Discussion on Whether Huck Finn Should Be Taught in Schools

In his applaudable novel, The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, the author Mark Twain tells a story about Huck, a boy who is intelligent, thoughtful, and willing to come to his own conclusion, and Jim a runaway slave. These two on the Mississippi River Valley conquer freedom, but on their way to find what they want, they find themselves in various situations. Throughout this Twain vividly describes the reality of the time and what certain people are facing by using very strongful words to send the message out. Many believe that the novel should be censored, if not just taken away from schools so it can not be taught.

Should Huck Finn Be Taught in Schools?

This point has been widely argued for many years and is continued to be debated today. Mark twain is one of America’s most famous writers. His book portrays dark parts of American’s history through eyes of a young white boy. Mark twain show American’s slave era very well. As children learn about comical adventures of Huck Finn and his friend Jim, a runaway slave, they will also be learning friendship, language, morals, and the culture. However many schools have banned “The Adventures Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain because the excessive use of slurs and the advanced topics that might have a negative effect on children.

Some people think Huck Finn should not be taught in high school classes. It offends those of black ethnicity, parents do not like that, and some teachers find it difficult to teach it. Although certain people believe that it should be taught because it gives us lessons of the history that we cannot hide or forget. Anyone who is not discriminated does not know how it feels. African Americans are the only ones being offended by reading Huck Finn. People find Huck Finn to be racist and teach a lot about the history to those who are not black. But African Americans are offended by the constant usage of the “n” word throughout the whole book.

I believe that Huck Finn should be taught. The book does use the racial term “the n-word” and today that word is very hurtful and offensive to people. But back in the day it wasn’t like that, that is just what black people were called. Twain wrote it that way because that is the way he knew it, there is no way he could have known that in the future the word would be a derogatory term. Nevertheless, it still teaches us important things that everyone should experience.

Another reason that the book should be taught in schools is that we see the bond of friendship and lessons learned between the white boy, Huck, and the runaway slave, Jim. Throughout the book Huck is faced with the problem of whether or not to turn Jim in. He starts to see that, even if Jim is a slave, he is a person and he has emotions just like Huck does. When Huck and Jim are in the canoe and Huck hears Jim crying about his family, he realizes and thinks “… And I do believe he cared just as much for his people as white folks does for their’n.” This shows how Huck starts to see Jim more as a human and less as a slave. Huck Finn is not just an adventure novel; it is a book that encourages and requires students and teachers to think about the deeper meanings, such as Mark Twain’s purpose in creating a character like Jim.