Huckleberry Finn essay

Brenda Whitten

Mr. Barnes

Honors English III

30 March 2013

Title

In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the word n*** is used 219 times in the attempt to create an accurate depiction of the time period through word choice. This word was included deliberately to bring attention to the extreme racism of the south. When the book was first released, the word was not considered bad and the novel was criticized for “encourage[ing] bad behavior”, almost exactly the opposite of the criticisms today (“Editing” n.p.). Through the use of this derogatory, offensive word, the censorship of this novel has become very controversial with NewSouth releasing an edition in February 2011 replacing all 219 uses of n*** to slave (“Editing” n.p.). This version is not an accurate or appropriate replacement for the original novel.

In order for the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to be historically accurate, the word n*** must be used to accurately portray the time period. During this time, there was a large amount of racism in the United States. While racism holds a dark past and is something so many people would like to avoid, it was a part of our history and must be confronted if it is to be avoided in the future. In this form of historical context, n**** is appropriate and should be used to encourage a discussion on the inequalities of the past. According to Dictionary.com, the n-word has been dated back to the 1640s and originally was only a label for “dark skinned people” (“N***” n.p.).  This label later become connected in a derogatory way and is now considered “the most offensive word in English” (“N***” n.p.).  The word itself, though not meant to be racist, has become extremely offensive and taboo in most circles. In order to bring attention to the extreme history and nature of this word, we must be able to understand this word and the meaning and hate associated with it.

               The word n**** helps to bring attention to the extreme racism towards African Americans and the way that they were treated during this time period. Throughout the novel, Jim is constantly referred to as a n*** but the connotation varies depending on the person saying it. This change is most extreme through the character of Huckleberry Finn. In the beginning of the novel, Huck only likes Jim for the company and constantly considers turning him in. He feels guilty for taking poor Ms. Watson’s slave, here showing that Jim is valued as a piece of property. We see Huck question his morality when he decides to help Jim, risking himself to ridicule of society and of as he believes, going to hell for his actions. At the end of the novel, we see Huck accepting Jim as an equal when he calls him a man. This moral shift would be less evident without the use of the n-word because it would be less clearly defined and easier to overlook or avoid altogether.

               Many proponents to the idea of having a censored version believe that it would make the novel more accessible and easier for readers, especially younger readers. While exposing young children to profanity is not the correct approach to the problem, eliminating the word for others is not an appropriate solution. The book should be taught with the knowledge that n*** is used quite frequently but that the word was used during the time period. The students should be educated about racism in the country and in history and encouraged to talk about it. By creating a negative atmosphere towards the sharing of ideas in a classroom, we are preventing thinking and discouraging positive, productive, thinking people. If the novel is taught in an open way with an acknowledgement of the negatives in our past, and the focusing on how to make today and tomorrow better for everyone, students, teachers, and parents will be able to appreciate the reality of the novel and the lessons taught through it.

               Though the n-word is despicable and not appropriate, its use throughout the novel is essential to our understanding of both the plot and the deeper message. Through one word, we can see so much of a society and the way it interacts with the “lower class”. We see how deeply one word can impact a person and how much one person can change others views.