"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", by Mark Twain, is number five on the most 100 challenged books list which is absurd. In fact, it is one of the most important additions to a school's curriculum, but shadowed by divisive arguments on whether kids should read it. (Powell) It shows Huck's struggle to decide whether slavery is wrong or not, who is accompanied by a runaway slave, Jim, who ran away the same night as Huck. It isn't one of those read and test and then it's out of your brain books. Huck Finn is one of the epic books that stay in the mind long after reading, if it is taught correctly. It triggers discussions that make people realize that racism is still alive today.Most of ...view middle of the document...
" Those arguing about the purity of Huck Finn often don't see this relationship because of the fact that even Huck refers to Jim as his "nigger." Only a select few are arguing for the sake of their kids, instead of themselves. Another common argument is to take into consideration how an African American student's self esteem could be affected by being in a classroom reading this book. It is rather childish to go against it as much to ban it rather than ask for an alternative assignment.The definition of affirmative action is a policy or a program providing access to systems for people of a minority group who have traditionally been discriminated against. (www.wikipedia.com) Having an alternative assignment is an example of affirmative action. At a workshop on how to teach Huck Finn, Jocelyn Chadwick suggested Iola Leroy. (Powell) It is a book written by an African American woman around the same time as Huck Finn. Another example of an affirmative action was in San Francisco when two board directors suggested making it so that in the curriculum, forty to seventy percent of novel choices for the school were...
