tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256801828148573136.post5382754466306582460..comments2024-01-26T17:29:53.415-05:00Comments on Reader's Almanac: Will bowdlerizing Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn attract more readers?The Library of Americahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17586915922688562543noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256801828148573136.post-54602030975549229422011-01-09T12:47:26.692-05:002011-01-09T12:47:26.692-05:00While I understand Gribben's desire to encoura...While I understand Gribben's desire to encourage more young people to read the book, it goes without saying that he's going about it the wrong way. It's more or less a microcosm for exactly what's wrong with our culture: rather than take that which is offensive and place it in an appropriate critical context, we pretend it doesn't exist. It's the literary equivalent of placing the V-Chip* inside your child's television: instead of explaining the destructive nature of violence, parents simply deprive their children of it entirely. I could go on about how this extends to sex education as well, but one doesn't need to belabor the point.<br /><br />Instead of censoring a novel that illustrated the incredible racial injustice of the time, parents, teachers, and community leaders should <em>teach</em> the book rather than just hand it to their children or their students and expect them to understand it on their own. We all have to be taught to read. It's time, again, for our parents and teachers to take some responsibility when it comes to our young readers. Keeping them in the dark is a proven way to exacerbate societal problems.<br /><br />--<br />*Does this even exist anymore?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256801828148573136.post-62570536134923028552011-01-08T04:22:01.745-05:002011-01-08T04:22:01.745-05:00Funny how some artists get called on it and some d...Funny how some artists get called on it and some don't. I never heard any complaint when Dylan used the word in Huricane.nobodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12212292905318099454noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-256801828148573136.post-19861546117414959672011-01-06T16:47:25.082-05:002011-01-06T16:47:25.082-05:00What I find ironic about these efforts to censor &...What I find ironic about these efforts to censor "Finn" is that Twain used racist language as part of a passionate protest *against* racism. It is as if these people are focusing simply on the fact that this word was used at all, rather than paying any attention as to *how* it was used.Undinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16214242522330278662noreply@blogger.com