What is your opinion on the use of the "n-word" in Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"? Do you think that the word should be kept in the story or do you think the word should be taken out of the story? Explain your answer.
I think Mark Twain could have written “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” without such a huge usage of the “n-word”. Though this was written in the past and now it should not be changed just because our world has changed. I don’t think the publishers should change the “n-word” to other less offensive words. I think it takes away from the authors meaning and if the book really needed to be changed then it should be up to the original author because authors choose certain words to get their point across. Since Mark Twain is long gone and can’t change the book himself it should be left the way it is. The “n-word may not be the best word to use in a book, but since it already has been written it should stay this way even when we are studying it now. -Kara N
I believe that the use of the “n” word in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is necessary, no matter how many times it is used in the novel. This is because the use of this word in the novel makes up its satire, and if this word was replaced with the word “slave” instead, then the story wouldn’t feel the same as before because the satire of the novel would be taken away. Not only would it take away the satire of the novel, but the history and the writing style that Mark Twain used to write the novel would be taken away as well
In the book “The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin” I don’t think it is a big issue that there is much usage of the “n-word.” I do see why people argue otherwise because it is offensive. But in my opinion it shouldn’t matter that much. When Mark Twain wrote the book the word had a different meaning. So when we read it today I don’t think we can make it as though it is bad. If we exclude the “n-word” from the book I feel as though we are losing part of our history. Our past makes us who we are today and without knowing how our country use to be then we don’t know much of anything. We need to learn the terms and such from the past so we know they are bad today. –Annie Reuther
4 comments:
I think Mark Twain could have written “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” without such a huge usage of the “n-word”. Though this was written in the past and now it should not be changed just because our world has changed. I don’t think the publishers should change the “n-word” to other less offensive words. I think it takes away from the authors meaning and if the book really needed to be changed then it should be up to the original author because authors choose certain words to get their point across. Since Mark Twain is long gone and can’t change the book himself it should be left the way it is. The “n-word may not be the best word to use in a book, but since it already has been written it should stay this way even when we are studying it now.
-Kara N
A response by Chris Primo on 2-15-12
I believe that the use of the “n” word in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is necessary, no matter how many times it is used in the novel. This is because the use of this word in the novel makes up its satire, and if this word was replaced with the word “slave” instead, then the story wouldn’t feel the same as before because the satire of the novel would be taken away. Not only would it take away the satire of the novel, but the history and the writing style that Mark Twain used to write the novel would be taken away as well
In the book “The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin” I don’t think it is a big issue that there is much usage of the “n-word.” I do see why people argue otherwise because it is offensive. But in my opinion it shouldn’t matter that much. When Mark Twain wrote the book the word had a different meaning. So when we read it today I don’t think we can make it as though it is bad. If we exclude the “n-word” from the book I feel as though we are losing part of our history. Our past makes us who we are today and without knowing how our country use to be then we don’t know much of anything. We need to learn the terms and such from the past so we know they are bad today. –Annie Reuther
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