Huck Finn - To Teach or Not To Teach

[Townhallsavoy]

I'm not concerned with asserting my right to teach what I want, nor am I wanting to cause trouble. 

But I inquired today about the possibility of teaching Huck Finn by Mark Twain, and I honestly thought the book police were going to show up and take me away.

Needless to say, it did not go over very well for very unnecessary reasons.  But I digress.  We all have our own personal philosophies and opinions, and sometimes we get passionate about it.  No big deal. 

I am curious though what you think - Is Huck Finn inappropriate for high school English classes? 

The "n" word is used often.  It's not like To Kill a Mockingbird where only those with poor character use it.  It's commonplace language in the book. 

I feel as if it could be taught in a way that suppresses the casualness of the usage.  We could learn a lot about racism, civil rights, and history. 

Anyways, what do you think?

[Token]

I'm not concerned with asserting my right to teach what I want, nor am I wanting to cause trouble. 

But I inquired today about the possibility of teaching Huck Finn by Mark Twain, and I honestly thought the book police were going to show up and take me away.

Needless to say, it did not go over very well for very unnecessary reasons.  But I digress.  We all have our own personal philosophies and opinions, and sometimes we get passionate about it.  No big deal. 

I am curious though what you think - Is Huck Finn inappropriate for high school English classes? 

The "n" word is used often.  It's not like To Kill a Mockingbird where only those with poor character use it.  It's commonplace language in the book. 

I feel as if it could be taught in a way that suppresses the casualness of the usage.  We could learn a lot about racism, civil rights, and history. 

Anyways, what do you think?

Easy fix.  Before you pass out the books, replace "er" with "a" on all the "n" words. 

Seriously though, the response you received shows how far we've come regarding racism.  It's ALWAYS going to be an issue, because we don't have the balls to deal with it.  Our way to tackle the problem is to never ever talk about race again, ever. 

[Tiger Wench]

I read it in senior high English.  Until I took the class, it was one of my favorite books.  After dissecting every fucking word, I have yet to pick it up again.

I don't even remember the n-word being discussed or not discussed.  Our school was small and not divided on racial lines, but rather on social and economic lines (athlete versus non, haves versus have nots). 

You can't un-ring the bell.  Ignoring the past won't make it go away.  Lots of "classic" books out there reflect the prejudices of their times - but they are not vilified because of one word that was commonplace and accepted at the time the book was written. 

You don't have to make the word "black" the focus of the entire lesson either - lots of other issues to delve into - physical abuse, poverty, rivers as the source of all commerce, river towns the source of vice and corruption, superstition guiding actions (the spider in the candle), the hypocrisy of self-righteous do-goodies that try and force religion and "morals" down another person's throat while they themselves owned slaves, the lack of equal justice for all - justice only for those white and wealthy - neither Huck nor Jim would have received a fair trial if they had been caught stealing... it was not all about race, but as much about the class system as anything.

We've come a long way, baby.  Teach it. 

[Townhallsavoy]

Easy fix.  Before you pass out the books, replace "er" with "a" on all the "n" words. 

Seriously though, the response you received shows how far we've come regarding racism.  It's ALWAYS going to be an issue, because we don't have the balls to deal with it.  Our way to tackle the problem is to never ever talk about race again, ever.

My thoughts exactly. 

Too many people are afraid to even mention that it happened. 

And too many people are afraid to deal with the people who don't want you to mention that it happened. 

That was the biggest fear.  "You'll have kids walk out of your room because of how offended they'll be."  So the problem isn't the word or the book.  It's the fact that we'll have to face parents and discipline kids.  That's the real problem they don't want to deal with. 

[Townhallsavoy]

I read it in senior high English.  Until I took the class, it was one of my favorite books.  After dissecting every fucking word, I have yet to pick it up again.

I don't even remember the n-word being discussed or not discussed.  Our school was small and not divided on racial lines, but rather on social and economic lines (athlete versus non, haves versus have nots). 

You can't un-ring the bell.  Ignoring the past won't make it go away.  Lots of "classic" books out there reflect the prejudices of their times - but they are not vilified because of one word that was commonplace and accepted at the time the book was written. 

You don't have to make the word "black" the focus of the entire lesson either - lots of other issues to delve into - physical abuse, poverty, rivers as the source of all commerce, river towns the source of vice and corruption, superstition guiding actions (the spider in the candle), the hypocrisy of self-righteous do-goodies that try and force religion and "morals" down another person's throat while they themselves owned slaves, the lack of equal justice for all - justice only for those white and wealthy - neither Huck nor Jim would have received a fair trial if they had been caught stealing... it was not all about race, but as much about the class system as anything.

We've come a long way, baby.  Teach it.

There's a difference between mentioning a word and using a word.  In fact, if one is offended at the mentioning of a word, it is their problem.  A mentioning is subjectively offensive and most often, it's a reflection of how one responds to their emotions. 

I wonder what other words and events we can't mention.  Reminds me of this:




Mark Twain is one of the greatest American authors.  I wish I could teach it, but the headache isn't worth it.

[Saniflush]

That's nothing.  You should hear the shit storm that comes about when someone reads the tales of uncle Reamus in class.

[AU_Tiger_2000]

I don't think we read Huck Finn in high school, we did read Tom Sawyer though.  I also remember reading Pudd'nhead Wilson for our Mark Twain selection as a senior.  If you have your heart set on some Twain you might suggest that book.  It deals with the same issues as Finn, but is not as notorious and might be an easier sell.

I remember we read Huck Finn in my 2nd Lit class at Auburn. 

[Vandy Vol]

You don't have to make the word "black" the focus of the entire lesson either . . .

Or...you can.

[Snaggletiger]

My boy is starting 5th grade today at a private Christian school.  Huck Finn was part of his required summer reading.  I sat down a couple of times and read a few chapters with him because I forgot how entertaining Mark Twain's works are.

[Saniflush]

My boy is starting 5th grade today at a private Christian school.  Huck Finn was part of his required summer reading.  I sat down a couple of times and read a few chapters with him because I forgot how entertaining Mark Twain's works are.

You can't fucking read.

[Snaggletiger]

You can't fucking read.

It's got pictures

[War Eagle!!!]

My thoughts exactly. 

Too many people are afraid to even mention that it happened. 

And too many people are afraid to deal with the people who don't want you to mention that it happened. 

That was the biggest fear.  "You'll have kids walk out of your room because of how offended they'll be."  So the problem isn't the word or the book.  It's the fact that we'll have to face parents and discipline kids.  That's the real problem they don't want to deal with.

No one will walk out. Why? Cause nigga's don't read...

[wesfau2]

Race issues aside, let me get this out of the way:

Mark Fucking Twain is an overrated hack. 

There.  I feel much better.

[Godfather]

Isn't this public school?  If you can keep the girls off the pole and the boys off the pipe, don't you get a bonus?

[Saniflush]

Race issues aside, let me get this out of the way:

Mark Fucking Twain is an overrated hack. 

There.  I feel much better.

Come on man,  I thought "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" was pretty good.

[wesfau2]

Come on man,  I thought "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" was pretty good.

It's the best of his sorry catalog.

Give Innocents Abroad a shot.  His most commercially successful effort.  Fucking horrid.

[Godfather]

It's the best of his sorry catalog.

Give Innocents Abroad a shot.  His most commercially successful effort.  Fucking horrid.

Come on....How many guys do you know who've ever run off into the sunset with a hulking black guy..it's a tale as old as time.

[AWK]

Race issues aside, let me get this out of the way:

Mark Fucking Twain is an overrated hack. 

There.  I feel much better.

He isn't the best author in the world, but I would consider his contribution to Americana lore at least enough to list him as decent.  I bet you like Carl Sagan.

[Snaggletiger]

He isn't the best author in the world, but I would consider his contribution to Americana lore at least enough to list him as decent.  I bet you like Carl Sagan.

He's more of a Nicolas Sparks kind of guy.

[Vandy Vol]

He's more of a Nicolas Sparks kind of guy.

I thought he was more of a Stephenie Meyer type of guy.  All that pretty glitter when they go out in the sun...it's right up his alley.