To Teach or Not to Teach- That is the Argument Essay

Submitted By repzemail
Words: 899
Pages: 4
Open Document
To Teach or Not to Teach- That is the Argument There are many different opinions about the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, some are positive, others aren’t. It seems as if one of the main controversies is whether or not the novel should be taught in schools due to conflicting perceptions of the book. In the two articles “Why Huck Finn Belongs in Classrooms” by Jocelyn Chadwick who is an assistant professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and “Say It Ain’t So, Huck” by Jane Smiley a Pulitzer Prize winning author, the two writers take opposite stances on many issues. Chadwick argues that the novel artfully sparks the much needed discussion about race that is so desperately feared yet needed, whereas Smiley suggests that it lowers the standard of discussion about the issues and isn’t worthy to be in such a position. In her article Chadwick reasons that, being an African American herself, she would rather be dealing with someone who is working through their thoughts and beliefs when it comes to race rather than a blatant racist. She then goes on to say that people accuse Mark Twain of having “conflicting, conflicted attitudes” (Chadwick 1) on his stance with discrimination and racism in the book and life. She says that despite that, readers must still factor in that he is indeed questioning his roots and the foundations of his entire moral rearing, due to the time period this is a very positive thing. After reading many of Twain’s satires she believes that he does in fact “get it” (1), get that racism isn’t ok and that the world needs racial equality.
She also says that throughout Twain’s writing that if readers look they can see his growth, and argues that “if the African Americans of Twain’s time could recognize the extraordinariness of whites who dared question the prevailing social structures, can’t we as contemporary readers do the same?” (2) This question brings up an interesting point. Our generation favors thinking that we have reached an enlightened time where overall, most people are pretty acceptant of each other, therefore shouldn’t we, as readers of our generation, be more appreciative of his courage to speak out against the injustice that was taking place?
Smiley on the other hand is not Twain’s biggest fan. At one point in her article she even goes as far too says that “the villain here is Mark Twain” (Smiley 1). She says that “no matter how often the critics “place in context” Huck’s use of the word “nigger”, they can never excuse or fully hide the deeper racism of the novel…” (2). This goes to show her opposing viewpoint to Chadwick’s and suggests that one reason she would be against Huck Finn being taught in school is that its author is a racist.
The book’s so called “greatness” is another reason that Smiley questions it being taught in schools. She argues that the real reason the book is being taught is because “the critics of the Propaganda Era laid the groundwork for the universal inclusion of the book in school curriculums by declaring it great” (4). Essentially, according to Smiley, the only reason it is still being taught is because a bunch of dead guys said it was “great” 100 years ago, a point that many readers can sympathize with. She argues that “to invest (the novel) with “greatness” is to underwrite a very simplistic and evasive theory
Show More

Related Documents: To Teach or Not to Teach- That is the Argument Essay

Teach The Controversy Analysis

several other individuals who argue the same point of view. In review of the argumentative essay titled Should Public Schools “Teach the Controversy” About Evolution, the author Gregory Bassham argues several points about the injection of religion into public classrooms. In response to this argument, I believe that the argument states some valid points but is not a good argument.…

Words 757 - Pages 4

I Know Why The Caged Bird Cannot Read Summary

In "I Know Why the Caged Bird Cannot Read" Francine Prose writes that books should not be used to teach moral values, instead to look at the content and structure of the books. This form of teaching is something I agree with because, I do not think that schools should decide what is ethical and that the individual should decide their moral code. Prose’s idea of teaching is also better for the student, because looking at the words and structure of great writing will help improve vocabulary and rhetoric…

Words 699 - Pages 3

Passing By Nella Larson

and the set of problems discussed in the novel only involves story-based affairs. Passing, a novel by Nella Larson, doesn’t have the advantages that other books in the 9th-grade curriculum have. Passing is not a literary masterpiece, nor does it teach anything important. Passing is only a book that provides a story, and it does…

Words 1346 - Pages 6

Essay Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking Catherine Brinner April 9, 2012 Abstract The challenge for critical thinking instruction lies not in convincing people of its value but in developing a model of what to teach and how to teach it. Toulmin's model provides a useful framework for students to examine the ability of an argument to justify rather than prove a point. Utilizing this model can make critical thinking the very means by which students construct knowledge. Critical Thinking Debating, questioning, analyzing…

Words 1185 - Pages 5

Abuse Vs Discipline

A report of child abuse is made very 10 seconds. Abuse can be defined as corporal punishment, or the intentional infliction of pain that is designed to punish a person for his or her action in order to teach them not to do it again (LawInfo). Abuse is not just physical. In some cases is it emotional or psychological abuse as well. Some parents see this punishment as a way to discipline their children, but sometimes this it can cross the line into abuse. Those who are abused may be affected in several…

Words 341 - Pages 2

Thinking About Multimodality By Pamela Takayoshi

etc. It is becoming very common for students. An argument that the authors are making is that, multimodality is very engaging for the students. They argue that multimodality is beneficial in learning and also teaching. It is a better way of communication because of the usage of images, videos and etc. These usages will help the students to engage more and get more creative with using images, videos and etc. “Instructors of composition need to teach students not only how to read and interpret such…

Words 312 - Pages 2

Single-Sex Segregation in Schools Essay

importance of knowing rather boys and girls brain functions the same, have similar interest, response rapidly to stress, or even learn at the same pace as each other in a class sitting comes into play with the argument of single-sex segregation in the schools. Affected by these rational arguments are the students in the school because there is no data supporting these claims and they are training the teachers in mythic to obliterate “gender learning styles”. This issue is very debatable because some…

Words 449 - Pages 2

Synthesis Essay

can never teach a student how to learn; they can never truly prepare a student for a career, and what is even scarier is that “I hear story after story about music, and art…being cut out of the school day to make more time for the drilling and routine work” (Clinton). Standardized tests are not appropriate for any student trying to be successful in the future, whether it be in college or in the workplace. Most people have heard the saying “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to…

Words 1175 - Pages 5

The Goal Of School Reform

and Rose (2013) state; “many lessons are pre-packaged, scripted lessons and [lean towards] a strong focus on test preparation” (pg 3). Because of this, in today’s classrooms, there has been a significant constricting of the curriculum in order to teach to the test. Standardized testing has practically eradicated all forms of intellectual engagement, creativity, curiosity, etc. These ideals should be aspects of schooling that American students should be acquiring through their classes. The authors…

Words 1296 - Pages 6

Huck Finn Essay

writers, and scholars and what their opinion of the book is. During this film two sides were taken, the people for Huckleberry Finn, and the people against it. The film portrays the scholars and professional writers as the side that has the better argument using evidence of logos, ethos, and pathos. Raquel Panton, a high school student, was completely outraged when she started reading the book that used the word “n*****” 219 times. Raquel stated that she does “not go to school to spend that much…

Words 1119 - Pages 5