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New Edition of Huckleberry Finn will eliminate offensive words Avendesora Send a noteboard - 04/01/2011 07:16:36 PM
Discuss. I heard of this a while ago, but wasn't sure if it was discussed here.

by Mark Memmott

Saying they want to publish a version that won't be banned from some schools because of its language, two scholars are editing Mark Twain's classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to eliminate uses of the "N" word and replace it with "slave," Publishers Weekly writes.

The edition, from NewSouth Books, will also shorten an offensive reference to Native Americans.

As PW says, "for decades, [Huckleberry Finn] has been disappearing from grade school curricula across the country, relegated to optional reading lists, or banned outright, appearing again and again on lists of the nation's most challenged books, and all for its repeated use of a single, singularly offensive word."

One of the scholars, Alan Gribben of Auburn University, tells PW that "this is not an effort to render Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn colorblind. ... Race matters in these books. It's a matter of how you express that in the 21st century." (The edited Huck Finn will be included in a volume with Tom Sawyer.)

News of the new edition of Huck Finn has sparked quite a bit of comment on Twitter, where "Huckleberry Finn" is a trending topic as this moment. So far, the consensus of the crowd seems to be that it's not a good idea. One interesting comment from that thread:

"Learning the 'N' word from Huckleberry Finn taught me not to use it bc it was improper, so.. why the change?"
The new edition, PW says, is due to be published by February. Huckleberry Finn was first published in 1884.

*MySmiley*

I believe all news and research that supports my opinion, and dismiss the rest as conspiracy and lies.
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New Edition of Huckleberry Finn will eliminate offensive words - 04/01/2011 07:16:36 PM 2077 Views
I am annoyed - 04/01/2011 07:41:37 PM 993 Views
That's nothing that new. I read Sawyer and Huck Finn when I was like 10, and it was definitely water - 04/01/2011 07:45:07 PM 1010 Views
I wonder... - 04/01/2011 08:44:31 PM 1007 Views
I believe... - 04/01/2011 09:08:13 PM 1041 Views
That's new to me. - 04/01/2011 09:35:05 PM 978 Views
Grimm's Fairy Tales are awesomely dark - 05/01/2011 04:36:28 AM 986 Views
I knew that... - 05/01/2011 09:27:44 PM 971 Views
There's a difference between a kids' version and a normal version with a censored word, though. *NM* - 04/01/2011 11:19:26 PM 480 Views
Wouldn't the "kids' versions" ALREADY have that word excised? *NM* - 04/01/2011 11:53:09 PM 495 Views
Presumably, yes. *NM* - 05/01/2011 06:28:47 PM 496 Views
Exactly. *NM* - 05/01/2011 01:04:16 AM 602 Views
That is just wrong. - 04/01/2011 08:00:57 PM 1053 Views
I agree. - 04/01/2011 09:12:53 PM 1113 Views
my gut says it wrong but my brain says it is OK - 04/01/2011 09:11:00 PM 1205 Views
No, the goal of the book (or one of them) was to illustrate authentic dialogue. Your brain sucks. - 04/01/2011 11:49:13 PM 1019 Views
I hate it when I agree with you - 05/01/2011 12:09:37 AM 989 Views
yes but you are disagreeing with me so it is a wash *NM* - 05/01/2011 04:09:54 PM 476 Views
I see logic isn't your strong point. - 05/01/2011 04:09:27 PM 1036 Views
Re: I see logic isn't your strong point. - 08/01/2011 01:32:16 AM 1041 Views
it still boils down to the fact that most teachers will not use a book with word nigger in it - 08/01/2011 02:55:29 AM 914 Views
You must have a very low opinion of black people... - 08/01/2011 07:34:14 PM 1089 Views
*cough* Rodney King trial *cough* *NM* - 22/01/2011 07:06:20 PM 500 Views
Wow. Hmm. - 04/01/2011 09:31:27 PM 1066 Views
naw Twain was a pinko liberal *NM* - 04/01/2011 09:46:57 PM 485 Views
It's probably a bad idea - 04/01/2011 11:06:02 PM 933 Views
Heh. - 04/01/2011 11:26:00 PM 974 Views
Re: It's probably a bad idea - 04/01/2011 11:51:31 PM 1052 Views
Just because it's the point doesn't mean I have to like it. *NM* - 05/01/2011 04:44:10 AM 469 Views
Reacting to "nigger" like that makes the word more hurtful. - 05/01/2011 03:26:35 AM 1090 Views
Well - 05/01/2011 02:03:58 PM 977 Views
Pshaw. - 05/01/2011 01:52:57 PM 992 Views
My thoughts exactly *NM* - 06/01/2011 08:42:42 AM 474 Views
Re: I revel in your succint common sense. - 07/01/2011 06:01:08 PM 1643 Views
What's next, burning Gone with the Wind? *NM* - 11/01/2011 12:54:46 PM 488 Views

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