Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Schools continue to grapple with 'Huckleberry Finn'
Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 12/11/15 | Justine McDaniel

Posted on 12/11/2015 7:32:03 PM PST by markomalley

After The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, the book was boycotted in some places in the United States for portraying friendship between a black man and a white boy.

"In its time, it was derided and censored," said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom, which tracks challenges to books.

Today, Mark Twain's classic - about a boy who flees his abusive father and travels down the Mississippi River with an escaped slave - is still sometimes challenged in American schools, but for nearly the opposite reason: its liberal use of the N-word and perceived racist portrayals of black characters.

This week, a Montgomery County school removed Huckleberry Finn from its curriculum after a group of students said the book made them uncomfortable.

(Excerpt) Read more at mobile.philly.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: 1885; 1stamendment; banned; blackkk; bookburnings; books; education; freespeech; huckfinn; huckleberryfinn; imherehuckleberry; marktwain; pc; pennsylvania; safeplace; samuelclemens; waronfreespeech
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last
Oh, for Pete's sake!
1 posted on 12/11/2015 7:32:03 PM PST by markomalley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: markomalley

They don’t even teach WWII or VietNam!! You expect them to teach Twain?? What a damned joke.


2 posted on 12/11/2015 7:33:47 PM PST by WENDLE (Trump is not bought . He is no puppet.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Liberals have a big problem with reality, whether it be now or ever.


3 posted on 12/11/2015 7:33:59 PM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

4 posted on 12/11/2015 7:34:50 PM PST by Publius ("Who is John Galt?" by Billthedrill and Publius now available at Amazon.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Here’s an idea. Why not let “the churldren” decide if they want to read it or not. According to the commie libs, “the churldren” are a hell of a lot smarter than we are. It’s not rocket science folks!


5 posted on 12/11/2015 7:35:15 PM PST by FlingWingFlyer (Obama says, the Second Amendment is the greatest recruiting tool that ISIS has.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress

I need to go to my safe place now.


6 posted on 12/11/2015 7:35:47 PM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress
Liberals have a big problem with reality, whether it be now or ever.

Libtards love to re-write history.


7 posted on 12/11/2015 7:36:42 PM PST by Iron Munro (The wise have stores of choice food and oil but a foolish man devours all he has. Proverbs 21:20)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

The Great American Novel.


8 posted on 12/11/2015 7:39:15 PM PST by Ciexyz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

The kids today hear the “F” word constantly in their entertainment but the use of the word “nigger” bothers them.

Can’t they just read it for it’s historical value and enjoy it? An intelligent discussion explaining why the word is no longer used could take place.

.


9 posted on 12/11/2015 7:39:17 PM PST by Mears
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Ignorance is strength.

Libs are always yammering on about having a dalog about race. Huck Finn is probably one of the best books out there to poke holes in racism and examining race and these little snowflakes feel uncomfortable. Good gravy.


10 posted on 12/11/2015 7:41:37 PM PST by Flick Lives (One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast. -- Heinlein)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Some of us know it is a story.....a made up account intending to entertain.

Some are not that smart.


11 posted on 12/11/2015 7:42:58 PM PST by jch10 (Hillary in the Big House, not the White House .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley
Just issue a revised version in which any offensive term is replaced by the politically correct equivalent. Of course every ten years an update would be needed.

And stay away from Elmira, NY, to avoid hearing Twain spinning in his grave.

12 posted on 12/11/2015 7:43:20 PM PST by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: WENDLE

Buck Finn is the essential hero the orphan who can drink and smoke and stay out all night and doesn’t have to go to school. He fishes and lives in a shack

He says what he thinks. How it comes out is just a matter of words

He has a good heart

Of course they struggle with him


13 posted on 12/11/2015 7:43:31 PM PST by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: markomalley
I first read Huckleberry Finn as an adult. Probably the most memorable part in it was when Jim got his feelings hurt and he let Huck know that he was a man with feelings.

What Samuel Clemons did was humanize the negro. It made people at the time begin to see the negro as a human with feelings just like they had.

The people dissing this book are fools.

14 posted on 12/11/2015 7:43:54 PM PST by Slyfox (Ted Cruz does not need the presidency - the presidency needs Ted Cruz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

This past summer, my wife was clearing our a bunch of old magazines, papers and books. There was one book that caught my eye in the stack of junk getting ready for the trash bin. It just looked old, but in very good condition.
When I opened it, the printing and publishing date read 1885.
It is a First Edition copy of “Huckleberry Finn”.


15 posted on 12/11/2015 7:43:57 PM PST by BuffaloJack (ISLAM is the ENEMY.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jch10

It’s actually much more than that.

It is children understanding to defend a Negro when it was not politically correct.


16 posted on 12/11/2015 7:44:52 PM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Gee whiz. And I had a hard time (unsuccessfully) trying to get my teacher to go over Puddinhead Wilson...


17 posted on 12/11/2015 7:45:15 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Flick Lives

There is a scene where Huck dresses up as a girl in order to gain intelligence...surely kids should be forced to read that chapter so that any “transgender” students can feel validation.


18 posted on 12/11/2015 7:46:10 PM PST by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Slyfox

Touche’


19 posted on 12/11/2015 7:46:13 PM PST by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: eyedigress
Huck has a line, "They're after us, Jim!"

I believe it is the first time in American literature when a white character referred to himself and a black man as "us."

It was hugely significant in its day.

20 posted on 12/11/2015 7:50:03 PM PST by TontoKowalski (Satisfied Customer #291)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson