Kevin A. Barry: The Microblog |
Coimhéad fearg fhear na foighde. This is the personal microblog of Kevin A. Barry. It was designed as a way for him to express his unique perspective on life. The views and opinions of this blog are his own and do not represent those of his employer and/or his other professional affiliations. |
Censoring a book due to the fact that it disagrees with what is deemed politically correct in the modern world is sophomoric at best. The whole point of Huckleberry Finn is, from Twain’s perspective, to expose the hypocrisy of slavery and demonstrate how racism distorts the oppressors as much as it does those who are oppressed.
As Huck questions the world around him, he begins to realize that the discrimination indoctrinated into him is wrong. He makes his own rules and lives by them. Huckleberry Finn represents how all of us have the capacity to overcome what we have been taught and to think for ourselves. This is an invaluable lesson and the point of what Twain was trying to get across to his readers.
While I also find the use of the n-word reprehensible, the book gives context as to why. By changing this body of literature, we are changing the meaning of the book and its historical context so as to not offend people in the present day. If Booker T. Washington did not take issue with Twain’s work, why should we?
