Should Students Be Required to Read Huck Finn?

Rachel Mello Ms. Miller AP English Language, 3rd 19 September 2011 Should Students Be Required To Read Huck Finn? Very many people argue on whether or not ninth graders in English should be required to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.

This novel was written during slavery and when racism was a big problem. Many of the people argue that this book isn’t appropriate for students to be reading because of the language, racism, and slavery that is portrayed in the book. Even though a lot people don’t want their children reading this story, it teaches significant lessons about the important things in life.Students should read this book, if assigned, because it will show them good life lessons and show the importance of blending with other ethnicities. Black people have, and are still being put down and looked at as inferior. The white man always ruled over the black people, and made it very clear that they must obey the white man.

The adventures of Huck and Jim contribute a change to this thinking. Jim is a typical black man that just wants to have freedom; Huck is a white man that differs from the typical controlling white man, and wants to help Jim get his freedom.Students can learn from the kindness of Huck by showing them that whites and blacks can be friends and don’t have to rule over each other. Jim is called a “runaway nigger” (125), which offends both Jim and Huck. Students can learn from this story by getting a better understanding of how whites and blacks are equal, and they should be treated equally and fairly.

Reading this novel will help students understand the way that blacks were treated back in the day, and help them to realize they need to treat blacks as equals.This novel can definitely influence people to change their views of black people. The lessons that students learn from this novel won’t only impact the way they act towards blacks, but it will also influence the respect they show to all of their classmates, teachers, and even to their parents. Twain shows how the color of skin shouldn’t determine who someone can be friends with and spend time with. Once students learn to treat everyone equally, the world will become a better place, and whites and blacks will be able to join together and work together without any arguments.