The Controversial Classic of Huckleberry Finn Essay

The Controversial Classic of Huckleberry Finn - Essay Example The book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, has always been a controversial topic of discussion, due to its content. Its content includes a story of a young boy, Huck, which helps his slave friend, Jim, to escape to the North to gain his freedom during the 1830s in the United States. Although Huck is very young, he grew up to that age in a slave society, which consequently leads him to be racist towards other slaves. His racism is seen throughout the novel and is also the main reason the book is so controversial. The racism in the book to some extent encourages a motivation to use the n-word. Many articles about this book suggest that the book should be taught for several reasons. They suggest the book should be taught due to the viewpoint it gives on slavery or the fact that this book was purely a recitation of the radical and unjust events which took place in the South during the period of slavery and therefore, is historically accurate. These arguments do come off as logical, ye t they are insufficient. The damage this book inflicts to black students being taught Huck Finn is very crucial. Black students will experience the pain of the word "nigger" throughout this unit even if it is not applied to them directly. Huck Finn should not be taught due to a multitude of reasons such as its excessive use of derogatory terms, teachers' inability to teach Huck Finn in a multiracial classroom without creating an unjust situation for black students, and due to the better alternative books about this time era.