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Tuesday, January 11, 2011

AN EDITORIAL: SANITIZING THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL

Illustration of Jim and Huckleberry Finn, by E...
The more and more I thought about my recent WTF Alert the more angry I became.

To read my newspaper editorial about why we should be concerned about publishers changing historical classics like Huck Finn, click HERE.


at 1/11/2011

5 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 11, 2011 at 8:33 PM

    What do I think? We can not alter historical words either said or written to suit the moral majority. That tampers with history, free speech and free press. I am apaled at this occurrence and bet Mr Twain woukd use far worse words that those if he were alive today.
    My 2.5 cents worth!!

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  2. Deanna SchrayerJanuary 12, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    Bah! I tried to post a comment on the article but couldn't. So here's my comment:

    I couldn't agree more with your "WTF" reaction to this Ant. How asinine that anyone would want to change...history, and that's exactly what they're doing here.

    "...literature — be it fiction or non-fiction — exists to not only tell stories, but to capture and record accurate moments in time." This line sums it all up quite clearly. I so hope someone sees the light of day and fixes this issue before it goes way too far.
    Fabulous article Ant!

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  3. Alan W. DavidsonJanuary 12, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    All valid points, Ant. I think it sets a dangerous precedent for the future of literature (at least the sort of literature with words that MAY be considered offensive).

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  4. JJanuary 12, 2011 at 7:29 PM

    As someone who has taught books with the n-word, including Huck Finn (often with many students objecting, at times...loudly), I say...go ahead--alter it--, at least for high schools. Those students who take an interest in the book and/or history can do more research, read the original so forth.

    Huck Finn may be a bit overrated,even as sort of PC classic, though there are a few powerful scenes--the Colonel, or the feud with the Grangerfords, Huck's pap, a few river scenes etc. The hick dialect tends to be overwhelming and not very funny, IMHE--they're probably better off reading Moby Dick (which is ...somewhat PC in a sense as well---consider Queequeg and the crew of the Pequod).

    Grapes of Wrath, IIRC did not have racist speech (apart maybe from "okies"). The conservatives and biblethumpers wanted it censored for a few somewhat racy scenes (including the last one, where Rose of sharon, er, gives some milk to an old man), and because of the slightly leftist content.

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  5. JJanuary 12, 2011 at 7:52 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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