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Climbing the Wheel <DNALL@ROLLINS> |
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Tue, 24 Nov 1992 11:00:00 EST |
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Dear Deirdre,
Do you feel that the requirement for teaching Huck. Finn is a dinosaur
in view of its relevancy and current affairs? I'm as much a fan of Twain
as anyone, but I must admit that the "n-word" (useful euphemism, there)
is so emotionally charged that it bothers me in any context, surely not
the same effect that it had when Twain was writing.
I would never mean to advocate censorship of any form, but I question the
repeated use of a book which is, after all, rather dated in its analysis
of American racial problems. While that's certainly not all there is to
the novel (which is damn funny to boot), I can understand the reservations
of many modern readers. Perhaps this book needs to be required less often
and in place one of Twain's other fine works could be studied.
Daven
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