Racism and Huckleberry Finn
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnis characterized by stances that are linked to racism. Through the exploration of the main characters, both the white and black, it is indicative of pointing out that the author sought to discuss some of the controversial aspects that affect the society (Twain, 2011). Now, the one troublesome concern that has been linked to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn relates to whether the writer was practically a racist or not. The paper compares, extrapolates, and makes a choice from the two views on the production by Julius Lester, from “Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” [1984] and David L. Smith, from “Huck, Jim, and American Racial Discourse.
In Julius Lester, from “Morality and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” [1984], the author alludes to the fact that Twain was not a racist due to the fact that he does not express any form of hate or contempt for the blacks not until when the Huck finally makes Jim Free. The author goes ahead to state that in as much Jim’s freedom was inculcated by the efforts of a black woman, this is not purely sufficient to confirm that Twain was not racist. It is for this particularreason that the adventures are defined as solely not based on racism grounds.
As seen from the averments made by Lester, it is indicative of pointing out that he did not believe in the view thatHuckleberry Finn was staged on racism, and there is no plausible stance to prove that the literature was engrained in racism. The reviewer further avoids linking the piece to racism when he candidly asserts that the disappearance of both the white and black characters takes place at the same time. This means that people of all colors were treated equally in the narrations, with an emphasis on the dominance or significance of either of the main character (Smith, 1984). In point of fact, this stance is further façade in a mere narration that purports to mean that the while people were saliently ready to aid the blacks, as Tom Sawyer is helped by the white woman from jail moment before she died.
I believe that the approach adduced by the Lester, in this case, sought to create a situation that would vindicate the inactions and mistakes that fundamentally place the whites on the top of the blacks as far as priority is placed without going into the facts of the point in issue. It is, therefore, necessary to denote that while Tom was rescued and paid for the time, he had lost in the processes of torture, this does not necessarily mean that the stances were structured to fully and fundamentally vindicate the racism manifest in the Huckleberry Finn. The author also notes that the constant use of the word nigger was not done in good faith in view of the perspective that it sought to undermine the black characters.
On the other hand, David L. Smith further makes significant averments in “Huck, Jim, and American Racial Discourse” [1992], which are linked to the Huckleberry Finn. Smith argues that Huckleberry Finn is not pegged on racism as the author sought to address some of the social concerns in society through art. He even goes ahead to assert that the constant use of the word negro only meant to sanitize and clean the selfish and jealous character traits that were linked to theworld of the black over at that time. I understand that Smith’s position can be inferred from his observations of the general society as opposed to reviewing Huckleberry Finn decently (Lester, 1984). An accurate review of this piece would have revealed that the writer in the Huckleberry Finn purposed to create a perception that would frame the blacks as bad and queer people as opposed to the sane and organized white supremacists.
Personally, I feel that Smith’s article in, Jim, and American Racial Discourse” [1992], makes a succinct viewpoint on Huckleberry Finn. First, I am of the understanding that this piece was practically crated to display the real-life perspective in American society at that time. The mere fact that Huckleberry Finn refers to the black characters as niggers does not necessarily mean that he had a negative vendetta that dispelled the world-view about the characters. In point of fact, the write-up subjects the white and black characters to the real circumstances that were being experienced at that time. In the efforts to bring about an aspect of equality, he goes ahead to provide solutions to the concerns placed on the blacks (Lester, 1984).In the event that he left his descriptions in the cases where the blacks had been imprisoned or subjected to torture, then this could be construed as sufficient proof for his racist approach in the write-up. At the close of the deliberation, regardless of the position that the readers are confronted with the rather overuse of the word “nigger,” it must be appreciated that there is a significant and valuable relationshipbetween the whites and the blacks.
References
Lester, J. (1984). Morality and Adventures of” Huckleberry Finn.” Mark Twain Journal, 22(2), 43-46.
Smith, D. L. (1984). Huck, Jim, and American Racial Discourse. Mark Twain Journal, 22(2), 4-12.
Twain, M. (2011). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Broadview Press.