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New edition of 'Huckleberry Finn' to lose the 'n' word
EW ^
| 1/3/11
| Keith Staskiewicz
Posted on 01/04/2011 6:59:28 AM PST by MissTed
What is a word worth? According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books upcoming edition of Mark Twains seminal novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will remove all instances of the n wordIll give you a hint, its not nonesuchpresent in the text and replace it with slave. The new book will also remove usage of the word Injun. The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben, who says his PC-ified version is not an attempt to neuter the classic but rather to update it. Race matters in these books, Gribben told PW. Its a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.
Unsurprisingly, there are already those who are yelling Censorship! as well as others with thesauruses yelling Bowdlerization! and Comstockery! Their position is understandable: Twains book has been one of the most often misunderstood novels of all time, continuously being accused of perpetuating the prejudiced attitudes it is criticizing, and its a little disheartening to see a cave-in to those who would ban a book simply because it requires context. On the other hand, if this puts the book into the hands of kids who would not otherwise be allowed to read it due to forces beyond their control (overprotective parents and the school boards they frighten), then maybe we shouldnt be so quick to judge. Its unfortunate, but is it really any more catastrophic than a TBS-friendly re-edit of The Godfather, you down-and-dirty melon farmer? The original product is changed for the benefit of those who, for one reason or another, are not mature enough to handle it, but as long as it doesnt affect the original, is there a problem?
TOPICS: Books/Literature
KEYWORDS: 1984; alangribben; auburnuniversity; blackkk; huckfinn; huckleberryfinn; marktwain; pages; samclemens; samuelclemens; tomsawyer
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On the other hand, if this puts the book into the hands of kids who would not otherwise be allowed to read it due to forces beyond their control (overprotective parents and the school boards they frighten), then maybe we shouldnt be so quick to judge.Our language continues to shrink.
1
posted on
01/04/2011 6:59:32 AM PST
by
MissTed
To: MissTed
“Huckleberry Finn” is a living document, and will eventually tell the touching story of how young Huck and his lover Jim waged a people’s war against the Wall St fatcats.
To: MissTed
PART OF THE WHOLE POINT of the DAMNED BOOK was that Huck Finn called the dude, Nigger Jim, with derision -- but then learned respect and love for him.
I mean, Just Damn.
3
posted on
01/04/2011 7:03:47 AM PST
by
Lazamataz
(If Illegal Aliens are Undocumented Workers, than Thieves are Undocumented Shoppers.)
To: MissTed
On the other hand, if this puts the book into the hands of kids who would not otherwise be allowed to read it due to forces beyond their control (overprotective parents and the school boards they frighten), then maybe we shouldnt be so quick to judge. In other words: "In the spirit of 'Neville Chamberlains' everywhere, I issue this call for APPEASEMENT to the forces of censorship!"
4
posted on
01/04/2011 7:04:42 AM PST
by
WayneS
(Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm. -- James Madison)
To: MissTed
When one sanitizes historic fiction, you remove the history and are left with fiction.
5
posted on
01/04/2011 7:05:17 AM PST
by
The_Victor
(If all I want is a warm feeling, I should just wet my pants.)
To: MissTed
Mark Twain was completely against racial prejudice, segregation, lynchings, and the accepted belief that blacks were sub-human. Twain portrayed Jim as good, human, and anxious for freedom.
Seems like the left are happy only when blacks are on LEFTY plantations rather than desiring their own individual liberty.
To: MissTed
On the other hand, if this puts the book into the hands of kids who would not otherwise be allowed to read it due to forces beyond their control (overprotective parents and the school boards they frighten), then maybe we shouldnt be so quick to judge.
Lets see how quick they are to judge if we try a rewrite of Darwin's "Orgin of species".
7
posted on
01/04/2011 7:05:37 AM PST
by
cripplecreek
(Remember the River Raisin! (look it up))
To: MissTed
Yet - there are literally thousands of rap CD’s that glorify the n-word.
8
posted on
01/04/2011 7:06:11 AM PST
by
2banana
(My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
To: MissTed
One short step to Nazism and the burning of books deemed offensive by the government.
9
posted on
01/04/2011 7:07:01 AM PST
by
Ev Reeman
To: MissTed
This is an obscenity. It is worse than book burning, to edit with words of a classic because it doesn't fit with your politically correct paradigm is the ultimate in corruption.
Huckleberry Finn is a fictionalized, but fairly accurate portrayal of a time in American history and the culture in which Samuel Clemmons grew up.
This is more liberal do-gooding by white liberals who live in white guilt. It is reminiscent of New Orleans back when the blocked of and hid the old slave auction blocks. Pretending something didn't happen is worse than endorsing the offending behavior. How can people learn if they are protected from the truth?
Liberals are the ultimate racists.
10
posted on
01/04/2011 7:07:14 AM PST
by
Sudetenland
(TSA - Theatrical Security Affectation)
To: MissTed
” The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben”
Um. I got news for you, Alan: if you’re changing Twains work, you’re not a Twain expert.
11
posted on
01/04/2011 7:08:54 AM PST
by
Psycho_Bunny
(Hail To The Fail-In-Chief)
To: The_Victor
Disney did this in the 60's.
12
posted on
01/04/2011 7:09:12 AM PST
by
netmilsmom
(Happiness is a choice.)
To: MissTed
Just to be safe, maybe we should start buying up copies of the current editions of the book (I only have three different editions of it at home right now) -- possibly as early as later today.
I wonder how many hardback copies the Borders in Warrenton has on hand right now...
;-)
13
posted on
01/04/2011 7:09:32 AM PST
by
WayneS
(Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm. -- James Madison)
To: MissTed
But will it still have Authentic Frontier Gibberish?
To: Lazamataz
“I mean, Just Damn.”
Agreed. You’d think that idiot libs would’ve taken enough English Lit. classes to have learned this.
To: MissTed
The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben, who says his PC-ified version is not an attempt to neuter the classic but rather to update it. Race matters in these books, Gribben told PW. Its a matter of how you express that in the 21st century. Mark Twain did not WRITE the book in the 21st Century, you brain-dead moon-bat! Twain "expert", indeed! You should be utterly and completely ashamed of yourself, Mr. Gribben.
16
posted on
01/04/2011 7:13:18 AM PST
by
WayneS
(Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm. -- James Madison)
To: MissTed
Ah! Censorship is now just “updating”. Orwellian...
17
posted on
01/04/2011 7:14:06 AM PST
by
achilles2000
("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
To: MissTed
Can’t use the word “lynch” either. Take that scene out.
18
posted on
01/04/2011 7:15:35 AM PST
by
DManA
To: MissTed
“Go ahead and stick that foot through the Rembrandt.”
19
posted on
01/04/2011 7:16:34 AM PST
by
Prospero
(non est ad astra mollis e terris via)
To: MissTed
Whats next? Dickens and “The ghost of Holiday past?”
20
posted on
01/04/2011 7:16:54 AM PST
by
4yearlurker
(I can't afford anymore hope and change!!!!)
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