Racism in Huck Finn
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- Category: English: Novels
- Date Submitted: 07/25/2011 11:07 AM
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The Use of Racism in Huck Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is considered “the great American classic” yet it is set in a period of time of a high volume of racism used, especially in the Southern states of America. Slavery in America was most active and aware in the mid-1800s. Slavery was also only permitted in the southern states. The setting of the story takes place in the early 1840s and in St. Petersburg, Missouri. Slavery in Missouri was vital and important. There was even a controversy whether Missouri should be admitted as a slave or free state, in an event called the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Missouri entered the United States as a slave state in 1821, while Maine entered as a free state in 1820 to balance the slave/free state count. Racism and slavery basically go hand in hand. This novel is racist and some readers might feel offended by such content and for these certain reasons it should certainly be read in school.
The Adventures of Huck Finn give you a “in time period” experience of how slavery and racism was portrayed. Obviously white people treated colored folk cruelly and belittled them to doing their housework, treating them like dogs other than human beings. Slavery was a dark period of time in the usually glorified American history. Also, racism is an ignorant and idiotic practice. Adventures of Huck Finn also shows you how people reacted and treated black people years ago; some people, amazingly, still feel the same way now. It is astonishing how society’s knowledge has developed. The intelligence was there all along, it was just overcastted by ignorance..
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is considered “the great American classic” yet it is set in a period of time of a high volume of racism used, especially in the Southern states of America. Slavery in America was most active and aware in the mid-1800s. Slavery was also only permitted in the southern states. The setting of the story takes place in the early 1840s and in St. Petersburg, Missouri. Slavery in Missouri was vital and important. There was even a controversy whether Missouri should be admitted as a slave or free state, in an event called the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Missouri entered the United States as a slave state in 1821, while Maine entered as a free state in 1820 to balance the slave/free state count. Racism and slavery basically go hand in hand. This novel is racist and some readers might feel offended by such content and for these certain reasons it should certainly be read in school.
The Adventures of Huck Finn give you a “in time period” experience of how slavery and racism was portrayed. Obviously white people treated colored folk cruelly and belittled them to doing their housework, treating them like dogs other than human beings. Slavery was a dark period of time in the usually glorified American history. Also, racism is an ignorant and idiotic practice. Adventures of Huck Finn also shows you how people reacted and treated black people years ago; some people, amazingly, still feel the same way now. It is astonishing how society’s knowledge has developed. The intelligence was there all along, it was just overcastted by ignorance..