Racist and Should Not be Taught

Huck Finn is a both a racist as well as an antiracist novel. However, I am going to argue that it is racist overall and should not be taught in the classroom. The only portions of the novel in which Jim is portrayed as a fellow “human” is when Huck and him are on the river. The river symbolizes the freedom that they both really which to have and the shore represents the life they are trying to get away from. So on the portions where the two are on the river, this is clearly an antiracist book and worthwhile to teach. However, once Twain introduces the duke and the king, the book should no longer be read. It baffles me that Twain could so easily just forget about Jim and write the boy book that he had planned on writing. That is all he wanted to create. A simple boys book that would allow him to gain much profit. He had to include the word “nigger” because that was what was used as the term for black people. This term is not racist it’s the implications that it causes. Twain had no intention of being racist or antiracist. He wrote this book to make money. When he realized that he was writing about a black man’s quest for freedom, he had to put the book away. He had no idea how to continue with it, if he gave Jim freedom then his book would not sell as well. Twain used Jim for his own, as well as the readers, entertainment. He had no intention to write a racist book. Although there are portions of the book that are antiracist, it doesn’t account for the last 13 chapters in which Jim was completely demoralized as a person and Huck went back to being the sidekick. Twains whole novel went down here at this moment. Some critics believe it is because he wanted a circular plot but this book did not need this kind of plot. This book should not be taught. This is not because it is racist but simply because it is an awful book. There are parts that are humorous, I will admit that, but the last 13 chapters ruined the book. Jim just allowed himself to be demoralized like that simply because the white boys knew better than he did. Huck also went back to the old boy he had grown out of prior to this point. This book should not be taught because it is an American classic, personally its not worth the time of day to have this highly esteemed title. When it first came out, Twain received high criticisms, no one liked it. It seems strange that it went from this review to one of the most highly liked books. It also should not be taught simply because it is racist. If this were to be the case, a book should be read that further emphasizes the huge race gap back then. It would benefit the classroom more to read a book written from a black slave perspective. This book in my opinion was not worth the time of day, it is racist, and should not be read.
Ps. Mr. Lavender I am so sorry I did not get to blog prior to this moment. I did not have internet access until today so I am very sorry! I am also sorry that my thoughts are so jumbled, I just wanted to get them out as quickly as I thought of them. I also did not bring the different critic articles with me so I cant reference them at this moment but I know who and what I am going to use in order to back up my opinions.