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The Huck Finn controversy

The Huck Finn controversy . Dan Miller . Background . The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel written by Mark Twain in the 1880’s The novel takes place in the 1850’s in Midwestern America This is at the hieght of the debate over slave labor in the U.S. ( Bilyeu ). The N-word.

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The Huck Finn controversy

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  1. The Huck Finn controversy Dan Miller

  2. Background • The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel written by Mark Twain in the 1880’s • The novel takes place in the 1850’s in Midwestern America • This is at the hieght of the debate over slave labor in the U.S. (Bilyeu)

  3. The N-word • The N-word is a term used as a derogatory word referring to African Americans • It was used much more frequently in the 1850’s, and did not have the emotional charge that the word had today • The word appears 218 times in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (Bilyeu)

  4. Freed slaves and the civil rights movement • In 1865 slaves were the freed in the U.S., however many racial tensions still remained, especially in the south. • In 1950’s and 60’s African Americans began to protest and ask for equal rights, which rose racial tensions once again (Bilyeu)

  5. Civil rights movement cont. • In 1964 the civil rights act was passed to help equal rights • The KKK is a group that does not support equal rights which is a reason there still are racial tensions • Today there are less racial problems in the U.S.(Bilyeu)

  6. The contreversy • Some people have a problem with teaching Huckleberry Finn in schools • This is because of the books racial tone • Also people have a problem because of the use of the N-word • People don’t believe that an immature audience should be taught this book (Huckleberry)

  7. The controversy cont. • In a letter sent Peaches Henry, written Allan B. Ballard he said: I can still recall the anger I felt as my white classmates read aloud the word “nigger.” In fact, as I write this letter I m getting angry all over again. I wanted to sink into my seat. Some of the whites snickered, others giggled. I can recall nothing of the literary merits of this work that you term “the greatest of all American novels.” I can only recall the sense of relief I felt when I would flip ahead a few pages and see that the word “nigger” would not be read that hour. (Henry)

  8. New York board of Ed. • In 1957 the New York board of education decided that The adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be taught in middle school or elementary school because they believed it should only be taught to a mature audience who could understand the racial tone of the book. (Henry)

  9. Solutions and respones • In some places around the country the book is not allowed to be taught in elementary and middle school • In the 1990’s an edited version of the book was released replacing the N-word with the word slave • Some places believe that the book is an American classic and should be taught in schools (Bilyeu)

  10. Images

  11. Works cited • https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=685&q=the+adventures+of+huckleberry+finn&gbv=2&oq=The+adventure (image) • https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=685&q=the+adventures+of+huckleberry+finn&gbv=2&oq=The+adventures (image) • https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=685&q=the+adventures+of+huckleberry+finn&gbv=2&oq=The+adventures+of+H&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.1361l12477l0l14365l24l24l2l12l12l0l209l926l8j1j1l10l0.frgbld.#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=huckleberry+finn+controversy&oq=huckleberry+finn+con&aq=0&aqi=g1g-S9&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0j0i24l9.67487l78547l0l80513l29l25l0l8l8l2l156l1511l10j5l17l0.frgbld.&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=1368e7cc7ff325d6&biw=1280&bih=642imgae • Henry, Peaches. “The Struggle for tolerance: Race and censorship in Huckleberry Finn. “Homepages.wmich.edu. Western Michigan University. Web. 29 Mar. 2012. • Bilyeu, Suxanne. “Mark Twain’s Bad Boy.” Scholastic.com. Scholastic. Web 3 Apr. 2012 • “Huckleberry Finn in concord.” Concord Library.org. Concord Library. Web. 3 Apr.2012

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