Didn’t Huckleberry Finn have the N-Word in it? Not any more.
Welcome to the continuing Post-Racial-izing of America.
EW.COM
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 instances of the “n” word—I’ll give you a hint, it’s notnonesuch—present in the text and replace it with slave. The new book will also remove usage of the word Injun. The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben, who says his PC-ified version is not an attempt to neuter the classic but rather to update it. “Race matters in these books,” Gribben toldPW. “It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”
So in attempt to deal with a story of the tumultuous racial past of our country the best thing to do is censor the word “Nigger” from the book? In order to have the book be more palatable we have to erase the historical context of the usage and the word? Are you kidding?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Twain himself defined a “classic” as “a book which people praise and don’t read.” Rather than see Twain’s most important work succumb to that fate, Twain scholar Alan Gribben and NewSouth Books plan to release a version ofHuckleberry Finn, in a single volume with The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, that does away with the “n” word (as well as the “in” word, “Injun”) by replacing it with the word “slave.”“This is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind,” said Gribben, speaking from his office at Auburn University at Montgomery, where he’s spent most of the past 20 years heading the English department. “Race matters in these books. It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”
Yes, because in the 21st Century we need to clean up some the bad habits we used to have right? We can’t have people reading the word Nigger 219 times in a book! I mean sure, say it on the radio 11 times–but that’s just freedom of speech then. So what if thats how they spoke! So what the book was making a point via its usage? So WHAT? People’s sensibilities are being shocked. We can’t have the sensibilities of people shocked. This word is never used. Never, ever, ever. It’s only used by crazy people, Rappers and Black Comedians. But at what point do we stop? With people currently trying to separate slavery from the South’s secession at some point the word “Slave” will be a bad thing right? Then what will they edit Huckleberry Finn with? Black Guy? But Black seems so harsh you know? It’s like–completely not White–Oooh! We can say Beige Gentleman. Then when we get around to censoring the music of the late 20th century we already know what to use.
Think about it:
“Beige Gentlemen With Attitudes.” BG. W. A.
What up, My Beige Gentlemen?
Real Beige Gentlemen Do Real Things.
The word Nigger was used in this country quite liberally at one point. To try to edit work that uses the word in order to appease idiots is ridiculous. The book is a part of American history and on top of that its a piece of ART. Maybe The Mona Lisa’s smile offends people because they don’t know what she’s smiling about. MAYBE SHE’S THINKING ABOUT SEX! Are we going to change it to a frown? If at some point the Tea Party gets really powerful and decides that they don’t like the concept “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses” will we just delete that off of the Statue of Liberty? The problem is not, and never will be reading the word Nigger. The problem is the response. Acknowledging your history isn’t not reveling in it. And those who forget–or never even fricken learn–about the past are doomed to repeat it.
Elon James White
Latest posts by Elon James White (see all)
- We Want You — Be a Part of the #10FriskCommandments Remix Video - May 13, 2013
- #WeReviewHard: The Great Gatsby - May 10, 2013
- #ICYMI: The #10FriskCommandments - May 9, 2013
I did a production of Big River last year. In the notes for the show the playwright mentioned that use of the word “nigger” was optional. The director decided not to use it in the show. I didn’t have any problem with nigger being in the show because I understood its context.
White people aren’t allowed to say nigger.
White people aren’t allowed to say nigger.
And they also have Huck & Jim taking a Prius instead of the steamboat!
I just hope that this is clearly labeled as a “new translation” or something similar. The publisher should make it obvious on the cover to the buyer / reader that this is not Twain’s original novel, but a revision.
And they also have Huck & Jim taking a Prius instead of the steamboat!
I just hope that this is clearly labeled as a “new translation” or something similar. The publisher should make it obvious on the cover to the buyer / reader that this is not Twain’s original novel, but a revision.
” The publisher should make it obvious on the cover to the buyer / reader that this is not Twain’s original novel, but a revision.”
There is actually a word for the type of revision, a bowdlerization.
I think it would be a much better story without Huck Finn stealing and human trafficking an African American in it.
In Orwell’s “futuristic” London of 1984, besides permanent surveillance, censorship and anihilation of historical records is the real nightmare. “He who controls the present, controls the past. He who controls the past, controls the future.” What kind of a scholar is Mr. Gribben that he think it’s legitimate to meddle with a historical document?
Thankfully, this won’t be the only copy available!! But whose favors does New South Books try to curry?
Huck Finn is being used to teach about Racism in a Historical Context? Not in my all white school. We read it because it was a “classic” and didn’t say jack about race. EVER.
This is much more common than you think, teaching Huck Finn as “classic literature” and not as social commentary on our country’s fucked up racist past & present. If you’re not including the lesson about race then the N Word being included seems inappropriate. OBVIOUSLY it should be taught as a way to talk about race but in a lot of places it isn’t, which is why I think the word is being expunged.
I think what we’re seeing is that before, some kids read Huck Finn, didn’t talk about Race and didn’t care if they read the N word. Now kids are reading Huck Finn, don’t talk about Race and are now uncomfortable about having to read the word. This situation is just uncovering the problem of some schools teaching Huck Finn without teaching about racism in a historical context. This can be a way to expose the inconsistency of learning about racism & our country’s true past in public schools across the country, particularly comparing Rural and Urban schools.
Jim was a nigger, wasn’t he? What the hell’s the problem, then?
Do you have questions or comments for Dr.Alan Gribben, the editor and Twain scholar who took the “N” word out of Huck Finn? He’ll be on the podcast, Brain Burps About Books. Leave your questions/comments at 888-522-1929 and I’ll try to bring it into the show. Thanks!
None of the teenagers reading the book Huckleberry Finn have ever seen the movie Pulp Fiction.
did they get the idea from the england, the bastion of WASP. The Famous Five books by Enid Blyton have had N word removed as well, so horrid middle class types can read about themselves and feel smug. But they USE to feel smug and self satisfied using the word Nigger whenever they came folk like me. Like you say, it’s Moral Amnesia which the english do allll the time, the racial context is taken away and it works so well, a prof wrote article about how Enid Blyton just wasn’t a racist. Cracker KNOWS that it was the norm norm norm back then, just admit it and brotha’s like me can work with you but to play Moral Amnesia ie make it dissapear then act like it never happen is just plain evil… ditto with Jung etc