Third Eye Views

As a person who loves literature, I was very surprised to hear that there will be editing to a book written by one of the America’s most beloved authors, Mark Twain.  His book ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ is not only a classic literary read, but a very prolific piece of literature for American culture.  However, a new edition of this classic book will now be published without the word ‘nigger‘.

Allan Gribben, who happens to be a Twain scholar at Auburn University, is the person who is responsible for this new edition.  Gribben explains, “Seems to me I’m doing something constructive by simply eliminating a word that’s a clear barrier for many people.”  The  word nigger is used 219 times throughout the entire novel, to intentionally shed light on 19th century racism in America.

But my real question however is, who are the “many people” Gribben speak of  when stating that this word is such a barrier, that it should be eliminated?  Who is he doing this “constructive” act for?  Personally, as an African-American who was educated in the South, I  find Gribben actions to be for the benefit of White Americans who don’t want to discuss American history in its true form.  Which is exactly what this novel does.   And I’m not the only person of color who thinks the word ‘nigger’ should remain as is, in this classic novel.   Morehouse College’s David Wall Rice believes that the word actually help Americans look racism in the face, “We have to have the discussion about it, we can’t skate over it.” I am in total agreement!

Dialogue is the key to growth, and uncomfortable subject matter will initiate dialogue.  That is the beauty of literature.  To edit a word can sometimes edit the tone of a story, which then edits the subject matter.  Growth and change are never easy (hint the phrase ‘growing pains’), but it is necessary.  We as an American culture can never be afraid to discuss our history. It is our history, both good and bad, that makes us such a wonderful nation.  To try to erase history with word editing is wrong and to edit a word to eliminate necessary discussion for a particular race of people, is just plain cowardly.

This novel was published in 1885 and from the first printing, the controversy is still ongoing, with recent attempts to ban the book.  But what amazes me is that the controversy always center around the use of one word, but the book is mostly about a friendship between two people who are of a different race, background, and generation gap, yet they work together and put their differences aside, in the face of adversity and for the betterment of one another.

And isn’t that what America should be about?