Nicole's last thoughts on Huckleberry :)

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a piece of literature that has shaped the minds of young people in many ways. The continuation of this book should continue to be taught to high school students because it helps them develop the skills to become a better person for the world.

            The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be read in high schools because it shows how someone can move on, and how to become a better person. This is shown through the character Huck, and the character Jim. Huck states at the last line of the book, “But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest because Aunt Sally, she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it, I been there before” (Twain 260).  Twain showcases that Huck is “ahead” of the rest. Huck will take his adventures with him as he moves on. I believe Huck will not forget his experience with Jim. He is real. Huck realizes at this moment of the book that he has grown. Leaving for the West, Twain is showing the audience that Huck has grown into a better person. He will still make mistakes, but that is what makes Huck a real person. The high school age people will see that through Huck. They will learn that nobody is perfect; but people can strive to be a better person.

            “I would rather have my children read Uncle Tom’s Cabin” Smiley argues. She believes that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is nothing but a waste of time.  She argues that even though Uncle Tom’s Cabin is more in-depth and contains imagination, endurance, and redemption. She feels it is more like life. I think in life we experience this ‘coming of age’  on our own time, and when were ready. That is what The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is about. Huck learns to become a better person morally.   

            It is important for young readers to relate and find curiosities in Jim. High school teachers should not only teach this book because of the main character Huck, but because of Jim as well. Jim can teach us a lot about the time period. Also Jim is able to use what he already knows to figure things out. Chadwick-Joshua explains that when she says, “it is Jim, the fully rounded character; it is not Twain who empowers Jim, for it is Jim   who empowers himself to risk sacrificing his freedom, to do what he feels is right.” We can learn from Jim when he stays with Tom Sawyer when he is hurt. What a heroic thing to do. Studying Huck Finn would teach students about the past, but it would also teach them how these two unlikely people learn values about society. Jim and Huck hold a bond that is worth looking into and figuring out who they are, and how they both grow. When Chadwick Joshua says “empowers” she means that someone who has authority to do something. Jim is giving himself “authority” to stay with Tom. This authority shows Jim’s growth in society, which can teach young students like myself to stick up to peer pressure from society. 

            Having the book read in high schools with no other changes made to it is very important. David Matthews explains, “Removing that single word from the text, while sparing those too sensitive to get past it, relieves the reader of doing any heavy lifting” I agree. I think that students will not get the benefit of the story if they replace the “n” word with slave. It does not even compare to the meaning by replacing it with slave. What would you learn?   Keeping the same word is important because Twain knew exactly what he was doing. The word holds a purpose; therefore you should leave the word in the book. Students would not learn if the book did not contain the same material as it does.

            Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1996. Print.

Smiley. "Smiley Say It Aint So." Say It Aint So. N.p., n.d. Web.