My school-teacher GF tells me they tell their students about “Huckleberry” that this is how people talked back then but it is no longer acceptable. That should be sufficient.
It should be sufficient, but isn’t. I am reluctantly in the “OK with this” camp– the unexpurgated version isn’t going away, after all, and if this gets kids exposed to it that otherwise wouldn’t be (thanks to parents/school boards), then all to the good.
As a librarian, I feel that bowderlizing a work just because some are offended by certain words is a crime. It serves no purpose, other than to make people curious about the original work, thus making the original work more desirable. As an example, we had the fiasco that was the Parents Music Resource Center. Just sayin’.
pschearer said “that is the way people talked back then but it is no longer acceptable. That should be sufficient.” Which clearly means that it’s not okay to use that word in casual conversation, but within the book (as an anachronism) and in the context of the book, that’s different.
I agree with Bib. You don’t ruin a classic. Besides, the real reason they usually lay hands on Twain is that Huck preaches an amoral stand on things and THAT REALLY bothers folks.
Quite a few years ago, Nat Hentoff wrote a book called “Free Speech For Me But Not For Thee”, making the point that whether the ‘me’ or ‘thee’ was right or left didn’t make any difference. IMO, it’s only gotten worse since then.
Pab e al, I agree as one of the elder members, that it is never allowable to curtail the language of a great writer for the personal views of a few people. I am always in search of new history. I would never flag for such a minor infraction as FU.
Speaking of censoring Huckleberry Finn, I’m quite sure I remember reading an edition in which when the Royal Nonesuch comes trotting out naked, Twain mentions his genitals. Right after the “And–” in “And – but never mind the rest of his outfit; it was just wild, but it was awful funny.” I think the expurgated line was, “And dangling underneath– but never mind the rest of his outfit…”
I got the Looney Tunes DVDs and they have a warning (delivered by Whoopi Goldberg) about how things used to be different and certain stereotypes were common then but no longer acceptable now. But, they continue, we shouldn’t pretend it never happened either. So those cartoons are included
And boy oh boy I had never seen most of those Black ones, though the Arabian ones were still to be seen in my youth. Wonder if they still show those?
Dawnsfire, I was just listening to my Bix Beiderbecke CDs, with songs recorded in the late ’20s. One features a very young Bing Crosby singing about the “darkies” beating their feet on the Mississippi mud. Along with some stereotyped talk. It’s raw, but it’s the way it was. We can acknowledge it without celebrating it.
ChukLitl Premium Member over 13 years ago
I’d say what I think of censorship, but it would take extended ASCII codes, or other bleeeeping tricks.
The Old Wolf over 13 years ago
They didn’t want the new version to offend anyone. It’s now 3 pages long.
pschearer Premium Member over 13 years ago
My school-teacher GF tells me they tell their students about “Huckleberry” that this is how people talked back then but it is no longer acceptable. That should be sufficient.
steverinoCT over 13 years ago
It should be sufficient, but isn’t. I am reluctantly in the “OK with this” camp– the unexpurgated version isn’t going away, after all, and if this gets kids exposed to it that otherwise wouldn’t be (thanks to parents/school boards), then all to the good.
Digital Frog over 13 years ago
I agree pschearer - why should it be ok to hear how previous generations killed people in wars, but not how they killed the language?
librisleo over 13 years ago
As a librarian, I feel that bowderlizing a work just because some are offended by certain words is a crime. It serves no purpose, other than to make people curious about the original work, thus making the original work more desirable. As an example, we had the fiasco that was the Parents Music Resource Center. Just sayin’.
rekam Premium Member over 13 years ago
Sounds like “Tropic of Cancer” all over again except in the schools instead of in cities.
Pab Sungenis creator over 13 years ago
pschearer said “that is the way people talked back then but it is no longer acceptable. That should be sufficient.” Which clearly means that it’s not okay to use that word in casual conversation, but within the book (as an anachronism) and in the context of the book, that’s different.
freeholder1 over 13 years ago
I agree with Bib. You don’t ruin a classic. Besides, the real reason they usually lay hands on Twain is that Huck preaches an amoral stand on things and THAT REALLY bothers folks.
freeholder1 over 13 years ago
Note: for fun, I flagged gay for his FU comment. I figure we can see how long it takes to censor a non-classic. ;-)
freeholder1 over 13 years ago
I find it hilarious when the liberals want to censor out a word. It’s like libertarians who want to censor liberals.
prrdh over 13 years ago
Quite a few years ago, Nat Hentoff wrote a book called “Free Speech For Me But Not For Thee”, making the point that whether the ‘me’ or ‘thee’ was right or left didn’t make any difference. IMO, it’s only gotten worse since then.
vldazzle over 13 years ago
Pab e al, I agree as one of the elder members, that it is never allowable to curtail the language of a great writer for the personal views of a few people. I am always in search of new history. I would never flag for such a minor infraction as FU.
Coyoty Premium Member over 13 years ago
Speaking of censoring Huckleberry Finn, I’m quite sure I remember reading an edition in which when the Royal Nonesuch comes trotting out naked, Twain mentions his genitals. Right after the “And–” in “And – but never mind the rest of his outfit; it was just wild, but it was awful funny.” I think the expurgated line was, “And dangling underneath– but never mind the rest of his outfit…”
dawnsfire over 13 years ago
I got the Looney Tunes DVDs and they have a warning (delivered by Whoopi Goldberg) about how things used to be different and certain stereotypes were common then but no longer acceptable now. But, they continue, we shouldn’t pretend it never happened either. So those cartoons are included And boy oh boy I had never seen most of those Black ones, though the Arabian ones were still to be seen in my youth. Wonder if they still show those?
HASSAN CHOP!
steverinoCT over 13 years ago
Dawnsfire, I was just listening to my Bix Beiderbecke CDs, with songs recorded in the late ’20s. One features a very young Bing Crosby singing about the “darkies” beating their feet on the Mississippi mud. Along with some stereotyped talk. It’s raw, but it’s the way it was. We can acknowledge it without celebrating it.