General Discussion

Cuthbert Allgood

(5,339 posts)

27. You are missing the point of that word in Twain.

Tue Feb 21, 2023, 12:24 PM

Feb 2023

By a long shot. Though it was certainly common, Twain (and others) knew it was racist at the time and used as a power play. The true look is (and this is the short version) that Huck calls Jim that when Huck is under the control of society (a la Tom). Once he realized that Jim is human, he not only stops calling Jim that but calls himself that.

But, as I mentioned above, we can't ignore the generational trauma of the word.

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"Absurd censorship:" Changes to Roald Dahl's books spark criticism [View all] Celerity Feb 2023 OP

Well, isn't that an interesting conundrum ... which side to come down on if you're liberal Hugh_Lebowski Feb 2023 #1

So well said! n/t SickOfTheOnePct Feb 2023 #2

I never self-describe as a liberal, as liberal in most all of the advanced world other than the US Celerity Feb 2023 #5

Thanks for your highly intelligent and thoughtful input Hugh_Lebowski Feb 2023 #10

It's their property Effete Snob Feb 2023 #6

Okay, well if we're only talking about special, marked-as-edited versions provided to schools Hugh_Lebowski Feb 2023 #25

Why write new childrens' books anyway Effete Snob Feb 2023 #37

Weird for me cause we usually understand each other Effete Hugh_Lebowski Feb 2023 #38

Wildly popular early 1900s childrens book Effete Snob Feb 2023 #39

I suspected your point was (mostly) the opposite of what the words you were actually saying Hugh_Lebowski Feb 2023 #40

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is hardly Little Black Sambo" Effete Snob Feb 2023 #41

You make some good points Hugh_Lebowski Feb 2023 #47

It's not a hard conundrum for me Dorian Gray Feb 2023 #22

I would generally agree with you, but using those texts as is in school Cuthbert Allgood Feb 2023 #26

It's a question of what's age appropriate. meadowlander Feb 2023 #31

I wish people who know better would stop calling editorial decision "censorship" unblock Feb 2023 #3

Censorship can be conducted by governments, private institutions and other controlling bodies. nt Celerity Feb 2023 #7

And none of that applies here unblock Feb 2023 #13

of course it does Celerity Feb 2023 #15

It's censorship in the way the Beatles' "love" album censored the Beatles unblock Feb 2023 #16

no Celerity Feb 2023 #17

Just as Giles Martin changed the Beatles' music with approval of apple, capitol, and parlophone unblock Feb 2023 #20

it is far beyond that, but we are not going to agree, so I am dropping out of this from my end Celerity Feb 2023 #21

Dahl himself did the same thing Effete Snob Feb 2023 #42

In 1818 a Dr Bowdler published an expurgated version of Shakespeare for children... Hekate Feb 2023 #4

What You Said !!! GGoss Feb 2023 #8

Highly edited Golden classics books were easy intro to literature for small children. haele Feb 2023 #12

You are missing the point of that word in Twain. Cuthbert Allgood Feb 2023 #27

As I said, there's a lot to talk about in that book Hekate Feb 2023 #28

Sure, but what about the students that can't get past it to the discussion? Cuthbert Allgood Feb 2023 #29

How old should the reader be? Should each copy come with comprehensive annotations on each page? Hekate Feb 2023 #32

If you're teaching it to the right age group for the right reasons meadowlander Feb 2023 #33

So you really think that a middle age white guy Cuthbert Allgood Feb 2023 #34

Um no. Where are you getting that from anything that I wrote? meadowlander Feb 2023 #35

I agree with Rushdie BannonsLiver Feb 2023 #9

Just mark these the "bluenose prig versions" and still sell the originals. gulliver Feb 2023 #11

Have To Agree With Rushdie DET Feb 2023 #14

Why does it have anything to do with our US political party meadowlander Feb 2023 #30

Is the family still involved? sl8 Feb 2023 #36

Why would Dahl be horrified? Effete Snob Feb 2023 #44

Not So Fast DET Feb 2023 #49

Yep. Rushdie's right. Scrivener7 Feb 2023 #18

Penguin should come up with another Publisher name to print these under - SNOWFLAKE TheBlackAdder Feb 2023 #19

Maybe ditch the Random House name, and go with... LudwigPastorius Feb 2023 #24

So you think Dahl was wrong? Effete Snob Feb 2023 #43

An author revising his work as opposed to someone... LudwigPastorius Feb 2023 #46

I wondered when someone would mention this story. roamer65 Feb 2023 #23

I don't like revisions by the right Mz Pip Feb 2023 #45

I wonder if there will be a buying spree Moosepoop Feb 2023 #48