Question: Huckleberry Finn - Has The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Been Banned? Why?
Has The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn been banned? And, why would Huckleberry Finn be controversial?
Answer: A History of Huckleberry Finn & Censorship
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was first published in 1884. Mark Twain's novel was controversial from the start. In 1885, Concord Public Library banned the book. Mark Twain wrote to Charles Webster on March 18, 1885: "The Committee of the Public Library of Concord, Mass., have given us a rattling tip-top puff which will go into every paper in the country. They have expelled Huck from their library as 'trash and suitable only for the slums.' That will sell 25,000 copies for us sure." In 1902, the Brooklyn Public Library banned The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with the statement that "Huck not only itched but he scratched," and that he said "sweat" when he should have said "perspiration."
Why Was Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Banned?
In general, the debate over Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has centered around the language of the book, which has been objected to on social grounds. Yielding to public pressure, some textbook publishers have substituted "slave" or "servant" for the term that Mark Twain uses in the book, which has been considered derogatory to African Americans.
