Huckleberry Finn to be censored in new printing

[Toothache]

http://shelf-life.ew.com/2011/01/03/huckleberry-finn-n-word-censor-edit/?hpt=T2

What is a word worth? According to Publishers Weekly, NewSouth Books’ upcoming edition of Mark Twain’s seminal novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will remove all instances of the “n” word—I’ll give you a hint, it’s not nonesuch—present in the text and replace it with slave. The new book will also remove usage of the word Injun. The effort is spearheaded by Twain expert Alan Gribben, who says his PC-ified version is not an attempt to neuter the classic but rather to update it. “Race matters in these books,” Gribben told PW. “It’s a matter of how you express that in the 21st century.”

Unsurprisingly, there are already those who are yelling “Censorship!” as well as others with thesauruses yelling “Bowdlerization!” and “Comstockery!” Their position is understandable: Twain’s book has been one of the most often misunderstood novels of all time, continuously being accused of perpetuating the prejudiced attitudes it is criticizing, and it’s a little disheartening to see a cave-in to those who would ban a book simply because it requires context. On the other hand, if this puts the book into the hands of kids who would not otherwise be allowed to read it due to forces beyond their control (overprotective parents and the school boards they frighten), then maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to judge. It’s unfortunate, but is it really any more catastrophic than a TBS-friendly re-edit of The Godfather, you down-and-dirty melon farmer? The original product is changed for the benefit of those who, for one reason or another, are not mature enough to handle it, but as long as it doesn’t affect the original, is there a problem?

Huckleberry Finn is a book that is no stranger to controversy. There perhaps is a certain level of maturity needed to read the book in context, and the idea of censoring words is not something I agree with - first, the reader is meant to be uncomfortable with the word '(BAN ME PLEASE)' - Twain was a person who disagreed with slavery and wanted people to re-evaluate their own thoughts about it.

What do you all feel about censoring and re-writing of a novel like this, which uses provocative language in order to make people think and react; or should it be sanitised in order so people don't feel as offended (but then the context is lost)?

 

[billymills]

I can't believe people can be offended by single words. I don't buy the reason to change it, people should always be aware of the context of the novel and should read it with that in mind, regardless of if it contains provocative language or not.

There is no justification for people 'sanitising' a novel to make sure it is unoffensive. If it's too offensive, then just don't read it.

(If anyone talks about forcing kids to read it in class, then I ask is it really a good idea to dumb down the ideas in books even further? Just wait until the student reaches the level of maturity required to read the book as it was intended. High School should be sufficient.)

 

[toshimelonhead]

Really?

It's not like kids don't spend their waking hours on Firebot trolling incessantly. Or watch R-rated movies or play FPS games for hours on end.

And you're telling me that we should sensor (BAN ME PLEASE)? Heck I hear people who should be offended by the word use it almost like calling someone a bro.

South Park explains it best.

 

[Alan]

This is really stupid. It's a good book, but I don't see any reason to censor the word (BAN ME PLEASE) out of it. It was written in that time period and it kind of loses the "charm" of being an old story when you begin to censor it. Might as well just make Jim be white and Huck be Indian and Tom Sawyer be Asian so that people from other races aren't offended by being left out.

I thought we as a society were past petty meanings of things like words. Maybe its just my generation or the area (the South) of the US I live in.......

 

[WaterBomb]

What so many people fail to realize is that Twain was a satirist in almost everything he wrote. His conspicuous use of the word "(BAN ME PLEASE)" was intended to ridicule its use and poke fun at society for it. He didn't say the word because he felt that's what black people were. PC people are too stupid to realize this, and just have knee-jerk reactions every time they see text that even resembles it. They are just as bad as an IRC censor bot that does not allow you to say the phrase "I will smash it!" because the word "shit" appears, broken up by a space.

What's next, a PC version of Blazing Saddles? Give me a break.

 

[cookie]

Is this going to be a find-and-replace job in notepad? I think it'll be jarring to read instances of "sslave" in the book...

I've never read the book, and I don't have much to add to the current discussion but it incenses me that a certain group of people are allowed to say one word and another is frowned upon doing so. It's discrimination and an infringement on free speech; the potential racist and offensive implications be damned. fucking (BAN ME PLEASE)s

 

[cantab]

My main concern is of people reading censored versions of books without knowing they're censored. If the edits are known about, if their nature and the justifications for doing them are explained in the Foreword to the book, that's OK. But I fear the book will be released with no indication it is not the text Mark Twain wrote.

 

[Chalkey]

Losing the context is definitely going to make the book a different story, and I think for my own nostalgia and sentimental value I'll probably go buy a copy of the book before the censored version is all I can get.

For some reason, all I can think of right now is the first edition of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which had originally described the Oompa Loompas as from Africa. If I remember correctly, there's also an amusing satirical aside from Willy Wonka describing how they're happier here in civilization and away from dangers of the wild forests (the Oompa Loompas were also noticeably of African skin color). Some of that is still in the version kids read today, but the slavery satire is all but lost. Now, what was an intentional comparison to society is just a red herring, and a device for the movies to break into song. I haven't read this edited version of Huck Finn yet, but I wonder if certain parts will just stick out oddly in the same fashion, once stripped of the author-intended context.

 

[Morm]

I thought we as a society were past petty meanings of things like words. Maybe its just my generation or the area (the South) of the US I live in.......

Yeah the southern us can be really regressive at times. Hell, there are people that vote for a president not for platform but for what church he goes to.

I'm pissed off by this censoring. I am adamantly opposed to censorship of any kind, especially when the point is to make people uncomfortable. It's like taking out your dogs teeth and then sicking him on someone.

 

[cantab]

In fairness, in the case of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dahl himself made the changes. I don't think he was originally trying to be satirical, or make "an intentional comparison to society"; the intended readership wouldn't understand it as such after all.

 

[capefeather]

All I know is I'd much rather have them read an abridged version than a censored version. At least then it's not masquerading as the real thing. But it's in the public domain now, isn't it? Let them find it on the internet :P

 

[WaterBomb]

Is this going to be a find-and-replace job in notepad? I think it'll be jarring to read instances of "sslave" in the book...

Despite the fact that we disagree with the concept, I think the context of the words was taken into account when choosing the appropriate replacement word. I'm pretty sure the editors looked at the text and context and determined that "slave" would be the most acceptable replacement with a minimum of awkwardness. I doubt they would just do a find and replace if it didn't at least mesh with the sentences and paragraphs surrounding it.

Regardless, poor Mr. Twain is undoubtedly rolling over in his grave right now. Hell, I wouldn't at all be surprised if he had PREDICTED this would happen to his books. It's only a matter of time before they attempt to remove the satire from Jonathan Swyft...

EDIT: Nevermind, I just remembered they're making a version of Gulliver's Travels starring Jack Black...

 

[Wikey]

When will people realize that words only have the power you give them? If people stopped being offended by the words then they'd no longer be offensive. Also, cookie is right about one group being allowed to say the word. If you get offended when one person says something but not when another person says it and the only difference is race; you are being racist.

 

[Bummer]

If it had been a movie, then yeah. Sure. I'd understand why they wouldn't pull off the n-word in front of the cinema audience. But this book has been out already, so why would the newer version lose respect or integrity if the older version got infamous the way it is?

I can't decide whether it's due to people who are detached from what they believe the public think is wrong, or maybe I'm unaware of how sensitive the public really is. All because of the word (BAN ME PLEASE).

That's right.

I said it.

 

[Curtains]

Is this going to be a find-and-replace job in notepad? I think it'll be jarring to read instances of "sslave" in the book...

I've never read the book, and I don't have much to add to the current discussion but it incenses me that a certain group of people are allowed to say one word and another is frowned upon doing so. It's discrimination and an infringement on free speech; the potential racist and offensive implications be damned. fucking (BAN ME PLEASE)s

Who gives a flyin fuck if its discrimination.Its a racial slur and it is offensive to alot of people.I know in the white community it may be cool and edgy to say (BAN ME PLEASE). But dont try to influence the people that the word offends because its "free speech". Get the fuck outta here. Black people say nigga. Who gives a flyin fuck. Black people arnt being racist with "nigga".As for the book. I dont give a flyin fuck what happens.Its his property and version.

 

[Mr.Fuji]

They say (BAN ME PLEASE) like 10 times in the book..who cares

 

[sonickid01]

If this is censored because of the use of an offensive word, they should censor the Bible too while they're at it.

 

[capefeather]

Yeah, the Bible has some pretty graphic stuff. I thought that graphic stuff trumped offensive words, lol.

 

[Deck Knight]

"(BAN ME PLEASE) please."

This is my condensed response to Mr. Gribben and his ilk. Why?

Because they are ignorant. It is a great irony that the very word they wish to extricate from the book would, in Twain's time, be the most historically attuned insult (assuming Mr. Gribben is black, I don't know). (BAN ME PLEASE) was a racial epithet used against both slaves and freemen and it implied ignorance and inferiority. It is not synonymous with slave, and in fact anyone worth his historical salt knew there were white as well as black slaves.

I wonder if Mr. Gribben's next crusade will be to ban rap music and large swaths of hip-hop from the shelves of music stores. While that would actually be a favor to humanity rather than an injustice to literature, the fact remains that black comics, musicians, and run of the mill wannabe thugs have all mainstreamed the word. Why can an entire genre of youth-aimed music use the word without consequence while Mr. Gribben spends his time ripping Huckleberry Finn of its intended context? The number of people he is going to prevent the exposure of the letters n, i, g, g, e, r, in that order is near zero.

Hate speech is a laughable concept. No, you shouldn't call black people (BAN ME PLEASE)s just like you shouldn't use any of the various racial slurs for asians and the weak brew they come up with for racially attacking white people. Banning a word from books when the word is historically unique and has its own meaning and context in that time does nothing but impoverish a story because the would-be editor is a spineless, lilly-livered pantywaist.

Now please excuse me while I think up different ways to articulate that such people are cowering invertebrates who can't take their liquour.

 

[cim]

The book is in the public domain. Anyone who wants to is free to publish a non censored version - in fact, it's easier than publishing a censored version which one could try and claim a copyright on for some reason.

Best way to beat this book is to not buy it.

 

[WaterBomb]

Who gives a flyin fuck if its discrimination.Its a racial slur and it is offensive to alot of people.I know in the white community it may be cool and edgy to say (BAN ME PLEASE). But dont try to influence the people that the word offends because its "free speech". Get the fuck outta here. Black people say nigga. Who gives a flyin fuck. Black people arnt being racist with "nigga".As for the book. I dont give a flyin fuck what happens.Its his property and version.

That was quite possibly the dumbest post I've read all day. Can you at least...like...put spaces after your periods or something?

 

[Curtains]

That was quite possibly the dumbest post I've read all day. Can you at least...like...put spaces after your periods or something?

No.Its dumb because i speak my mind and not give a flip what the masses think? So what.

 

[sonickid01]

You just blatantly, not missed, but ignored his point about how your grammar in that post was simply hilarious.

If we are to ban everything that is remotely offensive then I suggest you find a cardboard box, sit down in it, and stare at its cardboard wall for a very very long time.

To Deck Knight -- ...yeah I agree with your main point here, but my issue with banning this book is not with any "hypocrisy of our time" but in the literary context and meaning within Huck Finn. Any closer inspection into Twain's use of the word other than a cursory gloss through the sentences would show that Twain is in fact criticizing the institution of slavery and racism through irony; the social context is an accurate one as the word did indeed refer to slaves or blacks in general at the time. If anything this is closer to lampooning or ridiculing slavery as Twain speaks in the novel. When people ban or censor books of literature, they do so often (and I'd venture to say most of the time) out of ignorance or only a trivial understanding of the literary context of the themes or diction they find so damn offensive.

 

[Afroninja22]

(assuming Mr. Gribben is black, I don't know)

Gribben is white.

Just in case anyone was wondering.

 

[Toothache]

They say (BAN ME PLEASE) like 10 times in the book..who cares

Apparently its closer to 219 times. But the number of occurrences is meaningless, the fact that it was chosen was deliberate, and to rewrite the word in each instance will cause the loss of impact and context which was intended.