Posted on 01/05/2011 7:02:51 AM PST by Huck
Edited on 01/05/2011 7:05:47 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
What is a word worth? According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books' upcoming edition of Mark Twain's seminal novel "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" will remove all instances of the N-word -- I'll give you a hint, it's not nonesuch -- present in the text and replace it with slave.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Thank you for that address. Political correctness in literature is censorship.
And again, that being said, are folks going to go after the rappers and rap music that is prevalent with the “N” word??
Doubt it....
Well, the action was DONE in the name of "political correctness", but I would put action itself in exactly the same moral category as the Nazi book-burning episodes...only worse. At least the Nazis were above-board about it rather than destroying books by "stealth".
There is NO excuse for this kind of thing....NONE. This "author" should be driven from his university position and never be allowed to teach again. He has proven himself morally unfit to teach.
See #17.
The meaning of the word has changed not a bit. At the time it was a colloquialiasm for a person with black skin. It still means exactly that.
Is Gone With the Wind next?
Is Gone With the Wind next?<<<<<<<<<<
Indeed, perhaps Prissy’s famous line could be changed to: “I’m not familiar with obstetrical procedures”, less demeaning to black women than the original version.
When Twain wrote HF the word did not have the “ultimate insult” connotation it does today. It was at most mildly denigrating rather than something used to more or less justify any reaction up to and including murder. You can’t tell me the meaning and connotations of the word haven’t changed.
If they haven’t, why are you yourself so carefully avoiding typing it?
"The people whom Huck and Jim encounter on the Mississippi are drunkards, murderers, bullies, swindlers, lynchers, thieves, liars, mows, frauds, child abusers, numbskulls, hypocrites, windbags and traders in human flesh. All are white. The one man of honor in this phantasmagoria is 'Nigger Jim,' as Twain called him to emphasize the irony of a society in which the only true gentleman was held beneath contempt."
You are absolutely right.
Huck Finn is one of the most powerful anti-racism statements ever written.
I found the end, where Huck decides to help Jim escape and just accepts this means he will go to hell, profoundly moving.
Particularly when you remember the author was raised to believe exactly the same thing and had obviously rejected it.
Those who cannot see this and instead fixate on the use of particular words are idiots.
I do understand and appreciate your point.
I agree. In a similar note, I remember when the word ‘sucks’, had really bad connatations. Now, it’s everywhere.
Do you think that since he really believed it, he went to hell?
I said zip about "connotations". I said "meaning". Which has not changed at all. Yeah, there has been an onus put on it, but that changes not one thing about Twain's book.
The only people who get upset about Twain are the same ones who object to "niggardly". IOW, idiots.
"If they haven’t, why are you yourself so carefully avoiding typing it?"
What make you think I've "carefully avoided it". I've got no problem with typing "nigger". It's a perfectly valid English word.
Next, Tom Sawyer will no longer be whitewashing the fence, he will be applying a latex base coat with subtle undertones.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.