Against The Institutions

In the interview with Toni Morrison she talks about several institutions that appear in several of her books. Slavery appears constantly in her books as it marked the African American's history. Either way Beloved, specified a critique made in Song of Solomon about slavery and racism. Only when the government decided to institutionalize slavery, because of Bacon's Rebellion, did the tortuous history of racism in the United States begin. Clearly, this particular institution affected her greatly but in the books she mentions, other similar systems appear, with equally damaging effects.

She mentions religion as a strife-causing institution. Also, Morrison talks of a system the first Europeans fled when coming to America. These two, although not explored in Song of Solomon do have an important relation to racism. All three of them systematized human life forcing people to live in unjust conditions that denigrated certain sectors of the population. Although racism towards blacks continued to be the main theme for her in the interview and on this book, she attempts to analyze those institutions in her books in the possible. Morrison helps the reader live the experiences through a clear description of the setting that enables such situations and realistic characters with which the reader can empathize.

Especially Milkman exemplifies a realistic character. Once he understood the problem his community faced he showed an extremely humane reaction. He did not take the hardest way like Hamlet did nor did he courageously defend a friendship like Huck. Instead, he wanted and tried to run away here: "I ain't going home, Guitar. Hear me?" (89) Truthfully, his decision, an act of cowardice, should cause shame and guilt in Milkman. Still, this conveys, in the strongest way possible, the power and ferocity of those institutions. Even when a young man sees such a huge defect, no idealism moves him to change it. Instead, the challenge before him seems so great fear overpowers him forcing him to turn away from that epitome of discrimination: the institution of racism.

Cannibalism

As I continue to progress in this book, a clear portrayal of African American society begins to form. Relationships amongst blacks shocked me the most about this representation. Although the common struggle they shared during this period should have united them, a race for survival began where only fellow blacks suffered so that others. All this suffering payed for the wellbeing of people like Milkman and the Dead's who in their advantaged position could leave all the misfortune in oblivion. This chapter shows how Milkman decides he will try to run away from all the suffering he sees in his community tired of that hostile environment.

The first mention of this strife occurs when Macon talks about Dr. Foster saying he "called them (other blacks) cannibals" (71). By definition a cannibal refers to a person who eats the flesh of other human beings (according to the oxford dictionary). Clearly he uses an extended meaning to refer to that desperate strife among black people to acquire a higher status. Despite the difference in wealth, even Macon and his family must have had a "cannibalistic" past. Evidently, they have emerged victorious from this endless battle, secured financial stability and gained a feeling of safety. Although this family has successfully fled the conflict, they continue being part of that society to which they no longer belong because of their higher standing but they cannot escape completely because of their race.

Indeed, "the cards are stacked against" them (87). The game is savage. Ultimately though, even if they win, they loose. Victory like the one obtained by the Dead family, has no meaning because they did not gain full rights but now, they are also in a limbo, not really accepted by their equals. This "game" orchestrated by whites represents the ultimate form of evil Morrison associates constantly with color white. Whites caused the harsh conditions blacks we forced to live in during this time period, the lack of protection by government and even the wealth prize for rising above everybody else. Whites created and maintained the system Morrison fights with her book. With this particular part of it she explains the disunion of black people even when oppressed collectively and points the cause of the problem, hopefully with a solution to come by the end of the book.

 

Flight: The Only Escape

Flight, the ultimate form of freedom, haunted the first pages of Song of Solomon like and unattainable vision. As expected from an African American author, discrimination, the undying remnant of slavery, marked her. Although blacks were officially free, the black Americans would need the civil rights movement to properly defend it. So far, the story focuses on the characters who, trapped inside poverty and racism, loose themselves. In this hostile society, hope dies and death seems like the only choice.

The very beginning of the book makes references flight and freedom. Robert Smith unable to continue bearing the heavy shackles of living in such conditions, decided to break free. Here, he bids farewell to his family and describes his suicide in peculiar way: "I will take off from mercy and fly away on my own wings. Please forgive me" (Morrison, 1). The insurance agent wanted to fly away "on his own wings". These represent the only action he with out the restraint of a repressive society: suicide. Although he knew freedom came at a great cost, he wanted to try it before that hostile environment expunged all traces of will to live in him. Clearly, it shows how the harsh conditions for black people in the United States affected them.

The next allusion to flight comes 9 pages later when Ruth Dead gives birth to Macon Dead III. Ironic, seeing a "dead" woman gave birth. Still, we should not blame the characters for their names. Society imposed that state of living death. With out true freedom, good living conditions and a definite future, the Dead epitomize the results of a discriminatory system in African Americans. Probably, the loss of hope shocks the reader the most. Only "when the little boy discovered, at four, the same thing Mr. Smith had learned earlier – that only birds and airplanes could fly-he lost all interest in himself"(9) like many others under the same regime of discrimination. That system forbade hope even to children. This shows how profound the impact this time period had on Tony Morrison.

With these two examples the author sets a clear tone and purpose of the book. She wants to create a crude and harsh image of life under racism. Evidently, the book opposes strongly the harsh events that surrounded that time period but she does not necessarily intend the work to solely critique. Morrison wants to show her view and share part of her experiences through the book: her only pair of wings.

Adventure, Danger, The Mind

A clear similarity exists between The Age of Wonder and Heart Of Darkness. Both have characters searching for something in an unknown and dangerous land. Also, these journeys explore the author's mind. Depicting such hostile environments shows the dangers of knowing a truth about one's self. Meanwhile the marvels that could potentially appear in such voyage represent the everlasting possibility of wonder especially when understanding the human mind: a collection of thoughts and memories so complex it could house an entire continent.

In the case of Conrad, he sought Kurtz: an ideal of himself. After fighting his unconscious, a powerful being represented as the wilderness, he found the truth behind that ideal. Despite all the apparent dangers he experienced while traveling, only finding Kurtz truly devastated him. With this, Conrad proved that finding an undesired truth endangers the explorer's psyche the most.

Richard Holmes one the other hand uses a different style to achieve the same objective. He does not use elements as evident as a meditating Buddha to clarify his intentions. Through the character's description the reader infers the setting surrounding the character and how this setting will help us explore Holmes' mind. Joseph Banks is "cheerful, confident and adventurous: a true child of the Enlightenment." (1) This in combination with his actions helps depict him as a young, energetic and slightly naïve person: a perfect scientific explorer ready to extract the truth from an unyielding wilderness of thought. Still, a key element differentiates him from a typical scientist. He has the "dreaming inwardness of Romanticism". Although we first imagine him as a scientist, only a spark of romanticism and idealism guides him. Through his research of nature and this voyage he seeks himself.

Ultimately, both travelers wish to find themselves. Despite similarities in the stories, both are destined to fin a different reality. The dangers these two characters face must remind us of perils in self discovery. Especially in the case of Conrad, finding the truth does not necessarily mean improving.

Referencing the Different Levels

Unfortunately, we often have a short lived memory for the atrocities of the past. What should be symbols of shame stand as proud representatives of a country’s glory. Yet, in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, these monuments could also have a meaning related to Conrad’s alter ego. In chapter 19 of King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild “The arch’s massive stone and concrete bulk brings to mind Conrad’s description of the unnamed European capital in Heart of Darkness as “the sepulchral city.” But of the millions of Africans whose labor paid for all this and sent them to sepulchers of unmarked earth, there is no sign” (294). With this allusion, the author could try recalling the strong feelings of anti-colonialism Heart of Darkness conveyed. Although he achieves such an effect, Hochschild could have chosen many other publications with a similar content. Particularly, choosing a book with such underlying meanings means Hochschild wants a similar effect in his work.

Those great monuments, part of “the sepulchral city” represent the images of success achieved through selfishness and materialism. With out enslaving his heart (Africa) to his mind (Europe) a monument like that would remain in the imagination. This unparalleled wealth led to squandering of the heart forgetting the sacrifices necessary to reach that ultimate achievement. Whether Conrad had to immolate friends, family or love to reach his goals no longer mattered. This lead to a death in life where the usual human characteristics disappear. Eventually his dead humanity would consolidate into a monument to that would turn that into the sepulchral city.

Anyhow, other than triggering such references from the reader, the deeper meaning of these works intend o obviate the underlying meaning and making the reader think. This allusion suggests the work wants active readers that will understand it. Also, the strong connection between this and the surrounding context make the connection between the two stands out. We could even find a similar process Conrad goes through his book but throughout the entire work.

Return To “The Sepulchral City”

Joseph Conrad ends his book with an enigmatic paragraph I must analyze in order to understand the true meaning of the book. With it Conrad tells an important part of the book's meaning and connects the context where the book's narration takes place and the plot's events. Here, he concludes his book: "The offing was barred by a black bank of clouds, and tranquil waterway leading to the uttermost ends of the earth flowed somber under an overcast sky- seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness." (146).

We can divide this sentence into two main parts. The first part describes the boats surroundings. These continue being dark, gray and dead which creates symmetry with the book's beginning. A dead landscape, covered with clouds that met with the sea in the horizon. These bleak surroundings represent the solitude and uncertainties that surrounded Conrad's mind. Although these characteristics exist symmetrically in the book, one thing changed: an exit to that world. Whether industrialization and all that makes a modern man created these distinct characteristics in him does not matter. In end, Conrad tries to give us Africa as an exit to that darkness. In that "heart of an immense darkness" we should find and therefore, we need a description of the Africa presented to us in the book's narrative in order to understand this possible exit.

Marlow's voyage to meet an ideal Kurtz that was only a disappoint reality, we can characterize Africa. The continent was wild, savage, untamable unpredictable and, above all, real. Seeing the artificial lives Europeans had, Conrad saw reality in an Africa. The false ideals his imperialistic society imposed on him died there. Although they were great, like Kurtz was, truth would inevitably overpower them. Indeed, for Conrad the only exit from that artificial bleak and industrialized Europe was that "heart": Africa.

A Hero Left In Oblivion

Kurtz personifies the ideal colonizer. He endured the jungle, the savages and still managed to gain a profit for the company. His achievements' recognition gave him fame and glory, specially, among those that would later join the company's ranks. Despite all these efforts, in the end, the company abandoned him. This event has different interpretation depending on the reader's point of view on the book. This quotation shows the moment of Kurtz's abandonment: "There hasn't been a drop of medicine or a mouthful of invalid food for months here. He was shamefully abandoned. A man like this, with such ideas. Shamefully! Shamefully! I-IT- Haven't slept for the last ten nights…." (Joseph Conrad, 109).

First, this interpretation assumes Heart of Darkness focuses purely on anti-imperialism. In this case, Conrad reveals the true cruel and cold nature of the company's profit driven existence. This would explain why he highlights "medicine and food", goods, civilization should provide. The company's actions also dehumanize Kurtz's great image as a mighty colonizer and diminished the legend behind him. Instead of receiving a hero's treatment, they leave him in oblivion, hopefully, to die there silently. Not only does this reveal the falsehood in the company's propaganda, but it also shows how it dehumanized both the conquerors and the conquered in the processes.

On the other hand, we have a metaphorical interpretation for this quotation. If our narrator really takes us into Conrad's mind, then Kurtz represents the ideal he desperately tried to reach. Despite all his efforts, it remained unattainable. He might have reached the reality of Kurtz but the ideal died that moment. All through the book, he seemed untouchable, immortal and almighty. In the end, he was human.From this we can conclude that Conrad also experienced a similar process when he tried to turn into that ideal. Unfortunately, even after reaching it, he remained flawed and vulnerable. Like the company abandoned Kurtz, Conrad left his ideal alter ego in the most unreachable corners of his mind, to die in oblivion.

Anti-Imperialism: Mine

When the explorers sent to conquer and tame these newfound lands, they thought the white race should own everything. Unfortunately, history proved Conrad right when each of the conquered regions began to regain their independence. Although that feeling of property over the savage lands died towards the end of the imperialistic times, the few veterans like Kurtz strongly believe in it. This moment reflects Kurtz's obsession with possessing everything and it could form part of a metaphor that represents the greed of the European nations for the wealth in its new properties: "'My Ivory.' Oh yes, I head him. 'My Intended, my ivory, my station, my river, my everything belonged to him. It made me hold my breath in expectation of hearing the wilderness burst into prodigious peal of laughter that would shake the fixed stars in their places. Everything belonged to him- but that was a trifle. The thing was to know what he belonged to, how many powers of darkness claimed him for their own." (89)

The first part of this quote shows the greed and the feeling that it developed on the Europeans. It consumed and made them very materialistic. This feeling created an apetite for owning things they could not actually have. An
intended too far away to even confirm her existence, a river as untamable as any other, a station fragile when facing the perils of the aborigines and a precious resource that kept the entire system in place exemplifies this range of unattainable objects. Then comes nature laughing at their wasted pride, reminding us that it is impossible to truly own anything. Meanwhile, as european nations dreamt of wealth and ownership beyond their borders, other perils awaited them. "Powers" like division inside the countries' hearts and threats to the amongst each other endangered them greatly. In the end, despite their apparent size, power and fame (like Kurtz) their true form is weak and overgrown. Despite their size they are weak or the author implies it.

Clearly, Imperialism is a main theme on the book and even three blogs do not cover its entire extent in the novel. It plays a key role as a setting but it becomes even more important as Conrad uses other elements to critique it. This is his style. It characterizes the book and must be noted when talking about Conrad's work.

Anti-Imperialism: The “Unavoidable” Duty

Whenever we discussed European Imperialism, their feeling of responsibility towards the "inferior races" always appears. As expected, Conrad also had to talk about somehow in his novel. Still, the style with which he presented is noteworthy. Sometimes, textbooks can confuse you into thinking explorers and colonizers viewed themselves "Something like an emissary of light, something like a lower sort of apostle. There had been a lot of such rot let loose in print and talk just about that time". (19) Still, we must remember "the Company was run for profit". The aunt, like the general public in the mother land that never actually saw a colony, believed the government propaganda based on the white's moral duty to their inferiors when colonizing them. Only people like the narrator that actually went there understand the truth behind it.

In this few sentences we see how Conrad incorporates seamlessly this critique to his narrative. Apparently, he never stops telling the story of the man who will son depart in an adventure for exploring a continent, now plagued with the infamous results of colonialism. With this, we can confirm Conrad intended with such subtle style, especially when surrounding such a delicate topic for his time, to introduce his radical point of view softly. He does not bother to change the focal point of the story, but with other elements he conveys the true meaning he wishes his readers to understand. The first time we saw allegory and now we see an indirect speech that conveys his true ideas. I expect this established style to continue as the book develops. Hopefully, in the future, his characters will serve other purposes and not only as puppets to portray his views. Rather than seeing them placed on the background as his ideas take the spotlight, they could take a more active role with out affecting his style or the story later on.

Anti-Imperialism: The Endless Repeat

Since the novel's start, it develops a clear setting that determines the character's actions. During Conrad's times colonialism ruled the world. Although he did not necessarily live during the era of "blank spaces on earth" (10), the desire for exploration these brought did move the exploration movement that resulted in the colonial system that appears so prominently in the novel. In these first pages, he portrays the birth of colonialism with a powerful image evoked here: "Now when I was a little chap I had a passion for maps. I would look for hours at South America, or Africa, or Australia and lose myself in all the glories of exploration. At that time there were many blank spaces on earth, and when I saw one that looked particularly inviting on a map (but they all look that) I would put my finger on it and say, When I grow up I will go there".(10)

Furthermore, with this quote we can imagine the young nations of Europe looking at the rest of the world with innocent eyes filled with curiosity and dreams. Soon, "the glories of exploration" seduced these infant countries into taking such enormous pieces of the world that, even the vast wealth acquired during their conquest, could not keep the empires whole. Indeed, when these matured as empires, they had gone everywhere they had put their "finger" on. Essentially, with this quotation, Conrad vividly shows the birth of colonialism.

Since the beginning the author shows key elements that define his style. We can expect imagery and metaphor to show deep social critique pouring out of every chapter, if not every page. Although his writing may differ greatly for other texts dealing with the same topic, I find his main theme horrendously repetitive in the school's curriculum. Anyhow, however much I dislike the topic, his description is the best one I have read. Only for this, I will dedicate my three blogs to the creative ways he used to teach this overused, over talked and over discussed school subject.

Fighting the Remix

Remixing , as we know it today, has existed throughout different time periods and continues to be heavily applied especially to the pop culture media. Seldom do we see a new movie with completely original work as Kirby shows on his videos "Everything is a Remix". Although his point holds true for most of the entertainment released today, at some point a source of originality must have existed. Chekhov with The Cherry Orchard is one of those few sources and still, he copied a key element: reality.

The play's structure is revolutionary. In his accurate depiction of life he avoids the established structures and instead, shows glimpses of reality. Even with out the need of a climax, (although you could argue the auction's role as one) this play keeps the readers attention thanks to its characters. These differed from others not only because of their flaws but also, because of their inability to change. Ultimately, Ranevskaya did not accept reality, Anya and Varya continued to suffer because of their mother's decisions and Lopakhin remained a greedy merchant with an inferiority complex. After realizing this I wondered what this play actually was.

In other works like Hamlet, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or even The Canterbury Tales, the author tells us significant tale. In their stories, either someone dies, goes on a voyage or a life changing event happens. This play goes completely against those basic ideas of what a story should be. It tried to find a new kind of creativity in reality, the most ancient inspirational source for art. This attempt to reach realism culminates in these character's whose humanity comes from everyday activities. Finally, this play is not about the events but the people. It is revolutionary because Chekhov refused to remix elements of other plays and tried to create something different that would not even fit into the themes that had classified literature for so long. Today, we need a Chekhov, someone who wants to fight the systematic way Hollywood creates entertainment with something completely original that does not follow the classic genres and stereotypes.

What Humor?

Humor rarely appears inside this four-act play, specially considering the grim setting and flawed characters. These, instead of inspiring any kind of sympathy, earn the public's hate through their irrational or unacceptable actions. Ranevskaya exemplifies this. She not only refuses to accept her dire financial situation, but also worsens it through her lavish spending. Still, there other characters' behaviors demonstrate their unavoidable flaws in a more humorous fashion.

Anyhow, Trofimov shows a playful and humorous side during the start of the third act. Here, he mocks Varya for her supposed marriage with Lopakhin: "Madame Lopakhina! Madame Lopakhina!"(353). Although his offense is small, he clearly shows insensitivity to the family's situation in a humorous fashion. He makes a remark on Varya's marriage with the trader Lopakhin. The merchant had a peasant's upbringing and with the freedom his family earned, he escaped poverty and became even wealthier than his previous owners. Meanwhile, Varya had a noble childhood with serfs and wealth. This marriage would lower her status and self-esteem. In fact, she sunk even lower because she needed Lopakhin to marry her in order to save some of her family's property. She also acknowledged the possibility that he would not propose to her which would lower her status even more. Her unfortunate situation shattered her view of herself and her family.

At any rate, Trofimov mocks this dire situation with a sharp comment that helped make this progress of degradation even more painful. His attitude shows that in reality, this family's tragedy hurts very few of the people surrounding them. They do not matter. Even after loosing the last symbol of their nobility, the Cherry Orchard, they will continue to live and work even if they remain aimlessly on the past.

Right now, I do not understand the humor in this play (if any exists) because my culture differs radically from the one Chekhov grew in. I can only make suppositions, like this one, about the true humor in his works. If the author's intent was really to portray life as accurately as possible, then avoiding extremely humorous moments should be necessary since there are only very few occasions where these appear consistently in life.

Giant Russia

Amongst the vast amount of conversations we see in the second act of The Cherry Orchard one short dialogue in particular seems very important. Unlike the rest of the story it could be interpreted politically or, at least, we can view it with some level of political irony. Even if the Bolschevic revolution and all that followed did not affect him at all, his book seems to have some foresight on it or at least fools today's reader to think so. Here, Lopakhin begins talking about his life and what could be his view on Russia: "You have only start doing something to find out how few honest, decent people there are. Sometimes, when I can't sleep I think: 'Lord, Thou gravest us vast forests, boundless fields, broad horizons, and living in their midst we ourselves out truly to be giants". Lyubov the answers: "Now you want giants! They're good only in fairy tales, otherwise they're frightening" (Chekhov 347). At the time, Russia was going through a period of industrialization that would effectively make it into a giant. Although the he did not even live to see the rise of the Soviet Union, he did see that period of great change and above all, he saw the time where European giants ruled the world. With small deep comments like this one, he gave the play a sense of reality and yet no themes at all.

Although the play has never focuses on politics, these two lines gave it a depth that must be analyzed. During his life, Chekhov must have seen the European empires at their peak. Russia being a vast territory was closer to being an empire than any of the other countries by birth right. The great riches of that land described there makes it clear that to some extent Chekhov's ideal was to see a great Russia that took advantage of its natural resources to become a great power. Still, he also realized the great dangers that came with such gigantic power. Amongst these dangers was the possibility of war against these "frightening" superpowers would attack the great Russia. These clashes amongst titans resulted in the First World War. Evidently the author did not see this but the increase in military power of the empires and the beginnings of Russia's rise must have been evident during his life time. Even though Chekhov tries to avoid themes, his novel incorporates enough plenty of discussion about all themes, even, politics. This possibility is new in the literature we have read in the course so far and therefore, must be noted as a key element of this author's work.

Mimesis

When reading act 1 of The Cherry Orchard, I realized this was a very realistic play. From the beginning, Chekhov establishes a consistent lack of themes and of idealized characters. I can deepen my understanding of this portrayal by describing the society he shows.

Moreover, this play has two main characteristics that define its style: incoherence between the character's conversations and social classes. These are not the play's themes but rather, elements of the reality on which the author based his story. Since he made clear that neither themes nor characters would drive the ideas behind his plays, then only these elements, part of the story's crude realism, remain.

Surely, social classes played a key role in Chekhov's life. During the time of Czars in Russia people had social classes engrained on them like we see here: "Lopakhin: You're much too delicate, Dunyasha. You dress like a lady and do you hair like one too. It's not right. You should know your place" (316). This occurs during the very first moments of the book when Lopakhin and Dunyasha wait for the other to arrive. The merchant warns the maid against her excessively refined ways. She does not agree or disagree with this statement but accepts it in silence. The development of the play's reality needs this because it shows, with few seconds of dialog, the strict social stratification in it. Although this character seems unaffected by this phrase, it clearly shows the importance social classes will have on the behavior of characters as read on.

Anyhow, the inability of characters to truly understand each other plays a key role in the play's reality. In very few moments does the dialogue flow between the characters. Instead, the people inform other of important events that go unnoticed. Here, Dunyasha talks to Anya about her marriage proposal and she blatantly ignored her: "Dunyasha: I really don't know what to think. He loves me- He loves me so! Anya: My room, my windows… it's just as though I'd never been away. I am home! Tomorrow morning I'll get up and run into the orchard… Oh if I could only sleep! I didn't sleep during the entire journey, I was so tormented by anxiety" (319). The fact they do not communicate at all, for what ever reason, matters to develop the ideas in the play. These are deeply flawed characters or so they seem to be. In this first Act we can only skim on their real essence. Still, this lack of communication will play a key role later in the play even if it only serves to maintain the status quo.

The author's unique style helps give the play its realism. Although this only talks about the first act, he already has a clear tone, probably close to gloominess than anything else, that the reader can only begin to understand on the first few pages. On the title page the categorization of the play as a comedy intrigues me considering its tone, defined partly, by the elements described above.

 

 

A Society in Paper

In Patricia Lockwood’s “The Church of the open Crayon Box”, the author gives us the idea of a small town. This small town is not real. Instead, it reflects society showing several of its aspects. First, I must discuss a metaphorical element that would otherwise leave the meaning of the work incomplete: paper. It is fragile like our entire society. Such a small town made of paper can be destroyed with only water.

Anyhow, I realized that this story told the first metaphor with the idea of a child painting it. There are probably two interpretations: that society has an underlying simplicity or that it is so absurd, even a Child can make this creation. The child asks himself whether his father will see the purpose of the drawing supporting the second version.

Condensed content is a typical characteristic of a short story. Here, we can only find a small part of the actual idea and our reasoning will do the rest. Although this creates different theories, that is the unique property of these stories. If a story can ultimately transcend time by creating such different interpretations through discussion, we should read it.

Cherry-Ripe: Imagery

The Black Huck

When I started reading the book I thought for some reason that Huck was black. Whether the influence of the media or simply an unjustified hunch gave me false prejudice, at least, during the first few pages I really believed he was black. The examples are simply too many two quote. In fact, Huck is the narrator of the book and therefore, he sets the tone. Somehow though, making Huck black would not affect the book’s tone over all. Although Jim’s speech seems to be representative of how Black people talk in the book, I can not find a reason why Huck’s speech can not represent a black person despite their inferior education at the time.

Clearly, to give that innocent yet satirical voice to the story, it needed Huck as a white person. Otherwise the juxtaposition between society’s treatment of both main characters would be impossible. Still, although the book needs the boy’s tone to create its identity, it has many other elements that show its literary merit. The synergy between the story, the context and the importance it has for American Literature in combination with its satirical tone make it an excellent work. Mark Twain did not borrow unjustly.

Comical Relief

A minstrel show as described by this article portrays the African American life in a comical way (both in slavery and freedom). Although this book does have comical elements that resemble those of a minstrel show, labeling it as one would ignore the work’s true meaning. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is not a comedy.

With this book Twain showed the true nature of the American South (at least as I imagine it).With out the presence of Industrialized cities southerners remained relatively innocent and its landscape wild. This innocence allowed The Prince and The Duke to scam entire villages. Meanwhile this rough paysage left only the river as means of transportation. In fact, probably the only vestiges of industrialization were the steamboats, one which almost destroyed the raft. Still, this is only part of the books meaning.

Social Commentary represents the work’s tone. Although a minstrel could potentially show this, the book still can not be classified as one. Twain calls to our attention graver matters that do not even have comedy in them. The best example of this can be found in the moment when the crowd of a town is about to lynch Sherburn for shooting a drunk. His response was: “The idea of you thinking you had pluck enough to lunch a man! Because you’re brave enough to tar and feather poor friendless cast-out…” (186). with this, Twain gave us the concept of the crowd’s cowardice especially when lynching a defenseless person. Since lynching usually targeted run-away slaves and black people, this event criticizes that unfortunate racist practice society had at the time.

Ultimately, the comical elements Twain wrote here only serve as a relief. These make digesting the harsh truth much easier for the reader. Also, this book portrays life in the south. Although people at the time might have had bad customs with which Twain Disagreed with, they also had positive qualities. Twain probably did not intend to undermine the south but rather give and accurate picture of it.

Humanizing Discrimination

The new censored version of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn will greatly change one of the most important subtleties on the story: the humanization of racism. This forms part of the novel’s social critique. Humanizing this (or at least making it socially acceptable) goes against the nature of racism because, at least during this time, it made all black people subhuman. This quotation captures that feeling completely: “‘Good gracious! anybody hurt?’ ‘No’m. Killed a nigger.’ ‘Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt” (300). The context does not matter. Only the usage of the word “nigger” and how the characters dehumanize him matters.

Through that word Mark Twain conveys the role this discrimination played on everyday life. In addition, it has a completely different meaning to slavery that would exclude the original usage (the way a white person would refer to a black one). Changing a word that Twain deliberately wrote over 200 times on his book will definitively alter its meaning and therefore, its literary value. We must remember, Twain is one of the most important American writers because his book glorified in literature the unique way Americans used English in The South. Replacing any word in it for a more socially acceptable one would be to some extent disregarding the importance this work has for American heritage.

Anyhow, thanks this word, which carries such harsh connotations, the book transports the reader to its time and gives them a view of slavery. With out it the piece looses part of its spirit. One of the main points for defending this change in particular is the fact that the word’s connotation gains more strength as time passes shocking today’s readers. Considering the atrocity that slavery is, why should we try to shield the reader against this? Why try to make softer a harsh topic that should have a strong impact?