What is a word worth? According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books’ upcoming edition of Mark Twain’s seminal novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will remove all Read the full post.
Jan 3
2011
03:41 PM ET
New edition of 'Huckleberry Finn' to lose the 'n' word
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Utterly and completely idiot. The book is a reflection and the time and place it was written in. PCing it takes away its authenticity
I find the notions of indentured servitude and genocide offensive. Will slavery and The Holocaust soon be removed from history books?
welcome to your totally PC/whitewashed world–where someone else is always looking out for YOU. just think, maybe one day you won’t even have to think for yourself!! what a glorius day that will be!!!
glorious
Ugh… exactly.
hmmm… I wonder why all the hip-hop songs that use the “n-word” are not being edited for content also?
When and if they are ever considered “classics” and are being studied in school, then maybe.
“Race matters in these books,” Gribben told PW. “It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”
Exactly, Mr. Gribben. Out of your own mouth comes the reason you should leave it alone.
Utterly ridiculous. If those complaining actually bothered to read the book, they would see that the novel is anything BUT racist.
The use of the “n-word” serves to show the general racist sentiments of the era in which the novel was set – sentiments which Mark Twain critiques!
So it’s a children’s edition of Huckleberry Finn. Adults can and should still read the original. I don’t get the outrage.
It is not a “children’s edition”. Its a diluted, historically incorrect edition.
If you want your kids to learn from a fake, made-up history, go right ahead. I, however, will steer my children to the version that teaches about the time period.
Some idiot will think I’m a racist for not agreeing with this egregious literary atrocity. What would Mark Twain say?
When they remove the word from all rap songs, then I’ll approve the censorship of Huck Finn.
Rap songs are not taught in the classroom.
Reminds me of the book/movie “1984″
I thought Enid Blyton was the only writer whose books got whitewashed. Now the same thing is happening to Mark Twain?!
I understand why, but I think that book is a part of history and should not be changed. If they make a “clean” version for students, that’s understandable. But I hope there are still original editions out there to purchase in stores. Though I don’t condone the use of the words, that’s how the culture was at that time. History teaches us how to have a better future. We shouldn’t try to change or erase it.
A “clean” version for students is exactly the problem. If you present students with a bland, watered down version of their history and culture have they really learned anything of value? The purpose of education isn’t to make us feel good by pretending that we’re all very special and the world has no problems. “Huckleberry Finn” is an excellent opportunity for educating children about some harsh realities in our history and in our world. To do any less is to deny them the right to their own past.
I agree. They’re called “students” because they’re supposed to be STUDYING something. This will entail some type of learning.
Editing Mark Twain is not the solution to the “n” word. Actually it will probably help with the general understanding of the word which in some contexts (blues guitar styles) has been considered as a complement to the authenticity of the the players technique. Editing it out of classical literature simply deepens the problem because it eliminates a knowledge of some of it’s history.
Blatant censorship! Huckleberry Finn is NOT a children’s book! That would be like 10 year olds reading Animal Farm because it’s about farm animals.It is a book for high schoolers on up to read and study. So much of the themes of Huckleberry Finn are wrapped up in that word and what it meant at the time, and how Huck and Jim rebelled against it in their own ways. How can you take the word out, when it is such an integral part of the novel?!?
I hear the same people are working on an edition of Lolita where she’s 26.
LMAO. That is just brilliant; well done.