Why would anyone change words in a classic novel.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2011/jan/05/proposed-twain-changes-stir-up-controversy/

Long story short a black guy didn't like the name of a character of a American classic and the other uses of the word 'nigger'. the new version of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “Tom Sawyer” will replace the N-word with the word “slave,” and the move has generated a great deal of controversy. Nigger Jim would be Slave Jim.

The original article that i read had a black guy whining about why this was necessary... was removed from the website and i couldn't find one like it... so it a not fact in question, but still has merit.

If they do it for the word nigger then will that get the publishers to censored the words:

Spic
Wetback
Cracker
Nazi
Japs
Chinks
and
FLIPS because they offend people later...

My opinion ... WHO GIVES A FUCK IF THEY CALL THE PERSON NIGGER IN A DAMN BOOK WRITTEN IN THE 19TH CENTURY. The world is too pc for it own good.
What you think?

edit: I'm not a racist... i hate all people equally.

Because this book is so often used in teaching at a young level, this 'alteration' would be beneficial because it means students can now actually read the books in school without some dumbass' parents suing the school.

It's not as if they'll discontinue other editions or reprints of the books, but this one would be ideal for such settings to avoid controversy. Reading the original is still an option for those who seek it.

lol
i think they should put the subtitle
'revised edition'

off topic:
i do not get it also, in my country, some translated novels had some part of story and characters of it being removed due to cultural difference.
even novels got censor these day, talk about freedom of speech.

Changing the words of any work alters the meaning of the whole piece. If you're teaching about 19th century America, how can you eliminate the N-word. The fact that that's what that character was called is so important to the piece as a whole. Why not change the phrase "chomping at the bit" to "unable to speak" just cause it brings up bad images of treatment towards African slaves.

Imagine the chaos you could cause by changing a word in a shorter piece of work, like a poem.

Cause Slave Jim is better somehow?

CENSOR RAP MUSIC.. only five words don't get bleep, but damn still has the beat.
I think someone try to get Lolita censored for pedo sexuality and Grapes of wrath for the word Oakie... has a oakie i Don't care... the section of the town i was raised in is called Little Oakie, Even have a sign.
http://www.caldirt.com/docs/riding_areas/little_okie/little_okie.htm

Nobody has censored the book. One guy has rewritten it and put it up for sale with the word "nigger" replaced with "slave". It isn't a bad thing, he used the word "slave" to show that their was still inequality between Jim and Tom. The way the book is rewritten now, it still has all the merit it originally did but now teachers can use it in the classroom without kids snickering or feeling uncomfortable reading the book out loud in class.

THIS IS NOT A CASE OF CENSORSHIP. YOU CAN STILL BUY AND READ THE BOOK WITH THE WORD "NIGGER" IN IT. THIS VERSION IS TO LET TEACHERS FOCUS ON THEIR JOBS AND AVOID HAVING SOME KIDS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, NOT BECAUSE THE BOOK OFFENDS PEOPLE(ADULTS).

The way things are now, most kids don't ever pick up the book Tom Sawyer. Now it is easier for teacher to introduce the book to younger students (Middle school and higher grades in elementrary) without having to face controversy. Since that was the goal of the book, which was rewritten by a WHITE GUY, I say it is commendable.

Yes, this exactly.
I think people are missing the point in the "buzz" surrounding this new edition. The person clearly has fine intent and it's pretty sound as well.

One always has the option of equally affordable, accessible versions of this classic.

I still dont get it
black people claim they have the same rights as white/yellow/blue/etc.
they call thamselves nigga
but when someone who isnt black call them nigga its an insult? r u shittin me? where's the equity?

im mexican so i dont care for anythin since my race is a mixture of many races
my skin is white many of maxican people have white/brown/black-brown/yellow skin
if they call us indians we dont care

i think its rather ridiculous for them to censor the "nigger" word
i think the moar they try to barry that word the moar insultin people are gonna take it

Perhaps such "replacements" books should be footnoted or prefaced with a short write-up on why the word was substituted, just to give some context to the old version.

At least then, one could read the book and still know the original word EXISTED, but its meaning has changed. In fact, it may even give readers a new perspective on the book by examining the uses of a word.

Hell, we don't read Beowulf in the original (and almost UNREADABLE) version that often, and I'm sure stuff gets lost over time. But it's still the same story, no?

Never said censor on this book.

Never had a problem with this book in grade school... teacher was black and made us read huck finn.

No one has the right to change anyone writing's without consent.

It's unfair to change one book with there others books out there with more racist language then nigger since the word isn't a racist word in the original meaning, since it means ignorant person... and since black people isn't the only dumb race on this earth, it not important enough to be changed.


And it is a form of censorship, because one person doesn't like something, that there problem. I don't like the La Tapatia guy on the hot sauce or been referred to a oreo cookie when i tell someone that im half white/mexican, but well fuck it it's my problem.

I don't like peanuts, should get them to change the recipe to the sauce at thai restaurants or banned them in places i go to... no because that my problem, i'll deal with it.

It's something distinctive in America, when if you don't like some, get it change without thinking about someone else point about it. Should we change the southern flag because the kkk or the rebel's use it as a symbol of slavery. Should we change the cross because it was use in war, murder and hated. Should change the bill or rights because we dislike a word. Personally i don't care if the word nigger is remove from the lexicon of the English language, but then remove the other words that people think is not right until the only words spoken will be a, i and the.

It isn't about being afraid of offending blacks, it is about making the book less a point of contention and more focused on a great piece of literature. You are implying that it was removed (and in only ONE version which is up to YOU if you want to get it) because there are some groups that are offended and demanded it be removed. That is incorrect. It was removed for the sake of children who are not reading the book in school and a man saying, "I would like people to read this book, but teachers are always worried that they'll have to explain to kids about the N-word and then that will lead to a slippery slope. They rather just have their students read something else than have to waste time explaining why this word is in the book. Maybe if I changed it, kids will at least GET A CHANCE to read it."

The man who edited the book even advocated reading the original print and suggested that when kids grow older, they'll be more inclined to buy and read the original version. Different groups and the media have simply jumped on this to turn it into a debate about being PC. It is fine if you think people should not be so sensitive to things not PC, but this book is a horrible example of that (and yes you can edit the book without Mark Twain's permission - he is DEAD. He also doesn't have copyright on the story anymore).



Not all blacks think the same or have the same view on that. There are plenty of folks who despise the current pop culture that glorifies the use of the word "nigger" even when it is used in the context of two black people.

The dividing line is usually money and social status, but basically more educated (and thus more influentual) African-Americans are NOT okay with this. Even for those that are fine with it, as one movie put it, "What is it too you what I call MY people?"

No. NO. NO!


this is a very dangerous thing to do in my opinion. it starts with just one word, then it's a whole chapter, or the entire plot. pretty soon, it's a different book altogther. and if it was ok to do it in this book, why not another?

antone who thinks this is acceptable needs to read Fahrenheight 451, 1984, and a few others i can't recall right now*, because this is the first step down that road.

it is cesorship in it's most insidious form: PC.




* [size=10]i'll fill in later if/when i remember[/h]

That's a prime example of beating around the bush. People aren't going to learn to drop this overly politically correct nature if we keep avoiding "unpleasant" situations.

A word is a word. It's the feelings behind it. There is no such thing as a bad word and nigger is no exception. It may be a word that has a horrible past, but that doesn't mean that it has to be forbidden. Nigger is a word that has a deep history and it's origins shouldn't be excluded from literature just because of bad connotations.

I feel like you and Neko-chan are missing the point. Novels shouldn't have to be edited or revised to meet the standards of the current generation. Our global cultures have gone from a more or less non-caring attitude to far to politically correct. Being too politically correct is part of the reason that kids will "giggle" at the use of words that are often considered defamatory.

Exposing kids to these words gives them a better understanding, rather than just "don't say nigger because it is insulting to black-skinned people." The only response I can think to that is: why? Let the kids understand the connotations as well as the denotations and allow them to make up their own minds rather than sheltering them away from terms that we don't like.

Fahrenheight 451, by Ray Bradbury? The book that the author himself said was not written at all with censorship in mind? That schools have been teaching his book incorrectly, and that it is really about what happens when people stop thinking for themselves? The one that was about people burning books because nobody read them so they didn't care they got banned and burned?

Yeah, it is a good book and you guys should read it. I like how it makes you value reading more and sharing ideas and life in general with people. BTW, I believe that is what this gentleman is trying to do here, bring the book to children.

Still, I agree with you Mr. Shaggnificent. Censorship can be a slippery slope. But in this case, this book is only one version of many that you can find of Tom Sawyer.

[font=Verdana][color=green]The offence comes from the fact, correct me if I'm mistaken anyone, that "Nigger" was the word the Whites used to degrade the Blacks. If I'm wrong on that point, I apologise.

Nigger came from a Portuguese word "negro" which means black and was used to call slaves that got shipped from Africa to American colonies who were, obviously, dark-skinned (My country was colonized by the Portuguese before so until now we still call black people negro). Because of that when anyone who isn't black said 'nigga' to a black man that is considered an insult, because it's like calling them slaves.

Now this change is ridiculous. It's like blatantly admitting that black people/nigger equals slave, if anything it could only make a negative impact to the children.

I completely agree. It's rather dumb to change nigger to slave just because it might offend some people, and might keep some kids from reading the book. Any school that cares about it's students education would give them that book regardless of the word nigger. It's a classic piece of literature, and it should not be altered in any way.

I am utterly against this change. American culture as a whole has become far to sensitive to words like these. As Tsurayu said, we shouldn't judge a 19 century book by are standards of PC.

they should leave classic material alone i personally think that slave would probably be worse than nigger

ever since a child i liked to read
especially books that focus on social problems
'fahrenheit' is a nyce one, read it some time ago, cant remember much but there are some things i still keep in mind