In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
An op-ed piece in the Sunday New York Times takes on the thought-provoking issue of censorship in relation to Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel notorious for its stereotypical portrayal of an African-American man as well as its use of the “n-word” over 200 times. This piece comes on the heels of publisher NewSouth Books’ decision to release a bowdlerized version of the novel devoid of ethnic slurs.
The op-ed author, Lorrie Moore, offers her viewpoint on the issue:
But the remedy is not to replace “nigger” with alternative terms like “slave” (the latter word is already in the novel and has a different meaning from “nigger,” so that substitution just mucks up the prose — its meaning, its voice, its verisimilitude). The remedy is to refuse to teach this novel in high school and to wait until college — or even graduate school — where it can be put in proper context.
That’s right. According to Moore, the solution is not to censor Twain’s iconic work of literature, but rather to ban it from high schools outright- quite an interesting stance to see articulated in the New York Times.
Moore bases her argument on the notion that Huck Finn is “not an appropriate introduction to serious literature,” arguing that the “dignity” of an African-American student “is not always preserved or made a priority” in public schools.
Lorrie Moore’s suggestion overlooks one crucial fact about the American education system: high schools aren’t created in order to preserve the dignity of their students. That’s not to say that schools should not make an effort to preserve said dignity. Indeed it is important that public schools take steps to ensure the mental well being of their students; however, the fact remains that schools exist first and foremost in order to foster learning among students. The dissemination of knowledge cannot, under any circumstances, be relegated to secondary importance for the sake of the preservation of dignity.
Mark Twain’s novel is controversial, and rightfully so. It was written in a time that espoused racial inequality and, in true fashion of that era, promotes hurtful stereotypes in the character of Jim and makes frequent use of equally hurtful ethnic slurs.
As such it is unquestionably important that any teacher exposing high school students to the material should make full note of the validity of the controversy surrounding it, creating a setting that lends itself to openness and discussion. However, the suggestion that Huck Finn should be banned completely and that students should be sheltered from the novel is an overly-restrictive step that offers too heavy a hand in controlling the information accessible to public school students by not allowing them to explore an important resource that, when paired with an American history class found in most any high school curriculum, has the potential to serve as valuable insight into the ways of the past.
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May '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
...because high school students must be shielded from foul language that they themselves are unfamiliar with and don't employ amongst each other ever.
May '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
This is what Victor Davis Hanson dubs the therapeutic approach to education.
Oct '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
What is the point of education if we cannot evaluate knowledge within the context of its origins? Are our minority students to forever be shielded from reality so they will forever remain protected pets of the knowledge class. Huck Finn, as with many books like it, requires an understanding of its times. Isn't that the purpose of education? Or should we all live on porridge, and never develop a digestive system that is sufficiently robust to deal with reality.
Jul '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
Huck Finn is America's greatest novel. Ernest Hemingway thought so and so do I. It is both a wrenching expose of man's inhumanity and a uplifting example of how hearts soften and change when that is absorbed. What other novel by an American or any other writer in English or another language would you put above it?
Jun '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
One of the great things about reading Huck Finn is how long it takes to get into the speech patterns, cadence and slang that was spoken at the time of Mark Twain. I remember having to really concentrate reading the first few chapters. This is what learning is all about. It was almost a foreign language. What better time to challenge a young developing brain. Today's kids can certainly self filter the n word just as they filter f bombs on the bus on the way to school. If hip-hop is mainstream, there is most definitely room for Huck and Tom and Jim.
Aug '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
Adam Schwartzman, Intern:
The op-ed author, Lorrie Moore, offers her viewpoint on the issue:
Golly, isn't Huck Finn an adventure story for children? A serious children's book -- for more mature children -- but a children's book nonetheless?
Why wait til college to read it? By college, people are more likely to have lost interest in these sorts of stories.
Edited on Jan 17, 2011 at 7:16pmNov '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
This is just plain dumb and stupid.
What makes Huckleberry Finn any more "controversial" than To Kill a Mockingbird, an old chestnut that is practically force-fed to America's school children? In Mockingbird, we find not only brutal racism and shocking injustice, but rape, incest and madness (with a minor sub-plot involving morphine addiction). In the climax, a drunken, psychotic racist tires to murder two innocent children with a knife! As a novel, Mockingbird is a full-blown "Southern Gothic" — as dark and disturbing as any book you will find in that genre.
Despite its popularity, Mockingbird has been virtually ignored by literary scholars. You will be lucky if you can find a half-dozen literary studies. This does not surprise me. In liberal circles, Mockingbird is regarded as something of a sacred text. To subject it to critical analysis might suggest that something is wrong with it, and that must never be allowed.
To Kill a Mockingbird is above criticism; Huckleberry Finn is beneath contempt. One book carries the Liberal Seal of Approval; the other does not. It is as simple as that.
Edited on Jan 17, 2011 at 7:28pmJan '11
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
If you loudly announce that Huckleberry Finn is banned, banned from a school and not only must it not be taught but it has been removed from the school library and there will be severe penalties for anyone caught bringing the book on campus...
....maybe more kids will read it.
Not recommending that course of action; just saying.
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
Does Mark Twain treat Jim "stereotypically" in Huck Finn? Some of the characters do, of course, but Twain didn't -- not at least as I remember the book. Indeed, isn't the common humanity of Huck and Jim one of the major themes of the book? And isn't much of the force of what Twain is attempting to convey lost if one cleans up the language?
Jan '11
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
OK, if they remove it from Huckleberry Finn, that's one thing. But if they take it out of Blazing Saddles (written by Richard Pryor, by the way) I'll be truly upset.
Nov '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
That is a damn good point. Why does Blazing Saddles get a pass, but not Huckleberry Finn? Suggesting that Huck Finn should be censored (or banned outright) in order to "protect kids" is simply asinine. Just try to find a kid (black or white) who has not seen Blazing Saddles — and enjoyed every minute of its blatantly racist humor:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upvZdVK913I
Oct '10
Re: In Lieu of Censorship, Prohibition!
Inasmuch as there is any controversy over the content of the book, it is completely centered on the use of one particular word. At the time of publication, however, the book would have been far more controversial because of the actual theme. I hadn't even given this a thought prior to reading Mr Schwartzman's piece.
In terms of the evolution of American society Twain's message ended up overpowering that one word. And now we have academics who are restoring power - albeit inadvertantly - to that word at the expense of the larger message. No wonder they don't think it should be taught in schools - they really don't understand any of it.