Yesterday on "The View," Whoopi Goldberg made mention that Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn was being re-written to remove any use of two specific words.
An article discussing the same subject can be found here. The article also details those specific words, in case you weren't aware.
I immediately knew I wanted to write about this, but I chose to sit on it for a day. Off and on, I was thinking about how I really feel about this.
My first reaction, which is also my current reaction, is that the entire project shouldn't be done. Who is to say that any words that are used in the text are wrong and should be omitted?
Oh, wait. The same people that choose to ban that very book out of libraries years ago.
My complaint is two-fold:
1. If the powers that be felt that the book was unfit to be read, how is their "power of speech" more right than Mark Twain's?
2. How can a book be changed as not to offend anyone with certain words yet the very words in question are an integral part of history?
Sure, we don't use these specific words in daily conversation. But we don't use other words either and some of those words may offend those they reference. Remember the term "politically correct?"
Should someone go through and rewrite any book that references policemen, firemen, secretaries, or handicapped?
From the moment someone begins to understand language, he or she could be offended by a word or two. An educated person can look past certain nuances. An educated person should be able to read the context clues. This skill is taught as early as Kindergarten.
We teach our children from early on that certain words are not acceptable. There are certain words that used to be censored from television, but now are as common as one would say leg, dog, or cat. However, the words that are still censored or not used on television can still be heard or seen. Words that I may not allow at my house may be just fine at yours. For example, we made "shut-up" a bad word. But that is for us, in our home.
My point is this: The first Amendment gives us freedom of speech; however, that seems to be a bit of a misnomer.
You can't yell fire in a crowded room. You can't say anything that can will cause harm to another person (slander). You can't write anything that could cause harm to another person (libel). In various situations, it is just understood that certain language is not acceptable, such as a teacher in a classroom.
But, even with our limits when it comes to words, that doesn't mean words that aren't accepted for general use anymore have to be erased as the times change.
I have never said the n-word. I heard it when I was growing up (not a lot), but I never liked it. As an adult, I chose never to use it, even in private conversation or writings that would that would be contextually correct. But does that mean that I am right?
No.
There are other words that I don't like and won't use. I could become offended and find a few hundred people to back me up and have any literature banned that contains those words. Or request that books be written so that I may not be offended.
No, we don't have freedom of speech in the literal sense, but we certainly to have freedom of opinions.
And in my opinion, Huck Finn needs to be left alone. Should the author go ahead with this project, I am reassured that I still have my copies with the original text, tucked safe on the bookshelf so that my boys may have the same experience of a rich novel that I did.
Showing posts with label love of reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love of reading. Show all posts
1/11/11
For the Love of Reading
Studies indicate that children raised in homes where the adults are readers have a better chance of becoming readers themselves.
Of course, it helps if the child has a desire to read. Some simply don't.
My daughter has read exactly two books in her seventeen years that was strickly for pleasure. Both of those were the year before last and part of the Twilight series. She is an Honors student in English (and math and science, too, but I am not going to brag about that.) but will tell me with no uncertain terms, books are boring and a waste of time.
If she didn't look exactly like me, I'd consider getting her DNA tested.
My youngest has always LOVED books. It would be hard to say how many words I have read to him. Now as he is older, I will occasionally read to him or even with him, but his own reading time comes in hits in misses. He still loves books, but he has a processing disorder, so reading for pleasure isn't quite the same for him. We're getting there!
My middle child has never really been a fan of books. As he got older, he would pick some books out at the library, both school and public, but not read them all the way if at all.
Then he discovered Star Wars books. He couldn't get enough, and I couldn't keep up with the demand.
While I was glad he was reading, after about a year or so, I started to get concerned he would not ever pick up another kind of book. And ultimately end up an adult with no social skills except with others at the Sci-Fi convention and living in our basement.
We don't have a basement. Or livable attic.
Then in fifth grade, a magical thing happened. It wasn't major change, but it helped. Through the power of peer- written book reports, he found a new world of books.
Now, he'll read an occasional Star Wars book, but he has added:
The 39 Clues (series)
Diary of a Whimpy Kid
Harry Potter
The My Name is America series
and other various children's fictional writings. Currently, he is reading Freak the Mighty-- suggested by me. He has already mentioned wanting to read the sequel, Max the Mighty.
We frequent three public libraries. When it is time to go, he usually has a book or two in mind that he would like to get (despite my best efforts to subtly recommend some classic or "boy" series), and then he always spends his most time in the non-fiction section.
His fiction may vary. Right now he is in a 39 Clues, Harry Potter, and graphic novel phase. (superheroes- Batman, Superman, Spiderman)
His non-fiction selections never fail to impress me. This past Sunday, I found him at the computer trying to find some books. I asked him what he was looking for. He said, "Knights. I want to read about knights."
We found the section and he picked out a few on knights and a couple that talked about the Renaissance.
Other non-fiction subjects over time have been the following:
Vietnam War
Army
Navy
Marines
World War I and II
Holocaust
Military Weaponry
Abraham Lincoln (his favorite President)
Revolutionary War
Civil War
Just last night he was flipping the channels on the TV and "American Experience" was just coming on PBS. He said, "Oh! The Ulysses S. Grant one. I was wanting to watch that."
And he did. The entire hour and a half.
I mentioned to my husband that it tickles me pink the choices he makes to read. Seriously, it cracks me up. But obviously other kids want to learn about those things, too, or the books wouldn't have been written geared toward them.
He's growing up fast, though. Before you know it, I'll be writing about straightening up in his room, picked up a book about some historical event, and a special magazine was hidden inside and fell out, opening to the centerfold.
Just as long as he still reads the articles, right?
Of course, it helps if the child has a desire to read. Some simply don't.
My daughter has read exactly two books in her seventeen years that was strickly for pleasure. Both of those were the year before last and part of the Twilight series. She is an Honors student in English (and math and science, too, but I am not going to brag about that.) but will tell me with no uncertain terms, books are boring and a waste of time.
If she didn't look exactly like me, I'd consider getting her DNA tested.
My youngest has always LOVED books. It would be hard to say how many words I have read to him. Now as he is older, I will occasionally read to him or even with him, but his own reading time comes in hits in misses. He still loves books, but he has a processing disorder, so reading for pleasure isn't quite the same for him. We're getting there!
My middle child has never really been a fan of books. As he got older, he would pick some books out at the library, both school and public, but not read them all the way if at all.
Then he discovered Star Wars books. He couldn't get enough, and I couldn't keep up with the demand.
While I was glad he was reading, after about a year or so, I started to get concerned he would not ever pick up another kind of book. And ultimately end up an adult with no social skills except with others at the Sci-Fi convention and living in our basement.
We don't have a basement. Or livable attic.
Then in fifth grade, a magical thing happened. It wasn't major change, but it helped. Through the power of peer- written book reports, he found a new world of books.
Now, he'll read an occasional Star Wars book, but he has added:
The 39 Clues (series)
Diary of a Whimpy Kid
Harry Potter
The My Name is America series
and other various children's fictional writings. Currently, he is reading Freak the Mighty-- suggested by me. He has already mentioned wanting to read the sequel, Max the Mighty.
We frequent three public libraries. When it is time to go, he usually has a book or two in mind that he would like to get (despite my best efforts to subtly recommend some classic or "boy" series), and then he always spends his most time in the non-fiction section.
His fiction may vary. Right now he is in a 39 Clues, Harry Potter, and graphic novel phase. (superheroes- Batman, Superman, Spiderman)
His non-fiction selections never fail to impress me. This past Sunday, I found him at the computer trying to find some books. I asked him what he was looking for. He said, "Knights. I want to read about knights."
We found the section and he picked out a few on knights and a couple that talked about the Renaissance.
Other non-fiction subjects over time have been the following:
Vietnam War
Army
Navy
Marines
World War I and II
Holocaust
Military Weaponry
Abraham Lincoln (his favorite President)
Revolutionary War
Civil War
Just last night he was flipping the channels on the TV and "American Experience" was just coming on PBS. He said, "Oh! The Ulysses S. Grant one. I was wanting to watch that."
And he did. The entire hour and a half.
I mentioned to my husband that it tickles me pink the choices he makes to read. Seriously, it cracks me up. But obviously other kids want to learn about those things, too, or the books wouldn't have been written geared toward them.
He's growing up fast, though. Before you know it, I'll be writing about straightening up in his room, picked up a book about some historical event, and a special magazine was hidden inside and fell out, opening to the centerfold.
Just as long as he still reads the articles, right?
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