Huck Finn ignites state controversy

Not everybody thinks a boy named Huck should be in school, so some people are trying to get him expelled -- from reading lists.

However, these efforts to take The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn off mandatory school reading lists have left many University teachers and students arguing for its right to stay.

According to an NAACP resolution, the organization finds that the repeated use of racial slurs in the novel leads to well-documented psychological damage to African-American children's self-esteem, especially in the classroom.

Reading the book should be optional, said Sandra Choute, president of the University chapter of the NAACP.

"Students who find the book offensive should be able to read another book or be excused from class," Choute said.

However, Choute said the NAACP is not necessarily in favor of censorship.

"It will always be available in the library if the student is interested," she said.

This is not the first time the novel, which had its 113th publication anniversary last Wednesday, has been contested in the classroom. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is sixth on the American Library Association's 1997 list of challenged books.

However, educators stand firm in their position that schools should teach it.

"This book has always been the center of controversy," said Susan Harris, director of English graduate studies at the University and author of several books on Mark Twain.

"In the 19th century it glorified a bad boy. In the 20th century, race was focused on. But at the heart of both is (that) the novel brings up a lot of fear and prejudice," Harris said. "It does this deliberately and so it has to be taught."

Harris also said banning the book from schools is like pretending the issues surrounding the book don't exist.

"It's not a children's book," said Kenneth Thigpen, associate professor of English, American studies and comparative literature at the University. "But there are a lot more offensive books out there. This book has become a focal point for the issue of racism, but the issue is really about bad teaching and unprepared students."

The State College Area School District does offer The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as an option to some students to read for class, said Sandra Wyngaard, English coordinator.

"When we present this book, we give a lengthy explanation to students before reading," Wyngaard said.

Because of the book's social commentary, one University student said the book should remain on schools' reading lists.

"It can't be replaced," said Julie Brown (junior-English). "It touches on things I've never read about in other books. There is no other story that ties in racism, class struggles and the judicial system that gives the same effect."