Huckleberry Finn Argumentative Essay

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“Huckleberry Finn” too Offensive for School? A debate concerning, Mark Twain’s classic “Huckleberry Finn” having content which maybe too offensive to be allowed on public school reading lists. The NAACP and concerned parents want “Huckleberry Finn” “removed from mandatory reading lists, for the books damaging effects on African-American students.”(Hentoff p 98) The book did not get removed, in “1998 Judge Reinhardt wrote, an important part of education is thinking critically about offensive ideas.”(Hentoff p 99) On both sides of this debate there are valid points and even stronger feelings. The pro banning side will say the book has offensive language, the con banning side responds 1st Amendment rights. Then the pro side retorts children’s racial sensitivity, the con side argues knowing stops…show more content…
Parents do not believe their children will understand that the lesson being taught by “Huckleberry Finn” isn’t racist. Educators want to spare their pulps the pains of the racial slur, forgetting that part of education is learning how to approach racism and other offensive topics in a sensitive manner. If one has never know the impacted of something and its effect, how do you know its wrong.(Kakutani) Jocelyn Chadwick-Joshua an African-American instructor wrote: “ Without the memory of what a word once meant and what it can continue to mean, we as a society are doomed to repeat earlier mistakes about ourselves, each other, and serious issues involving us all.”(Hentoff p 100) Another argument is that African-Americans have adopted this word into their culture, so why would they get offended. An example of why it would still be offensive you can call your child a brat, but no one else can, because that is not their place. Words hurt, knowing their meaning is important, however making everyone feel safe and respected is also highly
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    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a mediocre book with some good and bad parts. However, it’s negative parts out weight the good when teaching the book in American Literature. This book has some very good qualities in the beginning, but after Huck and Jim are not alone on the raft anymore the morals and plot goes down hill. Schools should teach the beginning of the book with its contemplation of morals but discuss the racism of characters to show Huckleberry Finn isn’t a perfect world

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