and the African-Americans were going through their first trial period of being free Americans. This is the time when Huckleberry Finn came out. When critics first read the book, their reviews from what I read were mixed.
After the U.S gained their independence form Britain, they faced the greatest obstacle that would threaten their independence. This was a second war fought against Great Britain called the War of 1812. The war was fought on land and on sea and lasted almost three years. There were many forces that led Americans to declare war on Britain in 1812.
The war of 1812 was a very unnecessary war. It broke out just as one of its chief causes (The Orders in Council) was removed and its greatest battle (New Orleans) was fought just after peace was signed. The war was unnecessary from a British point of view but for the Americans it was inescapable. The Royal Navy had kidnapped 3,800 American sailors and pressed them into service. The Orders In Council had deprived the United States of a profitable trade with France and can be seen as having ruthlessly subordinated American economic interests to the political interests of the British Empire. American farmers also blamed the orders, perhaps unfairly, for a fall in agricultural prices that produced a depression in the West in the years immediately before the war. On the frontier it was universally believed that Indian restlessness war stirred up by British agents although really American oppression has to be seen as a big cause of this too.
“All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn,” this is what fellow writer had to say about this classic novel. Still, this novel has been the object of controversy since it was published more than 150 years ago. Some people argue that Huckleberry Finn is a racist work, and that the novel has no place in a highschool classroom. This feeling is generated because a main character in the story, Jim, and other slaves are referred to many times as “niggers.” When Mark Twain wrote this book, he was striving to show the general public that society was wrong in the past, that the way white people thought black people were less than human was a wrong viewpoint. The book is also denounced because people feel that this book is anti-American. Russians have even taught this book to show that Americans are generally rotten people (Loeffler, class notes). But this novel is in no way anti-American, everything written about Americans is used as a satire, to make such a poignant book less serious, and to add some levity. Twain also has hidden morals in his messages. Huckleberry Finn should be taught in highschool classrooms because it is a very valuable and educational novel, with a moral and a theme that are needed to be learned by everyone.
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...
When a book uses the "N-word" 213 times (Carey-Webb 24) and portrays the African American characters as inferior to their white counterparts, it becomes easy to assume that the book’s author Mark Twain is using this novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, as a form of racist propaganda to display upon America in the late 19th century post-Civil War Era. By the late 19th century slavery had finally ended across the United States, but racial tension, discord and discrimination were still very much at large. For those opposed to slavery in its original iteration, and, therefore, opposed to its continuation in this form, the only thing left to do was to continue fighting the battle for equality and rights in any way they knew how.
Lastly, the spirit of patriotism was widespread as a result of General Jackson’s victory in New Orleans. The nation now had new heroes, had proven it was indeed a force to be reckoned with, and was ready to undertake the potentials of a new era. After fighting the British for a second time, and arising unbroken, the sovereignty of the United States would never again be questioned.
The War of 1812 took place while president James Madison was in office. Madison was born in Orange County, Virginia in 1751. He attended the College of New Jersey, which is now well known as Princeton. Madison did many significant things both before and after he was in office. He participated in the framing of the Virginia Constitution, served in the Continental Congress and he was also a leader in the Virginia Assembly. One of his major contributions was a ratification to the Constitution. He wrote the Federalist essays along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In writing that, many people then began referring to him as the “Father of the Constitution.” Madison felt guilty for getting all the credit so he protested that the document was not “the off-spring of a single brain,” but “the work of many heads and many hands.” Also he helped frame the Bill of Rights and enact the first revenue legislation. All of those things were done before he was elected president in 1808.
Literature has many different point of views, from which a reader can develop certain conclusions, theories, or ideas. At times those same pieces of work that inspire many can also bring a negative light onto others, resulting in the work being offensive. Many factors are taken into consideration when analyzing a work that causes a stir amongst readers, such factors as the author 's background, life experiences, encounters with different people, and also the time period it was written in. In the case of Mark Twain 's, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, its literary content causes much conflict amongst readers and has sparked an ongoing debate. Many argue that the work promotes racism through the casual use of the word "nigger" which is derogation
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a complex series of procedures used to help those who want children but struggle with infertility. The process consists of extracting eggs from a woman and collecting a man’s sperm sample then manually combining them in a lab dish. Once the embryo(s) are created they are transferred to a woman’s uterus. IVF is commonly used in woman who cannot conceive on their own due to different reasonings. “These include but are not limited to blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, male factor infertility, woman with ovulation disorders, genetic disorders, woman who have had their fallopian tubes removed and unexplained infertility.” (American Pregnancy)
In the beginning of the story the airplane that is going to take the boys to a safe place gets shot down and landed in an island. Ralph represents democracy, when he and Piggy find the conch, Piggy suggested “We can use this to call the others. We have a meeting. They’ll come if they hear us” (16). Ralph is being democratic because he is giving them a choice if they want to go or not. He is also fair because he is going to have a meeting to decide what they are going to do. When they get together they decide that they need to have a chief. Roger says “Let’s have a vote” “Him with the conch” “Ralph, Ralph, Ralph” (22). They started to notice that Ralph would be a good leader. They see in him what a chief needs to have, and the conch in his hands means power and authority. They all start talking at the same time and discussing about who has to be chief, the choir boys think that Jack should be the chief but the rest want Ralph to be the chief. “I got the conch” said piggy indignantly “you let me speak” (42). Piggy gets the conch because represents power so the rest of the boys had to let him talk and show respect, Piggy was really intelligent so that helped Ralph be a better leader because he would listen to Piggy and choose what was right.
Romanticism is an influential literary movement in America that changed literature permanently from the drastically modest and structured ideals of Puritanism. Two contrasting types of authors, Romantics and Dark Romantics, introduce new, meaningful literature to America; while Romantics see the light and airy side of the world, Dark Romantics see the darker more horrific side. This drastically modified literary period is influenced by Europe and was revolutionary for America from the moment it arrived. American Romanticism rejects the normal, rational thought and praises the unpredictability and complexity of emotion. Romanticism has changed American literature forever.
Porn according to the dictionary is defined as a printed or visual material containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or activity intended to stimulate erotic rather than an emotional feeling. A word described as so is what has lead porn to becoming a money making business, that has come to grow over the years quite a bit. An empire that many were afraid to even talk about ,but now want to be apart of. Now porn or as they would call it now as the Adult Film business is seen every where, from DVD’s to magazines and late night television shows to the internet. It can be accessed from anywhere at anytime. Adult film wasn’t something that was new to society, but yet society is acting new towards it. Many are saying that this is something that has affected their lives, or that it should not be around at all.
Huckleberry Finn is a book that contains elements of romantic and realistic fiction; even though it contains both these elements, it is a book on realistic fiction, and that is how it was written to be. Mark Twain used historical facts and data to make this story realistic, it used situations that would normally happen in the time the novel takes place in. Huckleberry Finn's father is a vagrant and a despicable person; his actions are written to how a man of that characteristic would act. Two more characters in this novel also act accordingly; the Duke and the Dauphin. A couple of crooks and frauds who are ill at heart and produce no good at all. A kind man Jim, a black slave at the beginning of this novel, goes through much and many people go through much for him. Of these characters I have just mentioned, Jim is the only considerate one, and the Duke and the Dauphin and Huckleberry Finn's father are evil.
So if all do their duty they need not fear harm”As you can see, the trait of youth and innocence is easily visible in this poem. The child thinks that if he follows the strict laws of his keepers, that he will be treated well. Unfortunately, these are the thoughts of an innocent and naive mind. So he doesn’t have the experience to realize this though.
Pornography is ripping apart our society. Although Christians are sometimes discus tied with the impact and apathetic about the need to control this menace. Pornography is a year business with close ties to organized crime. Pornography involves books, magazines, videos, and devices and has moved from the society into the mainstream through the renting of video cassettes, sales Of so-called "soft-porn" magazines, and the airing of sexually explicit movies on Cable television.