While on their journey to freedom, the characters develop a distinctive and empathetic connection. The debate surrounding whether The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be included in educational curricula arises due to contrasting viewpoints. Some contend that the novel’s importance resides in its portrayal of American literary heritage, granting readers insight into a period when slavery was lawful and endorsed. Despite its racially charged implications and subjective material, it presents a new outlook on this matter.
The suggestion is that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be included in High School curriculum, as some individuals, myself included, believe. Instead, it is recommended to teach this book at the college level due to concerns about students’ immaturity and the presence of racist content and negative portrayal of slavery. Many students reading this novel are in a stage of immaturity and may find difficulty comprehending its themes. They might experience discomfort and astonishment upon encountering frequent usage of offensive language such as the N-word and witnessing mistreatment towards black slaves.
In this novel, Toni Morris questions the relevance of insights from dead white male authors to African American students in a predominantly white school. These students are unprepared for the hatred and ridicule targeted at their race. Twain, although aware of the African race, did not anticipate how black students would perceive his novel years later. As a result, reading it is demeaning and offensive to all black students.
Skeptics claim that students already encounter racial slurs on social media and face bullying outside of school. Nonetheless, students acknowledge that society deems such behavior as unacceptable. Nevertheless, if they come across racial slurs depicted as acceptable in the novel, it may lead them to believe that using such language is permissible in real life. While older and more advanced students can understand the depiction of racism in this book, most students will interpret it differently. This emphasizes the significance of teaching Huckleberry Finn at a higher educational level.
In modern America, racism remains a significant problem that society has struggled to eliminate. Regrettably, this novel contains examples of racism aimed at Jim and the entire black community. According to Tort Morris, it will be argued by your teacher that Mark Twain was not racist and that his masterpiece portrays racial harmony. Furthermore, it incorporates irony, engaging storytelling techniques, and skillful use of dialect.
The portrayal of Jim in the novel is highly racist. Twain describes Jim using derogatory stereotypes commonly associated with black slaves: he has oversized lips, eyes, and bear-like features, and he is depicted as naive, uneducated, and ignorant. This type of stereotyping infuriates individuals like Tort Morris, who argue that the depiction of such stereotypes is aggravating. Morris questions when was the last time white individuals read a classic that portrayed their kind in a stereotypical manner. Critics argue that Twain intentionally used incorrect grammar and a distinct dialect for Jim to emphasize his lack of education. While there is some truth to this interpretation, it is not completely accurate.
Twain’s goal was to uphold the perception of white supremacy, which has generated continuous controversy since the initial release of his novel. Critics argue that Twain diminished the significance of slavery for black slaves, causing great distress among the black community due to the infamous history of slavery. What particularly enrages readers is that Twain wrote this book during a time when the nation was attempting to rebuild and when slaves were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, yet he extensively included incidents depicting slave brutality.
During the time period of African American struggles for equality and acceptance, they faced segregation and were not taken seriously by white individuals. The novel suggests that helping a slave was considered highly wrong. It raises the question of whether Huckleberry Finn should release Jim, even if it means going to hell (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Major themes). This decision greatly impacts Huckleberry Finn as he rejects everything taught by “civilization.” Instead, he chooses to free Jim based on his own experiences rather than conforming to societal norms, prioritizing living a “natural life” morally over following civilization’s principles.
The novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain should not be included in the High School curriculum due to its offensive racial content, the immaturity of the students, and its mockery of slavery. Instead, it is more appropriate for this book to be taught in colleges where students have developed maturity and comprehension to understand its portrayal of race. While it is understood that there may be concerns about removing this novel from High School coursework, the disadvantages outweigh the benefits of including it.
