Prejudice and Racism in Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Prejudice and Racism in smirch pas de deuxs The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Despite all the criticism, of racism and other questionable material for young readers, Mark Twains The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn is a superbly written novel, which in the opinion of this reviewer should not be remove the literary cannon. Twains novel is a coming of age story that teaches young people many valuable lessons and to some extend makes students reexamine their own lives and morals. The most jet argument for its removal from the literary canon is that the novel is too racist it offends black readers, perpetuates cheap slave-era stereotypes, and deserves no place on todays bookshelves. however one must ask if Twain is encouraging traditional southern racism or is Twain disputing these idea. On a superficial level The Adventures Huckleberry Finn talent appear to be racist, and for the most obvious reason many characters use the word nigger throughout the novel. But since the action of th e book takes place in the south twenty years before the Civil War, it would be amazing if they didnt use that word. A closer reading also reveals Twains serious satiric intent. In one scene, for instance, Aunt Sally hears of a steamboat explosion. Good gracious anybody hurt? she asks. Nom, comes the answer. Killed a nigger (Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn 1409). But anyone who imagines that Mark Twain meant this literally is missing the point. Rather, Twain is using this casual dialogue ironically, as a way to underscore the chilling truth about the old south, that it was a society where perfectly nice people didnt consider the death of a black person worth their notice. To drive the point home, Twain has the skirt continue We... ...e end of the novel, Huck and the reader have come to understand that Jim is not someones property or an inferior man, but an equal. To prescribe that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a racist novel is absurd, but there are always some hot-heads clai ming that the novel is racist. These claims are not simply attempts to damage the image of a great novel, they come from people who are hurt by racism and dont like seeing it in any context. However, they must read that this novel and its author are not racist, and the purpose of the story is to prove black equality. It is vital for the reader to certify these ideas as societys and to recognize that Twain throughout the novel does encourage racist ideas, he disputes them. For this reason, and its profound moral implication, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be removed from the literary canon. 1056