Name: ____________________________________
English III
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Argumentative Research Paper
Topic: Should The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn be taught in high schools?
Below are lists of possible reasons why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should or should not be taught in schools. For
your research paper you need to select three reasons that support your position. You also need to select one reason from
the opposite side and counter it (work to disprove or discredit) it.
Reasons The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should be taught in schools:
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Mark Twain is a great/respected American author and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a work of
American literary art.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn teaches students about satire.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn offers a critique of society that is still relevant today.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn offers a very realistic representation of America’s past and of
America’s complicated relationship with slavery.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn presents a protagonist in the character of Huck Finn who is
experiencing similar identity struggles as its high school readers.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn teaches students about the history and the context of language.
Teaching The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in high schools gives students a safe and supportive
environment to discuss real-world topics like racism.
Articles that can be used as sources for evidence to support teaching Huck Finn in schools:
Matthews, Brander. “Saturday Review.” Review. 31 Jan. 1885. Reviews of Huckleberry Finn. University of Virginia, 2012.
Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
<http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/huckfinn/satrev.html>.
“The Hartford Courant.” Review. 20 Feb. 1885. Reviews of Huckleberry Finn. University of Virginia, 2012. Web. 09 Dec.
2014.
<http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/huckfinn/harcour2.html>
“The San Francisco Chronicle.” Review. 15 March 1885. Reviews of Huckleberry Finn. University of Virginia, 2012. Web.
09 Dec. 2014.
<http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/huckfinn/sfchron.html>
Vale, Charles. “Mark Twain as Orator.” Review. July 1910. Forum 44. University of Virginia, 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
<http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/onstage/valerev.html#b>
Lang, KJ. "Newly edited version of 'Huck Finn' stirs controversy." La Crosse Tribune (WI) 08 Jan. 2011: Points of View
Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
Jon, Sham. "Commentary: The Case Against Censoring 'Huckleberry Finn'." Daily Record, The (Baltimore,
MD) (n.d.): Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
Norman, Tony. "OPINION: Effort to sanitize 'Huck Finn' is pure insanity." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PA) 07 Jan.
2011: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
Shafa, Dariush. "Changes to 'Huck Finn' draws local teachers' opposition." Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, KY) 09 Jan.
2011:Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
"EDITORIAL: Huck Finn and the N-word: Taking it out doesn't educate." Anniston Star, The (AL) 08 Jan. 2011: Points of
View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
Marx, Leo. "Huck At 100." Nation 241.5 (1985): 150. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
N.A. "DON'T FIX' HUCK VIEWPOINT: LOS ANGELES TIMES (EXCERPTED)." Hamilton Spectator, The (ON) n.d.: Points of
View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
*** DO NOT FORGET YOU MUST ALSO HAVE A QUOTE/CITATION FROM THE NOVEL ITSELF TO SUPPORT EACH
OF YOUR POINTS!!!***
Name: ____________________________________
English III
Reasons The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be taught in schools:
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Censorship is a justified action to take.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’s use of the “n-word” is offensive/hurtful to many people.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’s depiction of Jim is degrading and offensive.
There are other American novels that better teach about the history of the south.
The stories in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn could scar children or teach poor behavior
to children. (degrading slaves, child abuse, drinking, fraudulent schemes, stealing, fighting,
etc).
Huck supposedly learns lessons over the course of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that
help him mature, but he seems to forget all of those lessons during the last chapters of the
book, making those lessons useless.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is supposed to be humorous, but it’s really not.
Articles that can be used as sources for evidence to support not teaching Huck Finn in schools:
“Bostom Evening Traveler Reviews Huck” Review. Boston Evening Traveler 5 Mar. 1885. N. pag. Reviews of
Huckleberry Finn. University of Virginia, 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
<http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/huckfinn/bosttrav.html>
Henry, Peaches. “The Struggle for Tolerance: Race and Censorship in Huckleberry Finn”. 1992. Satire and
Evasion: Black Perspectives on Huckleberry Finn. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
<http://homepages.wmich.edu/~acareywe/huck.html#Henry>
Howse, Christopher. “The Ethnic Cleansing of ‘Huckleberry Finn’” Daily Telegraph (London)(2011): 20. Points
of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=8Q243250818&site=pov-live>
Hurwitz, Howard L. “PC Crowd Bans Huckleberry Finn Because Mark Twain Used ‘N’Word.” Human Events
51.35 (1995): 19. Point of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=9509234281&site=pov-live>
Malkin, Michelle. “Hey, Hey! Ho, Ho! Huckleberry Finn Has Got to Go!” Human Events 57.28 (2011): 14. Points
of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=4905492&site=pov-live>
“New York World Reviews Huck.” Review. New York World 2 Mar. 1885: n. pag. Reviews of Huckleberry Finn.
University of Virginia, 2012. Web. 09 Dec. 2014.
<http://twain.lib.virginia.edu/huckfinn/nyworld.html>
Sutherland, John. “Huck Finn’s Racism Goes Beyond the N-Word.” Times, The (United Kingdom) (2011): 26.
Points of View Reference Center. Web. 9 Dec. 2014.
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=7EH43282018&site=pov-live>
Wilson, Brian. “Counterpoint: The Value of Censorship.” Points of View: Banning Books (2014):6. Points of
View Reference Center. Web 9 Dec. 2014.
<http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=pwh&AN=12421493&site=pov-live>
Webb, Allen. “Racism and Huckleberry Finn: Censorship, Dialogue, and Change”. Nov. 1993. English Journal.
Web. 09 Dec. 2014. <http://www.mvla.net/view/14570.pdf>
*** DO NOT FORGET YOU MUST ALSO HAVE A QUOTE/CITATION FROM THE NOVEL ITSELF TO SUPPORT EACH
OF YOUR POINTS!!!**