Why Huckleberry Finn Should Be Banned

The controversy over altering a word is one that changes the impact on its readers. In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, a young boy named Huck runs away from home in order to avoid being “civilised” by Widow Douglas. On his escape he encounters one of Miss Watson’s slaves, Jim, running away. They make a journey deeper through the south in order to set Jim free, however they run into some obstacles in where Jim is eventually recaptured but then set free once again in the journey. This book captivates the journey they set upon in order to demonstrate that Jim is as human as anyone can be. Jim and Huck go on numerous adventures in which they run into a “king” and “duke” who simply robs people. The royalty impostors

The reason some want to simply ban the book is similar to those who alter the book, the fact that everyone has become far more sensitive in this modern society compared to those of the 19th century. Also, a reason the book is being banned is because the novel confuses students. In an interview with a former Irving teacher, Dr. Chadwick states that “If you're teaching European or Middle Eastern literature, you put it into historical context before you ever teach the book," she had stated. "With American literature, we assume the students get it. But they don't. They don't always know their history" (Fox). The fact that most English teachers do not put every factor into perspective demonstrates why the students are confused and why they become shocked and offended when approached by the word “nigger.” The students are not at fault here, yet they still take action, even if it is irrational. They do not want to read the book and, because of its controversial history, also most parents and other community members embrace the decision to eradicate this book from the school systems. We do not want to live in a society in where the majority of the masses are confused due to a novel because it blocks any sort of potential to progress and develop as a functioning

Mr. Price, from a Fox News interview, states “to remove the book is to keep people in ignorance” (Fox). The reason this argument is still valid to this day is "Because racism is endemic to our society, a book like Huck Finn , which brings the problem to the surface, can explode like a hand grenade in a literature classroom accustomed to the likes of Macbeth or Great Expectations. If we lived in a world in which racism had been eliminated generations before, teaching Huck Finn would be a piece of cake. Unfortunately that's not the world we live in” (Fox). Racism is still alive in our society despite all the progress we have made to unite the people. Racism is not pretty at all, the only reason people still have a problem with the word “nigger” in Huckleberry Finn is because it forces them to reflect upon their own doings. The novel places a reflective mirror on society in which people are forced to look upon their true character, in which is despised in our society because the people like to think that they are perfect, yet we are human. Also, according to the 60 minute interview with a university professor, the reason some people still want to keep the novel the same is because it allows people to accept the reality the book is reflecting. Some African-Americans are extremely