Wednesday, December 7, 2022

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and the N Word

Now about the "N" word in Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain once said: “…the difference between the right word and the almost right word is really a

large matter." The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is written in the voice of the young boy named Huckleberry Finn who made his debut in Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Huck's story begins where Tom Sawyer's left off. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn a tale of friendship and the hypocrisy of racism, but it is controversial and must be read in the context of history and with room for the inclusion of contemporary voices on race.

The novel was written in 1885 and is set in pre- Civil War America. In his work, Twain does not defend slavery, but depicts the period's bigotry and bestows the moral character of the novel on white boy's choice to help a slave escape from bondage. Twain also masterly carves the most redeeming character of the entire story into a slave named Jim.

The words within the text of the novel are often difficult to read, but should be read as they are written. It is a dangerous precedence to alter an author’s words, especially those written at a given point of time and under a specific set of circumstances.

MLK said never to “scrub” history but shout it from the rooftops –as that is the only way in which we can learn and grow from our mistakes. History happened. Slavery in American happened.

Twain did not make that up, he merely wrote a story set in those times, and by changing his words, by scrubbing his literature, we miss the opportunity to educate our students, and society as a whole, on what life was like, how people lived and spoke and then brainstorm creative solutions to prevent similar situations from reoccurring. Likewise, to show the perseverance and exceptional individuals that existed within and beyond that culture - this does not mean idealization - but live the story in true historical context.

Then there is the “n” word controversy and the word’s appearance within one of the most overtly anti-racist books written. Why? Because it was meant to be controversial. It was meant to get people to think - and it should cause controversy. It's offensive and has no place in modern lexicon. The “n” word should cause discomfort in 21st century readers and should stimulate conversation and spark discussion. If it doesn't then we are in trouble. We cannot become passive to the wrongdoings of our ancestors but rather learn from them and grow as one culture moving forward forging common experiences out of our collective…and different…past experiences.

In an article from the website Inside Binghampton University Scott Henkle wrote: “To eliminate the language that Huckleberry Finn uses is to eliminate the way for us to understand those injustices – the legacy of slavery and the legacy of racism,” he said. “To paper over those things is to obscure them and make them harder for us to understand. Deleting “n” and “I” from the book makes it more difficult for us to combat racism – not easier.”

When I first taught the novel, I did so with the original text. In today's climate, I prefer alternative versions with chapters from the original text to use as learning tools.

So, I challenge you to read this book in the context of eradicating racism. I challenge you to understand Twain’s anti-Reconstruction world and the rise of the Jim Crow laws and the influence of Plessy v. Ferguson and help to do your part to ensure all understand the challenges we face and the reality of forever moving forward in our quest for equality.

Teaching the text must provide a comparison and discussion of the well-rounded and rich depiction of the Slave Jim with the Jim at the end of the novel - where he seems to be reduced to a caricature who is minstrel-like at best. Why did Twain choose to reduce Jim to a person easily tricked by a white boy and one who would potential sacrifice freedom and his beloved family to save Tom?

Teaching Huck Finn must include teaching the history behind it and provide room for contemporary voices.

PBS: Why do People Think Huck Finn is Racist?

Inclusion and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Was Mark Twain a Racist?

Huck and a dead cat illustration by True Williams for the first edition of Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

This illustration, by True Williams, is the world’s first view of Huckleberry Finn from the first edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. While Mark Twain indeed introduced Huck in Tom’s novel, Huck quickly began to occupy more of Twain’s imagination than the first mischievous character. In fact, Twain began to write The Adventures ofHuckleberry Finn even before The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published – and then allowed Huck to voice his own story as well as serve to symbolize what is right, good and ethical – under the ironic guise of an “uncivilized” youth.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first published in America in January 1885, and has been credited as one of the major influences from which much of modern literature derives. It is a bestselling novel and considered one of the greatest American literary works of all time— by both scholars and critics alike; however it was also brandished by Twain’s contemporaries, and many moderns, as harsh and even racist, butTwain was not racist. He was an artist with the ability to use his imagination to call “civilized” society and the morals of a nation out on hypocrisy and unethical social norms of his day.

For the sake of historical comparison and context as students ead The Adventures of HuckleberryFinn they should also read and become familiar with the reality of the Jim Crow era, inclusive of an overview of Plessy v. Ferguson, Justice Brown’s Opinion and Justice Harlan’s Dissent as well as an article from The Journal ofNegro History, “Fifty Years of Negro Citizenship” by C. G. Woodson (1921). Diving deeply into the world in which Huckleberry Finn was creative will provide a platform for unbiased discussions and historical context. Inclusive education would also have teachers balance this with the works of empowered black scholars or have students read a modern coming of age novel such as Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson and compare the texts. An outline will be forthcoming in a later blog post.

Inclusion and Engagement in the Classroom

Inclusion in education is more than including students with special needs into the mainstream classroom, but rather has expanded to mean the inclusion of all students and recognizing their unique selves - including culture, background, experiences, learning styles, and differences. Inclusion in education makes it imperative to use unbiased resources and meet students

where they are.

With this in mind it is imperative to create an inclusive classroom and to use inclusive teaching materials. An inclusive classroom climate refers to an environment where all students feel supported intellectually and academically, and are extended a sense of belonging in the classroom regardless of identity, learning preferences, or cultural background.

An inclusive classroom climate requires teachers explore diverse readings, lessons and social examples that engage with often-marginalized experiences. Remain attuned to contemporary political and social issues, and provide opportunities for students to share their thoughts and perspectives from all sides, with respect and with age appropriateness in mind.

An inclusive resource engages all students and allows all groups of students to see themselves within the material. In your teaching and resources, use varied examples that include multicultural examples, visuals and materials. Include multiple perspectives in class discussion and assignments whenever possible. If including course material or examples that place a group in the position of an oppressed victim, instructors should be sure to provide examples of empowerment for balance. Other ways to involve multiple perspectives include playing devil’s advocate, engaging in a debate about the possible interpretations of a text, and assigning the work of relevant minority scholars.

Consider these two questions from the University of Michigan article Creative Inclusive Classrooms - retrieved 12.7.2020 from https://crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p3_1.

Whose voices, perspectives, and scholarship are being represented?

Include multiple perspectives on each topic of the course rather than focusing solely on a single perspective. For example, if the topic is "The Great Depression in the USA" the content should not focus solely on the experiences of European Americans. Americans of African and Asian descent, American Indians, Mexicans, etc. had experiences and views that should be acknowledged. It would also be important to include the experiences and views of people with different socio-economic statuses in this example.
Include, as much as possible, materials written or created by people of different backgrounds and/or perspectives. If all the authors or creators of materials in a course are male (or female), white (or another group), liberal (or conservative), etc., instructors will be sending a message about the voices that are valued and will be devaluing the scholarship of others who have written or created materials on the topic. (This guideline should be altered appropriately in courses where the focus of the course is to better understand a particular perspective or world view. Even these courses, however, should be attentive to the range of possible voices on a given topic.) On a related note, it is important to include works authored by members of the group that the class is discussing. For example, if the course deals with topics related to Muslims or Islam and the syllabus does not include materials written by Muslim authors, the message sent to students may be that you devalue the contributions of and scholarship produced by Muslims.

Resources that are inclusive and fit the inclusive framework include:

Reading Comprehension and Fluency Passages for High School Students Set 1

Early Finishers for December, Winter, ELA, Math, Puzzles, Christmas, Hanukkah

Bundle: Native American Reading Comprehension, Text Structures, Readers Theater+

GOOGLE SLIDE RESOURCES
Marvel High Low Informational Text Unit for Grades 5-12
Tuskegee Airmen - High Interest Low Level Information Text Unit
Maya Angelou High Low Informational Text Unit
GOOGLE Maya Angelou High Low Informational Text Unit
GOOGLE SLIDES: TikTok Famous: High Interest Low Level Informational Text Unit CCSS Activities
EASEL EDITION: TikTok Famous: High Interest Low Level Informational Text Unitt Activities
Villains and Monsters: Informational Text Unit High Interest Low Level GOOGLE
And the list keeps growing.

Exclusive Learning Resources Checklist

Handout on designing an inclusive classroom.

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M.W., DiPietro, M. & Lovett, M.C. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Armstrong, M.A. (2011). Small world: Crafting an inclusive classroom (no matter what you teach). Thought and Action, Fall, 51-61.

Creating Inclusive College Classrooms(link is external) - UMichigan Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. Routledge.

Kaplan, M. & Miller, A. T. (Eds.). (2007). Special Issue: Scholarship of multicultural teaching and learning. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, (111).

Salazar, M., Norton, A., & Tuitt, F. (2009). Weaving promising practices for inclusive excellence into the higher education classroom. In L.B. Nilson and J.E. Miller (Eds.) To improve the academy. (pp. 208-226). Jossey-Bass.

Tanner KD. (2013). Structure Matters: Twenty-One Teaching Strategies to Promote Student Engagement and Cultivate Classroom Equity. CBE–Life Sciences Education, 12: 322-331.

University of Virginia. Center for Teaching Excellence. Teaching a Diverse Student Body: Practical Strategies for Enhancing our Students’ Learning(link is external).

Watson L et al. (2002). How Minority Students Experience College: Implications for Planning and Policy. Stylus.

Elizabeth Chapin-Pinotti

Elizabeth Pinotti

Instructional Strategies and Freebies!