Huckleberry Finn Racism Essay

Is Huckleberry Finn Racist?

Slavery. Prejudice. Slurs. These themes, and many others, are very common in the controversial novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. But do the overpowering presences of all these ideas truly make the novel racist? Actually, they do not. The book is simply a reflection of how society is crafted to always give African-Americans the short end of the stick. Twain’s intention when writing this famous novel was to highlight racism, not promote it. First of all, this book was written at a time when African-Americans were seen as “lowly” and “lesser-than”. However, Jim is portrayed as wise and determined. This shows that Twain was trying to change people’s perspectives on African-Americans. “‘He ain’t no bad [slave],’” (Twain, 249) says a doctor after Jim helps save Tom’s life. Obviously, by portraying Jim as such a compassionate character, Twain is sending a message. He wants to let his readers know that 19th century African-American stereotypes, such as the myth that they are selfish and “subhuman”, almost never hold true. “Jim, the slave, is a man of dignity,” (Roberts, 2) says the Seattle PI. Clearly, Jim is held in a very positive light. In addition, this novel has been criticized year after year for its usage of such harsh topics and …show more content…
Huck and Jim’s relationship was very close, especially in the face of stereotypes and racial separation laws. Jim is a very ethical and “good” character who brings a sense of reason to the novel. In addition, censorship may follow this book everywhere it goes, but it still teaches a very important lesson. And of course, this book is a paramount piece of literature that could educate anyone about the 19th century South. We cannot ignore history — only change the future. Huck Finn, though it can be seen as offensive, is merely opening up our eyes to the real racism in society, both in 1855 and

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Essay On Racism In Huckleberry Finn