Is Mark Twain speaking through Huck, or do you think Huck's point of view is different from Twain's? Explain.
There has always been a controversy on whether or not The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is an appropriate book. It has been acknowledged for all the discrimination that goes on, yet it is also acknowledged for being one of the first great American Novels. But should it be judged for the content itself, or for the purpose of the content intending to educate others?
Huckleberry Finn is a young boy from the south, who is adventurous, mischievous, and acts in correspondence to where he is from. He was a character that Twain created for his novel, The adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Huck would often say racists phrases and terms that were quite relevant during his time and from his background. Although the terms and phrases were used back then and were a part of history, people often think that Mark Twain is a racists for allowing his characters to say and do these discriminating things that were considered, and still are, offensive to many people.
Mark Twain never meant for this to happen. All he intended to do was to write a fictional and educational book about a boy from that point in time. Although the boy did racists things and said the "N word" redundantly, it was because that's how it was. During that time period, in America's history, African-Americans were considered lower than any other American. Slavery was enforced in the southern regions of the United States, and it was a horrible moment in history that no American is proud to own up to. Mark twain acknowledged that in great detail, yet they were not his personal beliefs.
Mark twain supported anti-racism, abolition, and emancipation. He believed in political rights and equality and argued amongst others whom disagreed. He never once supported slavery, and was wrongfully accused of doing so.
I personally believe Mark Twain did a tremendous job of educating others who never experienced that specific time period. I also believe that he should be accredited for the quality and purpose of his works, and not for the context itself no matter how offensive it may be. History's mistakes should be remembered, and Huckleberry Finn is a book that goes into detail of that point in time in history, and gives people a true understanding of what it was like. After reading it, I was given a better understanding of how horrible, cruel, and unfair slavery was. This was what Mark Twain intended.
