"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? 

In defense of "Huckleberry Finn": Antiracism motifs in "Huckleberry Finn" and a review of racial criticism in Twain's work (Mark Twain)