The Huckleberry Finn Ban in Schools and Libraries - Free Essay Example

Huckleberry Finn was written in a time where slavery has already been abolished. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, after the abolition of slavery, but the novel took place in the 30s and 40s. Therefore Mark Twain didnt write how books are written today he wrote the book on how it was in his time era and he had every detail in the book. Librarians and historians havent agreed on what has happened in the book and how certain things played out. The book is a story about a boy named Huckleberry Finn. He lives with The Widow and Miss. Watson and they are trying to civilize him. He has an awful father who wants to make him quit school and kidnaps him and beats him so he decides to run away. When Huck decided to run away, he got in his canoe that he had found, and set off. He eventually came to a place called Jackson Island, where he found Jim. Jim was Miss. Watsons slave who had ran away to be free and to escape his good chances of being sold, but while he was gone his friend a runaway slave named Jim. He has to hide from people looking for him to take him back to Miss Watson so she can sell him. The friendship of Jim and Huck grew tremendously throughout the book. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been banned in schools and libraries because the use of racial slurs, the way Jim was treated, and how the children wil l start acting once they read it. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been banned in schools and libraries. Some people also burned the books and have rioted about the book being in schools. The novel has had so many different thoughts towards it but these schools and libraries had a whole different thought. The book has some racist and violent language that some teachers and parents dont want their children and students reading. Jonathan Arac has also made the comment that if Huck was a different race, then the book would be allowed in more schools. According to Justin Kaplan, he states, to my understanding is that nigger is a taboo word when used by a white person, but it is an OK word used in a black framework If you can claim that this is a black voice speaking, I believe the objection to the word nigger is somewhat diffused. What Kaplan is saying is that if Huck were African American, and using the language that he uses in the book towards Jim, then the word wouldnt have made people mad or upset but the fact that huck is white and is saying it. People and parents thought that it was very racist. Kaplan was talking about the book in the article how Huck was white and the people saying the word were also white. According to Shelley Fishkins she states, If Huck has any African American linguistic authority, his use of the word Nigger is a rallying point for movement to ban The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from our high schools. She is meaning that if Huck was African American or related to one, the big problem about the book would be resolved and the book would be allowed in schools because the use on the N word wouldnt be hurting anyone in the book. White people have been taking advantage over African Americans cultures for centuries. The United States have had so many equality problems and that is when name calling arises. From a book called Satire and Evasion, they said that most of the people who have had a problem with this book are either African American teachers or parents. These parents and teachers are supported by white teachers and parents. According to James Leonard, parents have trekked in school saying this book is not go for our children. Parents that have read the book in highschool know what the book is about and if the school is having them reading the book, the parents would be mad about what kind of language is in the book. Leonard also mentioned, some black authors have used the word Nigger but not in literature consumed by children The word Nigger being in these books are not good for children to read because then they think that it is okay to say those things in class and the worst part is that they could racist to one another no matter the race. Another problem would be if the teacher was reading the book aloud and the African American children would sit there and be upset even though he/she still has a right to say it, the black student would neglect the teacher because of what they said. According to Jonathan Yardleys research,The black c hild is offended by the use or the word Nigger anywhere no matter what rationale the teacher may use to justify it. This makes communication between the teacher and the student more complicated. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn book has been banned from schools for the racism in the book and the language that children should not be reading. The Adventures Huckleberry Finn has caused a huge debate of whether or not it should be read or allowed in schools. One of the big problems was he way Jim was treated by everyone in the book. Jim was Miss Watsons slave in the book. She treated him bad and was going to sell him so he ran away and Huck found him and decided to protect him. Jim was also very superstitious in the book. According to Bernard Bell he states, many modern day black readers are less offended by vulgarity and delinquency of Huck, thank by the minstrel image of Miss Watsons runaway slave, Jim, his companion through crime. Why would black readers be offended by what Huck is doing? When really they all care about how Jim was treated. The article states, that the word Nigger was used more than 150 times throughout the whole book. The book has been banned all around the country from San Jose, California to New Haven, Connecticut because of how Jim is portrayed in the book. Wallacestates, The NAACP in New York in 195 7 sought to have to book banned in New York public schools because of the excessive use of the word Nigger. During most of the book Jim was referred to as the nigger while Huck and Jim got closer over the course of the book Huck called him Jim for the rest of the book. Throughout the novel, Jim was treated well by Huck, and their friendship grew as the book progressed. The king and the Duke treated Jim well at the beginning, but as the book went on, Jim was treated more poorly by these two cons. At the end of the book he was betrayed and sold to aunt Sally and taken into custody and was treated badly. They stopped when Tom told his aunt Sally was a free slave because Miss Watson died and in her will she declared him free. There is still a great controversy about what people should know about the book before reading it. People also talk about when Jim yelled at his daughter and hit her, but she was really deaf. He had never forgiven himself for doing that and not understanding or rea lizing that his daughter was deaf and couldnt hear him. There is also a warning that says the kind of language in the book. People dont usually think about that part though. Jim was the nicest person to Huck out of the whole book besides the widow. Jim wasnt treated awful in the book but he was treated badly by everyone except Huck. Therefore the book has been banned in schools in New York because of the racial controversy over the slave, Jim. Even though Jim was the nicest to everyone they were always mean to him. The book has been banned in schools and libraries because of the way Jim was treated throughout the book. Mark Twains book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has caused problems throughout the United States. The main reason parents and teachers are upset is because of the way it can affect the way their kids act. In the book Satire and Evasion, it talks about the book being in school and the kids reading the racial comments. When they read the comments the they start to treat one another badly. It also talks about having black students in class. The teacher reads the book and says all of the comments in the book and the kids will look at that teacher in a different way then they did before. Saying this, these kids will start disrespecting their teachers a lot more but all the teacher did was just do her job. That is why the NAACP has been working so hard to ban all of the books out of schools and libraries in New York City. According to Satire and Evasion, it states that, The book isnt good for our children.. And racist and unwittingly teachers would call this book a classic Parents are talking about the teachers who think that its okay to read this book to children. Parents have also made the comment that if their children read this book will they think of each other differently and think about being raised wrong because of the heritage in the book. Parents dont want their children coming home to asking them questions about why those people did what they did. James Leonard states, When teachers read this outloud to black students, they feel insulted or embarrassed and have low self esteems. This can also lead to harassment between kids to act like Tom Sawyer did. The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn can lead to tension between students and fights between students. James Leonard also states The last word uttered before every fight is Nigger. That is why this book causes tension between students because one of the reasons is using this word. By reading this book, there could be so much emotion in classrooms. Each African American student wants to talk, read, write, and look like a white person so they dont have to go through all of the trouble to fit in. Teachers must discourage the ridicule of different children states Leonard. According to Russell Baker, some kids are exposed to to these kinds of book too early. Baker also says that, few kids in highschool are ready to read this book. That is why the NAACP is wanting to ban these books becau se highschool students arent even ready to read the book. Schools have different kids with different personalities and reading the book Huckleberry Finn will change how these kids act to their classmates, teachers,and parents. If there are black student in the classroom it does not protect them with the equal and civil rights they are supposed to have. states Dorothy Gillam. Teachers have a big roll in reading this book too. They have to make sure each and every student understands what is going on in this book historically. Schools that dont ban the book, the teachers will have to step up their teaching to these students so they can understand the book and know why things are being said. Gillam said, why some books are in schools still because of the teachers good attitudes when reading the book and explaining to the children. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is still known as one of Americas great novels While it is disliked by many, the novel has also been encouraged by others. In the conclusion of all of this, the book has been banned in schools and libraries because the use of racial slurs, the way Jim was treated, and how the children will start acting once they read it. The people who are banning these books are just trying to protect children in the end. The book has been banned for about 100 years in some schools because of the language in the book. The book is too racist and foul for young kids to be reading even high schooler says Concord Public Schools. That is why the NAACP has still been working hard to fight against this case still of banning all of the books in all of the schools in the United States. Jim was also treated in the worst way and the way he was treated students could start treating one another like that, they could even want to start treating their siblings like the people in the book treated Jim. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has made a huge impact over the whole nation, schools, and libraries.