'Huckleberry Finn' And "The N-Word"
"Those who wish to ban the use of ethnic slurs in American literature don’t have the manpower to accomplish such a deed. The fact that Mark Twain has been singled out means those who are crusading against the author haven’t read much of American literature. And where would such an enterprise end? Do we censor music lyrics next? Musicals like 'Showboat?' Hip hop as we know it would end. Every other song depends upon words that the word patrollers wish to ban."
—Writer Ishamel Reed opines on the recent announcement that "a coming edition of Mark Twain’s 'Huckleberry Finn' will omit racially-sensitive language, like the n-word…" In related news, Awl Publishing Ventures will bring out its own version of the novel, where the offending word is replaced in every instance with the more comical sounding Yiddish "shvartze."
"I say it a hundred times every morning- it makes my teeth white." -Paul Mooney
Next man makes a move, this guy gets it!
THE SHERIFF IS NEAR
". . .racially-sensitive language like the n-word" ??
What else will they be omitting, as they cleanse literature and history in their earnest efforts to persuade the hateful and cretinous to suddenly adopt humane behaviors?
And how many people inclined to use such terms in derision are even going to read the book?
Is it just me or is "Slaves With Attitude" more offensive to those good people of Compton?
Slaves With Attitude < Coloreds With Attitude
Shvartzen mit Mishegas?
I think Professor Gribben's heart is in the right place here, as in many high school teachers would really love to teach Huckleberry Finn but are hesitant because the word "nigger" appears so much, so let's just take out the offending word and quit denying our young people this canonical piece of American literature.
But the road to literary extinction is paved with good intentions, and this is just too much of a capitulation. Reed is right to question where the line is, but if this sort of practice takes hold, he won't have to wait very long to find out the answer. I won't try to enter the argument about the power of the word "nigger," but hiding from it seems to me to be the absolute worst strategy.
I'm not sure why, especially given the modern pop culture landscape, anyone thinks that literature which features the word nigger is supposed to be something high school kids couldn't deal with. What exactly is he trying to prevent? Does he not want them to ever hear the word? Because, too late!
Hey bod, do you have a twitter account?
@stc: A rarely checked and not often updated Twitter account, yes. I'm a little frightened to ask why you ask.
I've been following some weird asian guy who just spent 2 weeks in Abu Dhabi. So I'm guessing that ain't you.
It could be Nermal.
@kt: Jim Davis is a tired, tired man.
"… hiding from it seems to me to be the absolute worst strategy."
Agree. It's part of literary history, so why not actually TEACH?! (give some context for the time, how the word's changed, etc.)
Reminds me of when I went with a friend to University Lutheran, Cambridge. They replaced all instances of male with female.
Instead of "Our Father who art in heaven," the church-bots all dutifully intoned, "Holy Mother who lives in heaven …" The Great Thanksgiving had the Lady Christ crucified and shedding her blood for us. I got a bad case of the giggles and promptly declined communion. No way was I drinking Lady Christ's blood.
Misguided and illogical.
/rambling
@stc: There was a lot of pathos in that comment. As I am neither weird nor Asian, it would be safe to dump that other guy (unless he's wildly interesting, in which case I might follow him too.) I'm sort of revamping my digital branding strategy at the moment, but I'll shoot you a follow request once I sort that out!
@riggssm: That mass sounds totally wild.
"All right then, I'll go to H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS."
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS
SENSE AND RACIAL SENSITIVITY
Huckleberry Finkelstein.
As someone who once read A LOT of The Color Purple aloud to a bunch of African-American high schoolers (they voted for it!) I would bet this has more to do with schoolteachers being deeply uncomfortable saying the word aloud than not wanting to offend anyone.
THIS THIS THIS
No doubt. But really, it seems like there are ways to avoid saying the word, and that the then necessary discussion about how and why you're going to censor the spoken exhibition (but not the actual text, because, ugh) would be pretty valuable.
(All of which is a polite why of saying: "Why are teachers such pussies?")
(Sorry (Sorry (*cringe*)))
shvartze, please…
just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Shoulda gone with the Italian side, Alex. Mulignan FTW.
"They call me Mister Jim!"