MATT BETTS: Oh poopie

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Oh poopie

NewSouth Books is releasing an edited version of Huck Finn. It reportedly is replacing the 'N' word with 'slave' and replacing 'injun' as well.

5 comments:

Aaron Polson said...: Okay...I wasn't worried about all the dead birds in Arkansas, but now, NOW it is officially the start of the apocalypse.; January 4, 2011 9:35 PM
Martin Willoughby said...: I can understand why, but it's still wrong to change it. By changing old books we lose our perspective on the realities of the past.; January 5, 2011 9:12 AM
Matt said...: I get what they mean about doing it so kids aren't exposed to certain words or situations, but how long has this book been out now? A few years, right? So why is this a reasonable fix for it now? How many kids have read this in school and they've all turned out fine.
And somehow we've all (Well, most of us) learned something. Hmmm.
And you're right, Martin, it dilutes a book by eliminating details like that. Maybe years from now, someone will decide something else in that edition needs changed because its offensive in some way. Pretty soon, its not really the same story.; January 5, 2011 9:54 AM
Anton Cancre said...: To me, the issue seems more akin to a covering up of the past, not an attempt to save the children. Good ol Twain used those words (especially the big N) for a reason. He was dealing with the inhumanity of slavery and the degradation of an entire race for no better reason than skin color and he portrays it as an ugly thing. Replacing the word doesn't change the history of what it meant and how it was used, all it does is help you to pretend that the history never existed.

Ranting done, I promise.; January 5, 2011 6:49 PM
Natalie L. Sin said...: Oh good grief. And we wonder why other countries know more about their own histories AND ours : P; January 6, 2011 12:29 PM

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