Posted on 01/04/2011 5:24:19 PM PST by Borges
Saying they want to publish a version that won't be banned from some schools because of its language, two scholars are editing Mark Twain's classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to eliminate uses of the "N" word and replace it with "slave," Publishers Weekly writes.
The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.
As PW says, "for decades, [Huckleberry Finn] has been disappearing from grade school curricula across the country, relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright, appearing again and again on lists of the nation's most challenged books, and all for its repeated use of a single, singularly offensive word."
One of the scholars, Alan Gribben of Auburn University, tells PW that "this is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind. ... Race matters in these books. It's a matter of how you express that in the 21st century." (The edited Huck Finn will be included in a volume with Tom Sawyer.)
News of the new edition of Huck Finn has sparked quite a bit of comment on Twitter, where "Huckleberry Finn" is a trending topic as this moment. So far, the consensus of the crowd seems to be that it's not a good idea. One interesting comment from that thread:
"Learning the 'N' word from Huckleberry Finn taught me not to use it bc it was improper, so.. why the change?" The new edition, PW says, is due to be published by February. Huckleberry Finn was first published in 1884.
Apparently, the “n” word is the scariest word ever and must never, never be used (except by violent rappers). Why are liberals so TERRIFIED of that word? Rude, yes, but it is not some black magic spell!
If you get chance, watch Hal Holbrook's Mark Twain, Tonight! Pay particular attention to the monologue concerning the matter of Jim.
Liberals, YOU are the racists. You stink.
Thanks so much for posting that. I haven’t read HF since early teens.
HF is an anti-slavery novel.
We have a winner!
Racist Dim educators don’t like Twain shining a beacon into their racism.
Nope! but if the job is editing the N word out of the actual book...I'll do it on my computer for $50....if the 2 of them will do it for $20 bucks each...then... I ll make them both in charge of Economics of both schools...
Give me a break...Edit out the N-word???....Sooooooooo hard!...I shoulda gone to Auburn!
Huck listens to Jim at night mumbling about his wife and children; Jim tells Huck about a time when he got upset at his daughter for not listening to him, but them realized she was deaf. Jim is very upset for that one time; Huck looks at Jim as more of a human being with feelings rather than a slave animal.
A crowd is formed to lynch the murderer, they all stop when he confronts them; tells them they are cowards, and the south's way is to kill in a man in the dark, behind his back with a mob. He also said it is the same mentality that an army has; they will only have courage from the numbers they have.
Huck finds one of the daughters, Marry Jane; He tells her the truth about the King and Duke because she is crying about the slaves being separated from eachother. (They are mother and two sons) ;
Huck decides the daughters of the dead man are nice; feels bad for helping the King and Duke; Huck steals the money and hides it, he will send a letter later to tell the daughters where to find it.
The book shows a lot of the old southern ways in regards to feuds, killing because of personal dignity, and superstition (all seen directly through Huck's eyes) Huck and Jim build a relationship through the entire book, until Huck would rather go to Hell than turn Jim in.
Summary: Huckleberry Finn, known better as Huck, writes an autobiographical review of his adventure down the Mississippi river and his attempt to free a slave.
Don’t ever touch my H P Lovecraft or THE LOST GOD and other Adventure Stories by John Russell!
Or this from the Declaration Of Independence:
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
I agree. The book is a snapshot of history. Editing it, edits history.
I think it is WRONG. It’s censorship based on ever changing social norms and the flat evil of Political Correctness.
Man, talk about a buzz kill.
Be a little more "upbeat" if she doesn't get snuffed in the end don't ya think?
She goes on to found the women's studies program at Rutgers maybe or becomes a famous lesbian, bangs Jack Kennedy or Eleanor Roosevelt, whatever...
then really go to town on the high-schoolers with a gay friendly Huck and Jim in Leslie Fiedler's "Come Back to the Raft Ag'in, Huck Honey!"
Our "Progessive" educators are beating, twisting and deforming Twain's great American 19th Century novel into a limping, mincing cripple.
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