Huck Finn Gets Some Changes

[knight_shadow]

Acclaimed by critics, scholars, and -- of course -- readers, Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" is one of the great American novels. The book has been reprinted countless times, adapted into movies, and translated into just about every language under the sun. But should it be updated for today's times?

News that the manuscript would undergo some changes sent shockwaves through the Search box. According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books plans to release a version of "Huck Finn" that cuts the "n" word and replaces it with "slave." The slur "injun," referring to Native Americans, will also be replaced.

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[preciousjeni]

I think I just heard a cheer from "post-racial" America. As long as the original version is still on the shelves, ehh.

[tld221]

come on son.

[33girl]

Ridiculous.

[DaemonSeid]

We can cut the 'nigger' out of Huck Finn but can't cut it out of rap lyrics.


Right....gotcha.


Hmmm...which one would kids rather have? A Mark Twain classic or Lil' Wayne's latest?

[MysticCat]

I was a little surprised this was news. I mean, there have been similar "edits" before.

And I'll admit -- I've tried more than once, and I just can't get more than a few chapters in Huckleberry Finn before I give up.

[DaemonSeid]

This is why I hate this debate over the word....because there is no across the board rule...it's 'bad' in some instances and 'ok' in others.

And some of the places where it's 'allowed' in my opinion, are the WRONG places....like..........RAP MUSIC.

I remember there was a stand up act I was watching that i cut off before it really got started because the comedian seemingly said the word almost as much as he was breathing (literally) while in his act.

Society sits on the fence over the word.

It's ignored in some instances but when Dr. Laura or Michael Richards uses it, we need to go get pitchforks and torches....

Ugh.

[Kevin]

Likely schools told publishing companies that they would simply read different books until the edits were made. Publishing companies, wanting to continue to sell books probably complied.

As long as the historically accurate version remains available, I don't really see the problem.

[Drolefille]

I'd rather they just not teach Huck Finn at a high school level. There are plenty of other ways to teach about slavery or about Twain that don't involve an uncomfortable room full of teenagers saying the N-word all day long.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I'd rather they just not teach Huck Finn at a high school level. There are plenty of other ways to teach about slavery or about Twain that don't involve an uncomfortable room full of teenagers saying the N-word all day long.

I remember reading this book in middle school. I lived in an affluent suburb at the time, but was not uncomfortable using the word in that context. Everyone else got nervous while reading it, to the point where they were asking me to say it every time the word came up.

/random sidebar

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I remember reading this book in middle school. I lived in an affluent suburb at the time, but was not uncomfortable using the word in that context. Everyone else got nervous while reading it, to the point where they were asking me to say it every time the word came up.

/random sidebar

Yeah obviously individual experiences will vary. I just don't see the necessity of teaching the book. I don't think the book itself does a good job of counteracting the language in it. Also, reading in dialect is and always will be a pain in the ass. I'd rather kids read something more equivalent to the Diary of Anne Frank than Huck Finn if the point is learning about slavery in America. If the point is learning about Twain he's written other books, articles, and short prose as well. I know my teachers didn't do a good job of handling Huck Finn, and I never felt like I really learned anything. In all truth it may have been the first time I'd run across the n-word knowingly.

I was reading a relatively modern book out loud for a therapeutic book club at a day program and one of the characters is flashing back to his time working for a racist boss. I ended up reading the story as written even though I had several n-words, several c-words, and an assortment of the ones that I do actually say myself. I gave a warning ahead of time and just barreled through it. I'm not sure it was the best choice, but we talked about it after finishing the passage.

/my cool story bro.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Yeah obviously individual experiences will vary. I just don't see the necessity of teaching the book. I don't think the book itself does a good job of counteracting the language in it. Also, reading in dialect is and always will be a pain in the ass. I'd rather kids read something more equivalent to the Diary of Anne Frank than Huck Finn if the point is learning about slavery in America. If the point is learning about Twain he's written other books, articles, and short prose as well. I know my teachers didn't do a good job of handling Huck Finn, and I never felt like I really learned anything. In all truth it may have been the first time I'd run across the n-word knowingly.

I was reading a relatively modern book out loud for a therapeutic book club at a day program and one of the characters is flashing back to his time working for a racist boss. I ended up reading the story as written even though I had several n-words, several c-words, and an assortment of the ones that I do actually say myself. I gave a warning ahead of time and just barreled through it. I'm not sure it was the best choice, but we talked about it after finishing the passage.

/my cool story bro.

I agree -- there are other works that do a better job of teaching people about slavery. I think HF has become one of the everyone else has read it, so you'd better read it too, lest you miss some references! books.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I agree -- there are other works that do a better job of teaching people about slavery. I think HF has become one of the everyone else has read it, so you'd better read it too, lest you miss some references! books.

I think we've left a lot of those behind too. I don't know anyone who reads Moby Dick even in college for example - Call me Ishmael. And I can't even think of Huck Finn references that would be so important anymore. But insistence on the 'classics' is what made me read the Great Gatsby and I can't think of a more inane book. Except maybe Catcher in the Rye... no I take that back, Holden annoyed the crap out of me but there was some sort of point.

[AZTheta]

"I think there's just one kind of folks. Folks." ~Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, Chapter 23, spoken by the character Scout.

Harper Lee, when she used racial perjoratives, did a masterful job of carrying emotion in the words. It was much more shocking, which was, I believe, the intended effect.

It is, IMO, all in the context. I slogged through Huckleberry Finn in HS and frankly, I think Twain wrote some better works. The man WAS funny, but this isn't about Twain, I don't think...

[nittanygirl]

I'm surprised this is just now getting to GC, but I think this is stupid. And replacing it with "slave" instead. One, it's not always going to make sense, two, it thoroughly implies that all usage or it was in that context.

And I agree with the rap song points. If you can't use it in literature you shouldn't be able to use it in a song. But that isn't ever going to stop.
Whatever, maybe it's fine for school editions, but I don't think it should be taken out of all editions. Then again, who read Huck Finn except during school? Was kind of boring.

Oh. And I liked The Great Gatsby when I read it the first time. Maybe because I had to read three other VERY borings books that summer class, but I enjoyed it.