Let’s not overlook that Twain’s attempt to address the flagrant racism against the Chinese cost him a job at the San Francisco Moring Call as a struggling young journalist. This was the beginning of a lifetime commitment to remedy historical wrongs against Asian Americans, racism that is again rearing it’s ugly head. Sent from my iPhone > On Mar 27, 2021, at 11:10 PM, Peter Salwen <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > [EXTERNAL MESSAGE] > > Stephen, just a few words of appreciation for your observations on > "Huckleberry Finn," which to my mind perfectly capture and summarize the > tricky, frustrating admixture of racist and fiercely anti-racist elements > in both the book and its author: the power and humanity of the raft scenes > on one hand, and on the other the regrettable minstrelsy & stereotyping in > the "Evasion" chapters, where, as you put it so eloquently, "the novel > betrays Jim, its anti-racist agenda, and its own greatness." > > For the good stuff a lot of credit must go to the abolitionist Langdon > family, who somehow managed to achieve a wondrous transformation in the > unapologetic racist who came a-courting their daughter in 1868. But even > they couldn't work miracles, and for Twain, throwing in a little "darky" > humor must have looked like an obvious & perfectly OK way to get to the end > of a novel that was still refusing to finish itself after 10 years of work. > > Damn shame, though. And it does leave us Twain lovers, and especially the > educators among us, with a real mess on our hands. > > >> On Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 1:49 PM Railton, Stephen F (sfr) <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >> >> I hope you'll let me respond to two different threads. >> First, the electronic archive Mark Twain In His Times has quite a few >> different texts from his various lectures and tours at >> https://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/lectures.html >> >> But the question about racism is obviously more important, for our culture >> and for Twain's future place within it. >> As perhaps some of you already know, I've been arguing for a long time >> that Huck Finn -- the novel; the boy obviously has the racist beliefs of >> his culture, which is the basis on which Twain builds his ironic narrative >> -- that HF is AND isn't racist: that while many if not all of the scenes on >> the raft challenge America's racist preconceptions, at a number of points >> -- and especially during the Evasion -- the novel perpetuates the racist >> stereotypes that grew from slavery and that still haunt our society. I >> realize I've had very little success getting most of the Twain community to >> agree. But here I want to underline two things, that may help carry our >> conversation forward: >> >> The U.S. was "racist" when Sam Clemens was a kid, and racist in 1885 when >> HF was published, and it is still deeply if now more insiduously and >> unconsciously racist in 2021. I recognize that as someone who grew up in >> the U.S. I still have my share of unconscious racism -- how could I not, >> having for example grown up in a city (Elgin Ill in the 50s) with a 10% >> population of blacks whom I never saw, while watching hours of TV and >> movies where blacks were depicted in the stereotypical ways that make white >> America comfortable. But of course the U.S. is also struggling to outgrow >> racism, to be the truly democratic society our principles declare it to >> be. And to me, that's the wonderful thing about Huck Finn -- that it >> racist and anti-racist, like our culture then and now, and so can hold a >> really powerful mirror up to the best and worst about ourselves. Could >> Mark Twain have been so beloved as a figure in our culture if he didn't >> know how to give white audiences what they wanted? That his work often >> transcends their appetites is why we spend so much of our lives reading and >> thinking about him. >> >> Second: for that reason I want HF to remain part of the curriculum, though >> teachers should not teach it unless they are prepared to consciously >> confront the extreme discomfort the novel can cause, and prepared with >> their students to look closely at both the novel's best moments and the >> ways in which the novel betrays Jim, its anti-racist agenda, and its own >> greatness. But I think that as long as such a large part of the Twain >> community keeps insisting that the problem with HF is in the minds of the >> readers who don't know how to read it, rather than also in its text and in >> our culture, the days of Twain's place in the curriculum are numbered. To >> me, HF is about the best occasion we have to have the discussion about >> slavery and racism that we always keep deferring as a culture, and the high >> school or college classroom is the best place to have that discussion. But >> as a discussion, the conversation has to acknowledge what is admonitory as >> well as what is exemplary, where HF should appall us as well as where it >> should delight and inspire us. I'm sorry I wrote so much, but as you can >> tell, all this means a lot to me. I think it means a lot to our culture >> too. Thanks for listening, Steve Railton (Emeritus Prof of English, Univ >> of Virginia) >> >> >> MT as Lecturer - twain.lib.virginia.edu< >> https://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/lectures.html> >> "The Trouble Begins at 8:00" MT began his career as a platform entertainer >> out West, after he'd achieved notoriety as a newspaper writer. When he >> began speaking in the East, he worried about how to meet the expectations >> of audiences who loved to listen to oratory, but whose tastes had been >> formed by lyceum lectures. >> twain.lib.virginia.edu >> >> ________________________________ >> From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of John R. Pascal < >> [log in to unmask]> >> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2021 1:07 PM >> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> >> Subject: Fwd: Regarding "the 'N' word" in Huck Finn >> >> Last line, I meant to say, “I certainly don’t KNOW any of the political >> and administrative . . .” >> It’s Saturday, time to be outside!! >>> Begin forwarded message: >>> >>> From: "John R. Pascal" <[log in to unmask]> >>> Subject: Re: Regarding "the 'N' word" in Huck Finn >>> Date: March 27, 2021 at 1:02:48 PM EDT >>> To: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> >>> >>> Hi Alan, >>> I neither could nor would comment on any students outside of my own, >> except to say that it is a shame from what you say that apparently they do >> not at least try to exercise an open mind to just listen to as many facts >> as possible and then make a better informed educated decision. Teaching >> difficult subjects is never easy, but the students do want the truth to be >> presented, as you indeed know. >>> As you are aware, every teacher and every classroom demographic is >> different, so I can’t comment any more on this portion. >>> I only know what works for me. >>> In addition to the information I already gave, I also reference Dr. >> Shelley Fisher Fishkin’s works, Lighting Out for the Territory Reflections >> on Mark Twain and American Culture, and Was Huck Black? Mark Twain and >> African American Voices. >>> I do not know what you mean by “Seton Hall has a budget to do that.” >> Critical Companion and Dr. Fishkin’s books are my personal property, along >> with Dr. Fishkin’s works. They are on my classroom desk and my students do >> thumb through them. Any research I do, like any teacher, is on my own time >> without renumeration; I wouldn’t ask anyway. It’s part of my expected >> professional development. >>> Also, we do use the Signet Classic paperback edition of Huckleberry Finn >> and it contains three other major American works. But I loan my students >> my copies of the definitive edition of HF published from the Mark Twain >> Project that I myself have paid for without asking for school >> reimbursement. The students can highlight in them and the definitive >> edition’s explanatory notes, maps, and illustrations are appreciated by >> them. >>> >>> I am sorry I don’t have any ready suggestions to launch a funding effort >> or find additional grants for your Twain Live series. Perhaps the alumni >> of Trenton HS could be solicited for supporting the series for the sake of >> the current students, but I certainly don’t any of the political and >> administrative ramifications in this regard. >>> >>> John >>> >>>> On Mar 27, 2021, at 11:22 AM, Alan Kitty <[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >>>> >>>> John- When asked, Trenton HS students will agree with an assessment >> that HF, and by extension MT, is racist. I know of no deep dive into >> related material that could change that perception. I have even offered to >> place Twain himself In the line of fire. But as a practical matter Seton >> Hall has a budget to do that. Urban public schools do not. >>>> >>>> We lack staff to launch a funding effort or find additional grants for >> our Twain Live series. >>>> >>>> Suggestions? >>>> >>>> Alan Kitty >>>> Mark Twain Education Society >>>> >>>> Don’t ask ‘for whom the bell tolls’. It’s your email and no one else >> cares. >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>>> On Mar 27, 2021, at 11:04 AM, John R. Pascal <[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hi Mr. Shannon, >>>>> I can only offer my own classroom experience in teaching Huckleberry >> Finn in the last fourteen years to high school juniors. >>>>> I take effective time with them to review Dr. R. Kent Rasmussen’s >> entries in his Critical Companion as to the N-word, slavery, African >> Americans, pertinent portions of Twain’s life showing his changing views on >> slavery, the history of the work’s reception by the public (they laugh at >> Concord Public Library’s reaction and cheer at Twain’s reaction to it), and >> his helping to pay for the Yale University Law School education of Walter >> T. McGuinn. In short, showing that Twain and his opus are not racist. >>>>> If you haven’t already done so, may I suggest you read his entries >> that are excellently comprehensive and enlightening. >>>>> I also offer that some musical rap artists use the word in their >> works, and apparently there is little outcry in contrast to that of >> Huckleberry Finn. I suggest that this is the price of free speech in our >> society. >>>>> Additionally, I put forth that the oral reading and discussion of the >> word is strictly in an academic context. Nothing more. >>>>> I ask that they only think and reflect on all I have shown them, >> particularly when they know that all this information is certainly not >> generally known in most, if any, high schools in our country. This is >> giving them the very much needed “big picture." >>>>> Finally I state that if anyone has any problem with the word for any >> or even no reason, just to tell me privately and without question it won’t >> be used. >>>>> As a result, I am fortunate to say that they are fine with reading and >> discussing Huckleberry Finn as it is, and when a student just says “N-word” >> when reading the dialogue, I do not correct him at all. In a classroom in >> which respect is paramount for each student, no one gives a taunting remark. >>>>> If any teacher can’t teach the work because of this word, then I would >> urge them to certainly use the NewSouth publication that changes the word >> to “slave." >>>>> Lastly, they are shocked and appalled that Huckleberry Finn has been >> banned in some school districts. In fact, I warn them that they at best >> attend local public Board of Education Meetings. It is likely that their >> own younger siblings and one day their own children will come home and be >> told they can’t read a book in school because a small number of parents >> complained. The Board easily avoids a lawsuit by simply changing the book >> selection, and then the majority of parents find out after it is too late. >>>>> You could go to the American Library Association’s website of banned >> books. The titles and reasons might shock you as well. >>>>> >>>>> Respectfully, >>>>> John Pascal >>>>> Seton Hall Preparatory School >>>>> West Orange, NJ >>>>> >>>>>> On Mar 27, 2021, at 8:39 AM, Clay Shannon <[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> I have vacillated a little over the years regarding what I thought >> about "the 'N' word" being used in Twain's magnum opus, Adventures of >> Huckleberry Finn. >>>>>> >>>>>> For the most part, I have been for remaining true to the original >> (rather than replacing it with the word "slave" or something else), and >> educating people about why the word was used by Twain in that book, and how >> common it was then, etc. >>>>>> In the same way, I don't like it when historical movies/tv shows have >> people using "the 'F' word" and other anachronisms when that word was >> rarely, if ever, used in the time and place being depicted. The "excuse" >> the apologists of such usage give is that if they were to be completely >> precise as to how people spoke back then, their vitriol would not be >> conveyed, but rather sound like something grandma might say when she >> dropped her thimble. I think for the most part it's preferable to either >> give the audience the benefit of the doubt or educate them, so that they >> understand the import and impact of what is being said, even if it sounds >> quaint or even comical to some today. >>>>>> However, something occurred yesterday that gave me pause regarding >> "the 'N' word" in Huck Finn: >>>>>> I have a very good friend who is "black." We have been discussing >> literature (via the mail) a litt/e lately. He recently read "Huck Finn" (he >> liked it a lot). After a little back and forth about it, this is what he >> had to say in yesterday's letter: >>>>>> >>>>>> ///As for Mark Twain, I agree. He DOES NOT promote slavery. I think >> people have more of an issue with the "n" word. I'm all for historical >> accuracy in literature and in fiction but the issue is, should it be read >> in schools? >>>>>> If I was the only black kid in a white classroom could you imagine >> the embarrassment I'd feel if we read the "n" word over and over and over >> again? Or worse, what they would call me at recess?/// >>>>>> That was an epiphany for me. Perhaps this is a case where "the >> perfect is the enemy of the good," as there are probably two possibilities >> for Huck Finn being available in the classroom henceforth: >>>>>> 1) The "N" word is replaced with something else, maybe "slave" or >> "negro" (perhaps with an explanation in the foreword and/or verbally by the >> teacher at the start of the class reading it as to why "the 'N' word" was >> used in the original, and why it is being replaced)2) It's not available at >> all >>>>>> Perhaps replacing the problematic word may, after all, be more in the >> spirit of what Twain wrote. In this instance, although it would not be a >> completely precise version of the book (if "the 'N' word" were expurgated), >> it would be the kind thing to do, considering how it might affect some of >> the hearers/readers. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> - B. Clay Shannon >>> >>