There is a great deal of discussion among literary critics as to whether or not Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is a racist novel. The issue comes down to the portrayal of Jim, the black slave, and how he is treated by Huck and others. In the 1950s the attempt to ban The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from classroom required reading lists again came to the fore, not primarily because its depiction of black characters and use of the word "nigger" were demeaning to African-Americans. Americans. students. Many believe that Twain uses the word too loosely. However, many believe that Huck Finn should be taught in schools on the basis that the novel's racist theme accurately depicted what life was like for a slave before the Civil War. Opponents of Huck Finn argue that literary censorship is acceptable. But isn't censorship a violation of the First Amendment? In places like Philadelphia and New York City, they have adapted a new version that not only tones down the violence and dialects, but eliminates all the steps demeaning to African Americans. In today's hypersensitive society, wouldn't this be the whole book? It would be impossible to write a novel that didn't offend at least one demographic. Being politically correct at the expense of a broad mindedness is simply not worth the sacrifice. There are mixed feelings about teaching Huck Finn in elementary schools. On the one hand, its themes might be a little too mature for a child's delicate psyche, confusing them about what is right and wrong. At the same time, it could be argued that teaching it early in development allows adolescents to see the evils of slavery, so any potential prejudice can be abolished at a young age, thus reducing the number of hate crimes... paper.. If Huck Finn were to be banned from schools for being “racist,” then we shouldn't be assigned any books. The Chocolate War should be banned because it uses offensive language and contains sexual content that is not suitable for middle school students; Julie of the Wolves should too, because it contains violence, offensive language and sexual content; Harry Potter, because it contradicts Christianity and supports the occult, and And Then There Were None, whose horrific murder techniques were quite disturbing to me as a 14-year-old. Furthermore, Poe's morbid and violent works should be excommunicated because their content is not suitable for "fragile minds." In fact, should any of these books be banned? No. Maturity, sensitivity and understanding are all that is needed to effectively teach the children of tomorrow what is conveyed through these masterpieces.