Let's talk censorship today. I don't know if you saw the news story on this, so here's the background. There are people who are calling for the rewriting of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. They say that the book is racist and that the "n" word should be taken out and replaced with the word "slave." Because of this uproar, at least one book publisher has taken it upon itself to do this. There are now versions of Huck with no "n" word, only the word "slave."
What do you think about this? Should the classics be sanitized because people today are offended by some parts of the book or some words used? If so, who gets to decide what gets changed and how it gets changed? If the classics should stay as is, how do we address the concern over language? Discuss!
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I do not think that the classics should be changed because some are offended by it. Back when these stories were written, it was a common occurence that the "n" word was used. So many people today decide to make a big scene just because they can and because they get attention for it. I know the "n" word is offensive to african americans but then why do they use it when they talk to eachother. They're all being hypocrites. I do get too that the uproar could not have been caused by a black person but I'm just saying.
ReplyDeleteI think that the classics should stay how they are and no words should be changed. However, in today's books some author's still use the "n" word and I think that should not be allowed. That way the people who have a problem with the language will get what they want while we still preserve out pieces of classic literature.
I hope that argument sounds legit, it's how I feel I guess.
:)
I think the book should stay the same. People take offence to things so easily today. I mean everything someone says can be turned into a controvercey. That book is a classic and should stay the way it is. Most kids are learning worse things just by being around them i really don't think to words in this book are going to affect them to much. I think the launguage shouldn't be changed it gives you a sence of the time the book was writen in.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they should be changed, but as teachers and students we should have higher moral standards to take it upon ourselves to choose books that will raise our level of learning and thinking rather than lowering our minds into the gutter. Just because they are classic's doesn't mean they are good. In a sense we are all censors, we have a choice in choosing to assign or to read one book over another that is perhaps the better/worse choice.
ReplyDeleteJust because some people don't think that American classics are "politcally correct" doesn't mean they should be changed. Censorship is ruining this world and the FCC shouldn't censor everything that THEY think is wrong. Who cares if cartoons swear? If children weren't meant to watch it, the parents should block it. That's my opinion on this entire thing. (:
ReplyDeleteAlso, since this is about the book, the 'n' word was used regularly in that time period. It's not like we can go back in time and change that. It's a part of our history that we may not be proud of, but it's still part of our history.
ReplyDeleteI don't think any book should be censored based on language because it is our right to write what we want. I understand where Christina is coming from when she says "Just because they are classics doesn't mean they are good." but just because they aren't good doesn't mean we shouldn't read them. They are classics for a reason. They express a certain subject that would be beneficial for the reader to know and understand. There shouldn't be a banned books list because it goes against our right to say what we want. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was not intended to be racial or anything, it was written in the language of that time.
ReplyDeleteSo if you couldn't tell I'm completely against the replacing of the "n" word with "slave."
I don't think the book should be changed either. One problem with replacing "n" with slave is that makes people assume that all blacks were slaves. Also, Mark Twain wrote the book the way he did for a reason. We shouldn't go back and change what he spent years working on. That just doesn't seem right. I can understand where the people are coming from because with the way it is, it wouldn't be appropiate for middle schoolers. I also don't think there should be banned books. There is freedom of speech. And it's not like because someone wrote something, that we are all the sudden forced to believe it. We can think what we want. Last weekend, on SNL, there was a skit that was about this. The were talking about how the "n" word was replaced with homie. That made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteI definitely do not think that the classics should be changed. Then they are not the same and the flavor of the story is weaker. If people get offended, they should not read the book. I think people just want something to get mad about and offended by. People need to realize that that kind of language was once used and they need to desensitize themselves from it because the author obviously did not intend to offend some specific random person.
ReplyDeleteThe book should not be changed for practically one word. It's a classic for a reason. It would be like changing one of Shakespeare's great works. It shouldn't be done. People should just deal with the fact that the "n" word is used. It's not like it's the first and only book to have that word in it. Why aren't they changing other books like that then? The whole thing is just ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the "n" word is bad, I do not think it should be changed. It is a very popular book and very accurate. It explains how they talked, so they should just keep it thee same as it would be. I can see how it would be offensive, but if they Need to make a whole other copy, then they should do so. My question is however, why is this topic coming up now, after it was published so long ago?
ReplyDeleteThe classics are classics and they shouldn't be changed. If people don't like the words then they shouldn't read it. They don't have to be offended by things like that, the author is just expressing what the times were like, and what type of people the characters were, and how they thought.
ReplyDeleteI think that the book should be offered in censored versions. I don't think that the original version should not be produced. I just think that an alternative censored version should be available. A censored version could be read by younger people. Banned books could also come in censored versions.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that books should be sanitized because of language. There is usually a reason why an author includes certain things in their books, even if they aren't always the nicest of things. Generally they help show how things were/are like in the setting of the story and helps make a point. If people are offended, then they should just put the book down and not read it or at least try to realize, when it comes to Huck, that was how people thought and talked during that time.
ReplyDeleteTo me, the books are just as important as a history book. They tell us what things were like at that time, and I think people are mature enough to handle what the book says. The book helps us learn from the past, so hopefully nothing happens like that in the future. Also, people have the choice to read the book. It's not like someone is forcing everyone to read it. I'm sure there are books out there that could offend anyone.
ReplyDeleteIts CLASSIC you can't do that! It would ruin the meaning of it. I think it is fine to keep it in the classic books, becuase its not like they are in books now a days.
ReplyDeletejenni Gust
I think it is ridiculous that they want to censor it. I really get ticked off when people ban books from school library's. I understand that the n word is incredibly offensive and racist, but that shapes the book. You can't censor things and expect a book to have the same impact. Books are written to be read the way they are.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that the books should have to be censored, but that doesn't mean we should have to read them in school. Certain books might be classified as classics, but that doesn't make them morally right and make me want to read them. Don't take away peoples rights, if they want to write a book a certain way, go for it. But if I do not want to read the book because I think there is no point to it what so ever I should not have to read that.
ReplyDeleteTOm
I prefer the traditional classic. It's all about understanding and learning literature from it's own time. Eventually kids won't even know the true history behind the "n" word and they'll just understand it as what it's directed as in rap/hip hop songs. But in reality there's so much more meaning behind it, and I think it's important to know. Today I feel like people are selfish and stubborn and they think they should change history to satisfy themselves, and I think it's wrong.
ReplyDelete