In the news there has been a story that I have a strong personal opinion about. If you have not hear, NewSouth Books is going to re-print Mark Twain's classic novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with one crucial change, the N-word, that fills Twain's book, is going to be removed and replaced by slave. Now let's get one thing clear, I do not like the N-word, I find it offensive and do not like to say it. That being said The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classic book, by changing this key word that exposing racism and the social setting of the time you are completely changing the book. The used of the N-word in Huck Finn is meant to shock readers and is used as a literary devise. If Mark Twain wanted the word slave to be used he would have wrote it like that originally.
America has become too soft and spoiled. Just because something like a word upsets so people they have to change it to please everyone. Well guess what? I AM NOT PLEASED! You can't just change the past. Replacing the N-word with slave does not change the fact that the N-word was used and is offensive or the meaning behind it. The word slave doesn't have the same meaning as the N-word and changes the meaning of the book.
If you don't feel comfortable reading a book with the N-word so many times don't read it! But don't be a sour puss and wreak a fine piece of literature for everyone else.
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