the "N" word to be removed from Huck Finn

The FUCK?

They say it's not to render them colorblind, and that race matters.... Well yeah, and the complacency with dat nikka jim being what he is is a huge part of it. That's fucking silly, the way to fight it being on banned book lists is to write a paper to be distributed by schools, to parents, explaining exactly what the book is and exactly how it uses the language it does, and in what context, and why it is important for children to read it as it really is.

 

Really clever, Tom.

Gee, did that ever make your point.

I bet your Mom put your school work up on the fridge with magnets, didn't she?

 

Your continuing efforts to make this into a personal flame war will not succeed. I would suggest you try to stay on topic.

 

mom jokes are not from the 70's are sure you can count your age

 

There have been slaves as long as there has been civilization, black people do not have the monopoly on being abused that some of them might like to think they do.

And I'm reasonably sure that negro is simply derived from negro.... that is, it means black in spanish.

 

I remember reading a book in elementary school with the N word in it... we were reading the book aloud as a class and the teacher just advised that those uncomfortable didn't have to read it aloud and just skip over it. I liked that. Only one person read it aloud, but no one minded because everyone knew that this person didn't mean anything by it. It's what's in the book. (I can't recall what book this was... maybe the Outsiders? I can't remember what profanity that book had.)

 

This post is all emotional fight picking terms, and no thought. And if this sounds like I'm picking a fight, I am, but not an emotional, personal one like you're trying to start.

A huge part of the book is about race, and the words used where used for a reason. The fact that huck is friends with a ******, but still only sees him as a ******, and as only worth being a ******, despite his obvious humanity and worth, is half the damn point of the whole thing. Slave means someone who is forced into servitude, and makes no moral judgement of that individual. while it just REALLY means black, negro was given a new meaning in america, quite intentionally. If they said black, it just meant black, so they took another languages black and gradually turned it into something totally different, which also changed the people it was applied to. That's what this is all about, and why the book doesn't mean jack once you butcher it like this. If you want to read the book, read the book, if you don't, don't. It's very important to try to blur the lines of history as little as possible.

Methinks the "scholars" just want something important sounding on their resume.

 

i believe it already came out. i think it is dumb and very degrading that they changed an dead artists work.

 

Might's'well burn the book.

 

Unless you are one, or the other, or both, you have no idea what "slave" or "******" means in some people's mouths.

 

So are you trying to tell me they changed an offensive word to a word just as offensive?

****** is a highly derogatory term for black people in america, which played a heavy role in their suppression. That is exactly why it is so important that it remain unchanged for this book to retain its worth.

There are slaves all over the world, and being black has nothing to do with it, it simply denotes a position of forced servitude. ******, as used in this context, has many accompanying negative connotations (the ones not related to legal status obviously false) and denotes a particular type of slave, that being one that is also considered physically and mentally inferior to the population at large.

Trying to make something that is meant to be offensive gentle destroys the whole point. Even at the time, when the word was common, the things huck assumes about jim, and that jim accepts because he's a ******, are meant to be disconcerting, given their relationship.

I assume the part about native americans that they took out is the one (assuming I'm not thinking from something in tom sawyer instead...) is the portion where injun joe is expected to be brutal and barbaric, on account o' him bein' an injun. Also meant to be inflamatory, and an important part of the picture that the book paints.



Without being this sort of social commentary, what the hell are huck fin or tom sawyer worth? they're books about kids doing dumb shit, breaking the rules, and having crazy imaginations, but that's all...

 

OK, I read the other article: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/...newsouth-huck-finn-eliminates-the-n-word.html
It sounds like there was a need to provide a version that could be read by a wider audience.
If some people find the word offensive and can't read it, why not provide a version they can?
The whole point seems to be to get people reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_Reads
It also sounds like it is meant for the "general reader" who isn't necessarily going to wish to get too deep into the social/political under-currents, but would like a toned down version...or just for people that just do not like the N word.
The original version will be still available (probably right next to this version).
Now those not keen on the N word and those keen on the N word can both read their own version and discuss the book.
If literary purists don't want to read this version, don't read it.
The premise it was: "in order to get the book placed back on the curriculum in schools" doesn't seem to be true.
It might be a happy outcome, though.

 

Because a very important part of the book is how people treat ****** Jim, calling him '****** Jim', as well as '******', is an important part of how they treat him.

That's like having a Holocaust documentary that can't show any death.

 

There are thousands of books about kids doing kid shit, without the social commentary and provocativeness, there is no reason to choose huck fin if huck fin isn't what you want them reading. If you want to read the work of mark twain, you should read the work of mark twain. If the audience is not mature enough for the whole point of the story, why the FUCK would you want them reading the story?

 

But come on, what about people who want a toned down version of the holocaust, and want to learn about it, but aren't mature enough to see racism or cruelty towards jews or other enemies of the rich?

 

I made my argument. I'm not going to re-state it in simpler words just so you can understand.

 

The author wrote the book... he chose the words he wanted... he chose them for his reasons... If he had chose to write a non-offensive version, then great... all the power to him...

However, he didn't...

Now, someone comes along and changes a couple of words, and profits off of his works, WHILE destroying the authors original intent.

Let's just do that with all books every made shall we? Change a couple of words, regardless of what the actual author meant and re-sell it to people who are too frightened to read about their past.

Maybe we should take the book " ****: A Declaration of Independence" and change it to "Female Parts: A declaration of Independence' for those who are too sensitive to read it as the author meant it to be read?

 

Name me a few with a white boy and a black boy and the word slave in it.

To be honest, I'm going to sit on the fence on this one.
I can see your point, but at the end of the day it is a choice.
I know the story and am aware it isn't about kids doing stuff, really.
So I could read both versions and get something out of it.
There have been dozens of versions where the story has been told with out the N word, and also watered down so much...it is about kids doing stuff.
If people can't read between the lines with a text that is 99.9% the same...I doubt they would get it with the N word included.
I'm sure the majority of the people reading the new version are aware of the difference but just do not want to use or see the N word.
*shrugs shoulders*
Like I said, both versions are available

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw0e8p0Tyo4"]YouTube - Blackadder - Over the top (end of blackadder goes fourth)

Any deaths?

 

I wonder just what it is he meant by this?