Huck Finn

The recent publication of a new edition of Mark Twain's classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn raises many interesting issues. New South Books has replaced the n-word with the word slave, hoping to get the book in the hands of more high school students throughout the country. But is this censorship? Should the work of an artist be altered to satisfy the prevailing cultural winds? And does this lead to a slippery slope, where other works of art are subject to change?



Yes, teaching Huck Finn is a challenge, given the 200-plus times the n-word appears. But the novel is more than just a book; it is a window into the history of our country, and it deals with a particular event: slavery. Sure, students can hear all about these events in an American history class, and they do. But it is through literature, and particularly novels, that students experience those historical events, where they come alive for them. History isn't just writing down notes filled with nouns and verbs--they are Jim and Huck and Tom and they are running away or hiding or shooting.



If Huck Finn is taught in its proper context, then it should pose no problems for teachers or students. It is of course rather simple to teach the entire novel and not once utter the n-word, thereby maintaining the artistic integrity of Twain's work.