The banning of books has been going on for centuries. Huckleberry Finn has been the most frequently challenged and banned book in America since 1885. What is the big controversy? I can remember reading this book in High School and not really thinking too much about it. My teacher introduced the book to all of us and made sure we understood why the book can be offensive to certain people. She explained that she held us responsible for being mature and handling the material as we should. Since she did this, she held us accountable and there were not any issues because we did not want to let her down.
Huck Finn was first banned for being incompetent and the characters not being strong role models. The most common reasons for being banned today is because people say that it condones and promotes racism. The word "nigger" is used 219 different times. As that might be a red flag if you know that fact without reading the book, one student speaks out about this situation:
Huck Finn was first banned for being incompetent and the characters not being strong role models. The most common reasons for being banned today is because people say that it condones and promotes racism. The word "nigger" is used 219 different times. As that might be a red flag if you know that fact without reading the book, one student speaks out about this situation:
“The novel is a snapshot into antebellum America. It embodies the spirit of the South and portrays it as most saw it; be it racist or not. When the novel is viewed as a whole, it is one of the greatest pieces of American literature. The novel is, in short, appropriate for the classroom setting, and should continue to be taught in the public school system.”
There can be multiple opinions that come along with Huckleberry Finn and if it should be banned or not. I encourage you to not just look what people are saying about the book and actually pick it up and read it yourself - forming your own opinion!
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