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Rewriting Huck Finn without the N-word?

Joni L. Reynolds | Posted January 6, 2011 2:29 PM

Mark Twain wrote Huckleberry Finn and used the word "nigger" more than 200 times.

New South publishers have now released a new sanitized version of the book in which they have substituted the word "slave" for "nigger." They contend that educators have shied away from using the classic book because of the use of the word "nigger."

Twain wrote this book and used the language of his time. Is it appropriate to change the words because it offends people or should the original have been left alone?

Normally we don't even see the word anymore. It is refered to as the n-word in an effort not to offend, but everyone knows what the n-word means. Is this simply political correctness on steroids?

Tell me what you think.

[Original Entry]

Joni L. Reynolds, an African-American mother, writes a blog called Ebony Mom Politics.

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Comments 8

Shirley Robinson
2011-01-14 12:33:43

I think rewriting a classic novel (or any novel) is reprehensible. Twain, indeed, used the language of his time, and it is pertinent to the theme of this novel to keep it intact. I cannot comprehend that anyone considers this acceptable.

FRE
2011-01-14 20:52:24

I happen to be white. I would never use the "n" word, the reason being that I know that many people find it highly offensive. But taking the "n" word out of a work that is considered to be a classic is another matter entirely. There could be a preface added to the book explaining the origin and history of the "n" word, including why it is not acceptable to use it now. The preface could also include the fact that Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) very much regretted the fact that blacks were horribly mistreated and that one of the reasons for his writing the book was to show the humanness of blacks at a time when blacks were considered less than human.

MLee
2011-01-15 02:04:09

I am in agreement with the first two posters.

Steph m
2011-01-15 16:31:53

Censorship is absolutely wrong, history is never pretty but rewriting it is a slippery slope down the road of "consciencious innaccuracies"-read: pretty lies in place of the ugly truth.

W. F. Dossmann
2011-01-15 17:12:01

Political correctness in any form is for the birds. If you use a word, it is assumed you mean it. What is the matter with that. Reverse political correctness is rarely seen. If you want political correctness, go to church (usually.)

Blaq
2011-02-02 15:43:13

The comments presented here are sound. It is a classic and the word in question was as common place then as a person's first name. The book reflects the reality of what was happening and the words used in that time frame. Changing that reality might change a person's perception of true history. If a person's is truly concerned about this word perhaps they should consider having current musical artists rewrite their lyrics without them before targetting books created by authors long dead.

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