Sanitizing Huckleberry Finn

[J T]

Some people want to take all the "n words" out of Huck Finn.

http://www.washington.edu/news/articles ... 19-discuss

[GSZX1337]

I remember hearing about this after Ebert spewed the N-Bomb. Damn, that was stupid.

[dsheinem]

this is fucking ridiculous.

[Czernobog]

Ridiculous. If I look at this objectively (which I find hard to do as I love Huckleberry Finn and consider it a great look into history and culture) I can understand (sort of) people not wanting High School students to read the book. (based on how I've seen people wrongly interpret the book as racist) However, making them read an edited version of the book is both an insult to the novel and and an insult to the intelligence of those students who actually want to read the novel and understand it's cultural relevance.

[Erik_Twice]

Let's miss the point completely!

Also the word slave makes absolutedly no sense since it's set in the reconstruction era and slavery already abolished.

[GSZX1337]

Let's miss the point completely!

Also the word slave makes absolutedly no sense since it's set in the reconstruction era and slavery already abolished.

That statement proves that foreigners know more about American History/Literature than, you know, Americans. I've seen quite a few times people saying that replacing "ni**er"* with "slave" was a good idea.

*I don't usually use asterisks to censor myself, but I didn't want to piss the mods off.

[Limewater]

Let's miss the point completely!

Also the word slave makes absolutedly no sense since it's set in the reconstruction era and slavery already abolished.

That statement proves that foreigners know more about American History/Literature than, you know, Americans.

Actually, it doesn't. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written during Reconstruction, but it takes place decades earlier. Jim in the book is indeed a slave.

I agree that, overall, the change is a really terrible idea. Is this really only just now making national news?

[SwooshBear]

I heard about this and thought it was a joke. I really hope they don't change it. I prefer the way Twain intended it to be. And who has the power to chane that anyway?

[Limewater]

I heard about this and thought it was a joke. I really hope they don't change it. I prefer the way Twain intended it to be. And who has the power to chane that anyway?

They can't really change the original text. This is just a censored edition. You should still be able to get uncensored copies easily.

[Flake]

I am going to play Devil's Advocate:

Despite what rappers would have you believe, that is a pretty atrocious word. Huckleberry Finn, while a classic, is first and foremost a book intended for children. Time's have changed and kids do not have the sensibilities to reconcile the word they read with its current status in our language.

I can see how, on at least that one limited level, this might be a decent idea.