Edition removes N-word from Mark Twain classics

[LuLuO]

You don't change an author's work. You just don't.

I never read Mark Twain in school but my Grandma and I read Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn together when I was about 8 or 9 years old. The next summer we went to Hannibal MO.

If my kids' school is going to teach an edited version of any literary work then I just assume they not teach it.

 

[daisax]

I'm going back and forth. It may all come down to the age group at which it's introduced. Maybe instead of a middle school book it needs to be a high school honors book and taught at that level -- complete with an exploration of Reconstruction history and the peculiar ethics by which Twain was criticizing the racism of a recent past while at the same time not exactly making Jim much more than a caricature for his present day audience. I don't think it's a "PC" to recognize that the book may need to be given its due in terms of the larger context of American history, as opposed to just treating it as a fun story.

I assume there are "kids" version of the story already (certainly there were of Tom Sawyer when I was little) that are abbreviated down to a few chapters and some pictures. Where are the purists horrified by those modifications? Perhaps a version of the full text with those modifications would make an intermediate version that would introduce kids to the "story" and then they could learn its deeper meanings as they progress in life.

I will say every library should have the original version and it would be horrifying if any university used anything but the original.

 

[Ceila]

You don't change an author's work. You just don't.

I absolutely agree with you. Altering an author's work to suit another's sensibility is wrong at the deepest level.

 

[JarethDrakul]

I'm baffled by the idea of altering a classic in any way, especially changing or deleting words.

I have to say though, I grew up in England and neither of these books were taught to us in school - after reading this thread I'm going to go out and get a copy of these books to read (hopefully unedited versions!)

Agreed.
I'm from England aswell and one book I was taught used the n-word (sorry don't remember what the book was called, but it was a very good book) and everyone in the class knew that's what times were like then when the word was used.....censoring it doesn't change that fact.

Plus if I'm beign taught something I like to be taught in the way it was originally written not something that's been altered or 'updated' (which is why I missed a few english lessons as I don't think watching a modern day telling of shakespeare's Romeo & Juilet with none of the original texts taught me about shakespeare's texts).

 

[minkydog]

Reading an edited version of a book and reading the actual book can also be the difference between a good book and an 'almost good book'. I think editing it is a cop-out because the use of the 'n-word' was very prevalent at one time in history - it is the way things were. If we edit that out its easy to forget. Even though they are fictional novels, I think removing the word is an attempt to whitewash history. Again.

If we remove everything that offends or could possibly offend, how are we going to learn from our mistakes?

I would love to know the actual percentage of people who have decided not to read either book *just* because of the use of the 'n-word'. Most of those classic, but unread books are that way because people just don't read like they used to, not because of the 'n-word' or other objectionable material. Or they simply do not like the author's other works - I'm not a fan of Dickens and I haven't read a lot of his work, but that doesn't mean I fail to understand why his work is 'classic' and to be appreciated.

Count me as one of those who object to the use of the N-word. We had to read Huck Finn in 11th grade(1973). I lived in south Alabama at the time, and the N-word was tossed around freely. We even had a service station in town which had a whites only restroom and water fountain. However...I was not raised that way. My parents NEVER used the N-word,ever, and I never saw either of them treat persons of color with disrespect. So, when it came time for me to read this book, the language was so off-putting that i couldn't get through it. And I really tried. I'm an excellent and fast reader. There was no reason for me not to be able to read this book. But after 2 weeks, I still couldn't manage it. I talked to my teacher, but she would not alter the assignment. Therefore, when it came time to write the final essay, the subject i chose was why i objected to the language in the book and how I found it extremely anxiety-provoking. My teacher evidently impressed with my argument, because I got a B+.

I don't see why Huckleberry Finn should not be editted for use in schools. It's classic American literature, but I don't think leaving out the N-word would take anything away from the story. And publishers could certainly continue to release the original.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Best quote from Malkin: "Ah, yes. The 'n-word.' Twain used it in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 215 times, we are ceaselessly reminded by censors who are too busy counting Twain’s words to understand them."

Nah, no censors were used - MSWord counted it

 

[gina2000]

It's censorship and revisionist history.

Masking the truth is repulsive.

 

[ChrisFL]

I was surprised to read this "whitewashing" of Twain's books wasn't new. Some have been fighting against Mark Twain's classics for years.

Whitewashing Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, Part 99,999

http://michellemalkin.com/2011/01/04/whitewashing-huck-finn-and-tom-sawyer-part-99999/

Ironic that Michelle Malkin would be against this, but was upset that Rachael Ray had a "terrorist" scarf in a Dunkin' Donuts commercial

 

[Geoff_M]

Ironic that Michelle Malkin would be against this, but was upset that Rachael Ray had a "terrorist" scarf in a Dunkin' Donuts commercial

I suppose so, if you think context is meaningless.

 

[Feralpeg]

I totally disagree with the editing. As others have said, changing the words in the book will not change history. Don't we want our children to know our true history and understand it? How else can they make things better?

What next? Should they go through all of the classic western novels and remove the words "Injun" and "savage". It won't change the fact that these people were also treated poorly.

I will never buy and edited copy of the books.

 

[emma'smom]

Why is it a bad thing to say to students "There are some uncomfortable words in this book. Let's talk about why this word makes people uncomfortable". If we avoid using the word and talking about the word....then the word retains it's hateful power.

 

[m!ssemmx0]

I read Huck Finn this year in school (I'm in 11th grade), and my teacher had a few discussions with us about the n-word; that it was part of the vernacular at the time, which is why Twain used it. At first I was a little put off by how often it was used, but then as I read the book I realized that it was more than just a derogatory word; it helps enhance the historical aspects of the book, and helps the reader understand what the pre-Civil War south was like; nothing PC, nothing glossed over.

While I don't condone the use of the word, I think that since this is a classic work of literature, it should be left alone. Making these new, PC copies isn't going to stop people from reading the original. Not everyone is so offended by the word that it would stop them from reading the book altogether.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I am offended by whale hunting. It needs to be removed from Moby Dick.

 

[Wall-E1]

I am offended by whale hunting. It needs to be removed from Moby Dick.

I'm offended by the "D" word in your post. Please find a similar word that will not offend people of any race, color, or sexuality.

 

[RitaE]

Count me as one of those who object to the use of the N-word. We had to read Huck Finn in 11th grade(1973). I lived in south Alabama at the time, and the N-word was tossed around freely. We even had a service station in town which had a whites only restroom and water fountain. However...I was not raised that way. My parents NEVER used the N-word,ever, and I never saw either of them treat persons of color with disrespect. So, when it came time for me to read this book, the language was so off-putting that i couldn't get through it. And I really tried. I'm an excellent and fast reader. There was no reason for me not to be able to read this book. But after 2 weeks, I still couldn't manage it. I talked to my teacher, but she would not alter the assignment. Therefore, when it came time to write the final essay, the subject i chose was why i objected to the language in the book and how I found it extremely anxiety-provoking. My teacher evidently impressed with my argument, because I got a B+.

I don't see why Huckleberry Finn should not be editted for use in schools. It's classic American literature, but I don't think leaving out the N-word would take anything away from the story. And publishers could certainly continue to release the original.

I don't agree. You admit yourself that the n-word in that story invoked in you such strong emotion that you had problems reading it. Alter the word and the story no longer makes you react in the same manner. It is different, no longer the story that Mark Twain wrote.

I wouldn't want my children taught that version just to shield them from the ugliness of our history. That respects nobody.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I'm offended by the "D" word in your post. Please find a similar word that will not offend people of any race, color, or sexuality.

Moby Johnson?
Moby Willy?
Moby Weiner?

 

[Wall-E1]

Moby Johnson?
Moby Willy?
Moby Weiner?

 

[Art 1]

Daughter had never been around blacks. There were none in her HS, we do not use that language in our house. Daughter goes away to college in a very large city. Many blacks, her roommate is black. Daughter is very shocked saying they call each other the N word constantly. These girls are not dumb, they are not street girls, this is a very competitive school. Daughter is so tired of the filthy language that she put in for a room transfer. Apparently the N word is used quite a bit by black people.

 

[SAHDad]

Moby Willy?
Moby Weiner?

Sorry. "Moby Willy" could cause people to think of Groundskeeper Willie, from the Simpsons, a stereotype that could be horribly offensive to someone of Scottish origin. Should avoid.

"Moby Weiner" - weiner is slang for hot dog, a food which could be offensive and cause mental distress to vegetarians and vegans. Should avoid.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Daughter had never been around blacks. There were none in her HS, we do not use that language in our house. Daughter goes away to college in a very large city. Many blacks, her roommate is black. Daughter is very shocked saying they call each other the N word constantly. These girls are not dumb, they are not street girls, this is a very competitive school. Daughter is so tired of the filthy language that she put in for a room transfer. Apparently the N word is used quite a bit by black people.

The word is used quite a bit by SOME black people.