The authenticity of a word with history and culture attains significance for anyone who can properly use the word. Yes, I am implying the “n-word.” A commonly used term within the African-American community, but a word that also has the ability to produce a disapproving reaction when used by any other races. Lorrie Moore agrees that replacing this term will not solve the problem of censorship in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However, I disagree with her solution to the controversial topic. She believes that this word should not be exposed to high schoolers. The teenage audience of any race is most likely exposed to the “n-word”, yet lack the history to understand why the term is so derogatory for anyone that is not of African-American decent to use. So, why censor this word to students in high school? A younger reader develops a better understanding than those who learn later in life. Words that are more commonly censored today that inflict abuse, violence, and suicide pose as a threat to the modern teenager because of the common influence these words have in present societal problems. The “n-word” should not pose as a threat to the younger audience. The “n-word” holds the ongoing discrimination of an entire race of humans, and hundreds of years of oppression and inhuman treatment. The “n-word” should not be suppressed to a high schooler, it should be respectfully taught to enlighten those who use it carelessly without acknowledging the discrimination, torture, and genocide that the “n-word” is historically associated with.
To fully understand why students will interpret the “n-word” better in high school, we must understand the basic knowledge of how a brain evolves over time. The brain is not fully developed until around the age of 25 (“Understanding t.”). As the brain begins to obtain information, the newly taught information will be obtained by the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the part of the brain meant for learning. When previous information obtained by the cerebrum comes into play, the frontal cortex of the brain controls cognitive skills like judgment. For example, when a teenager is offered alcohol but was taught that it is illegal, their frontal cortex will help determine if they will accept or decline the offer. This is because the decision-making and emotional part of the brain are still developing as a teen (“Understanding t.”). Students should understand why the “n-word” is derogatory earlier than later. Early learning allows students to “understand what is socially appropriate in the home, classroom, and public places” (“Benefits of Early Childhood Learning”). Students should be aware of the historical past that correlates with the “n-word” and the African-American people. By allowing students to undergo a proper lesson for apprehending the African-American culture, students will develop an understanding for its significance.
If the “n-word” is censored, how is this truly protecting our younger audience? By now, teenagers are already exposed to this word through music, media, and the public. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was created within the 1870’s, which is fundamentally around a time when slavery and African-American cruelty were still relevant. Readers should understand that Mark Twain was essentially a white man who believed in white supremacy, which was a common belief within his time. I believe that this adds more detail into why this racial slur has become a phonological taboo. Not only does this word help others accept the negative past that the “n-word” retains, but “ it conveys a social meaning that is foundational in the identity of many African Americans” (Rahman 1). If removing this word means that it will protect our readers, then does this mean that an essential component of American history is dangerous and risky for the teenage audience? As Brando Simeo Starkey’s article, “If you truly knew what the N-word meant to our ancestors, you’d NEVER use it” puts it, “Black folk rescued the word from the smoldering debris of a virulently racist land, reclaimed it and renovated the slur into a celebration of black comradery” (Starke 1). If students are hidden from historical meaning, then this slur would be used without consideration for its harsh past. The display or censorship of the “n-word” does not affect the safety of our students. When the use of the “n-word” was presented during Lorrie Moore’s paper, me and and my fellow students were in a high school environment. As a high school student this did not concern me or put me into any danger. It should be clear that students will not face any problems when the “n-word” is put into public display of history and culture.
The “n-word” is one of the most risky and negative words of English language, however, our modern society risks the use of words like suicide and many other words that can endanger the teenage audience. Current teenage dilemmas include substance abuse, violence, and suicide. Unlike the “n-word,” these words affect the younger audience in this day and age. “13 Reasons Why” became a controversial topic after the show was meant to warn the audience about suicide. People quickly became upset with the shows premier, claiming that it was glorifying the stages of suicide. I can personally relate to a parents concern after my mother was worried for my safety when she found out I was binge-watching the show. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, “the Netflix show ‘13 Reasons Why’ was associated with a 28.9% increase in suicide rates among U.S. youth ages 10-17 in the month (April 2017) following the shows release” (National Institute of Health). Unlike “13 Reasons Why,” Huckleberry Finn does not afflict harmful behavior in the modern audience. Vocabulary like suicide, abuse, and violence are offensive and threatening, but it does not outweigh the ongoing discrimination of an entire race of human beings.The “n-word” and literary works that use it should not be censored. Any harm that it could pose its modern audience can be avoided by teaching students properly.
Lorrie Moore, parents, and educators should realize that educating teenagers about a very historical significant word will civilize their perspective about the diachronic implication the “n-word” has on the African-American community. Lorrie Moore is a parent. She has not experienced a day in the modern teenage society and how maturity plays a complicated role in learning new material for those teenagers. This why students should obtain appropriate, proper, and etiquette social skills earlier than college. College is the point in an adolescent’s life where they become independent. If Lorrie Moore and her followers are trying to create a world where a college student does have not proper social etiquette, historical knowledge, and consideration for using the “n-word”, it is not a world I would want any student to be a part of. The controversy between the censorship of the “n-word” in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn until college is utterly pointless. I am more convinced that keeping this word will provide more information for students. I believe that removing this word will not only destroy the context of the story itself, but a students ability to develop an understanding of evolution of the “n-word.”
Works Cited
“Understanding the Teenage Brain.” Heath Encyclopedia , University of Rochester Medical Center. October 1, 2019.
“Benefits of Early Chilhood Learning.” First Steps Inc. October 1, 2019.
“Release of ‘13 Reasons Why’ Associated with Increase in Youth Suicide Rates.” National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
29 Apr. 2019. October 1, 2019.
Pak, Onyu. “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Racism.” Youth Voices, Mrs. Reed, 16 May 2017. October 1, 2019.
Rahman, Jacquelyn. “The N-Word: It’s History and Use in the Africa American Communtiy.” Journal of English Language and Linguistics, vol. 40, no. 2, pp. 137-177.
Starkey, Brando Simeo. “If You Truly Knew What the N-Word Meant to Our Ancestors, You'd NEVER Use It.” The Undefeated, The Undefeated, 18 May 2017, October 1, 2019.