Floating Away from Racism
Many say it’s a classic, that it’s the root of all American literature. Others call it racist and unfit for their child to read. Such connotations of Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, exemplify the controversy at hand: whether or not schools should ban the book. The racial stereotypes present in the novel along with the constant use of the “n” word have caused critics and parents to question its morality. Should students be exposed to the truths of the old south? To the way many of our grandparents used to think and act? To move forward, we must learn from our past, and read Twain’s “masterpiece” between the lines, not word for word. The “pure American” (Will 92) voice of Huck tells a story embedded with important lessons and deserves to be heard just as much as the voice of Scout or Nick Carraway.Throughout the novel, Twain perfects the old-southern Missouri dialect and keeps Huck’s voice standard of the time period. He used a non-romantic approach and believed that: “plain American speech, the dumb American demotic, was an instrument flexible and rich enough for a major moral literature” (Gopnik 1). The crude vernacular Twain used accurately depicts a time of injustice and aggression towards blacks, making the novel appear “racist” through racial slurs and commentary. Each year we learn about white aggression, slavery, the Civil Rights movement, and more. We read textbooks and watch videos about our horrific past, but we don’t really know what went on. Through literature, we can examine it further. Twain allows us to experience the old south with Huck and hear his inner thoughts that paralleled the thoughts of many whites at the time. Twain uses a colloquial tone to grab our attenti…
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…e to “embark upon a lively and risk-taking exchange about race and its attendant complexities” (Henry 379). So at the right age, and with the right teacher, a student can benefit from reading the story, and expand their knowledge on racism in the Old South.
The issues present in the story do not compare with its great qualities. Freedom, the theme of Huckleberry Finn, is pure American. When students have reached a mature age, they should embark on the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and learn about racism the real way. Floating down the river with Huck and Jim can ignite important discussions about the novel and the prejudice and poor humility that was present years ago. We cannot forget our past, and should move forward to rid the world of all prejudices. Huckleberry Finn allows us to take the journey with Huck, while laughing and thinking a little as we float on.
