Snap Shots of YOUR Republican Party, 21st Century Style

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Rex E.

As I remember we read both Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn in JR high or middle school depending on where you are from.

It is much more controversial today than when you or I grew up.

[merrylander]

We also read both Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in middle school. Choosing texts for English Lit was always a chore because my first five years were in a one room school house and you did not want to repeat last years texts.

Then from sixth to ninth they added a room so it was now a two room school house. The one girl who always made us laugh lived right next door to the schoolhouse - she was always late.

[piece-itpete]

I wonder how many can say now they went to a one room schoolhouse. It must be different!

Pete

[Wasillaguy]

My Mom read us Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and many many other books when we were all younger than ten, and I was the youngest of the bunch.
It was very enlightening and educational to get a realistic view of white/black relationships at such a tender age, as it helped me put the racial tensions I saw around me into perspective. When we still lived in the city, before being forced out by the violence, my best friend on the block was a black kid. We both suffered harassment for not participating in the segregated rock fights our peers conducted in the alleys.

[d-ray657]

I can see both sides of the Political Correctness issue, and I can't begin to provide a solution. I would note that I recently watched "42" - the Jackie Robinson movie. I wonder how effective that movie would have been with antiseptic language.

Regards,

D-Ray

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by d-ray657

I can see both sides of the Political Correctness issue, and I can't begin to provide a solution. I would note that I recently watched "42" - the Jackie Robinson movie. I wonder how effective that movie would have been with antiseptic language.

Regards,

D-Ray

Good point.

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I wonder how many can say now they went to a one room schoolhouse. It must be different!

Pete

It most certainly was, it was a small town, village really, that my uncle and another gentleman started on the shores of the Richelieu River.

I guess that was where they began to wonder about me as I would finish my class work very quickly and evesdrop on the next class. Also I guess as the breech birth had left me with a problem with my left arm I was hopeless in sports, so there was a lot of reading done. Parents had quite a library and I was never told 'you can't read that'. They probably figured that if I did not understand the book I would put it back. Quite possibly that is why I sometimes write like a Jane Eyre novel.

[icenine]

It is a local issue...that being said most teachers and administrators do not want the headache teaching that book would cause, and I cannot blame them. There are tons of other books that do make it in high school either.


seems to be an undercurrent here...sort of the old angry theme of being a victim of political correctness. Sadly most people here probably have not picked up a Twain book in years, and I include myself in that. The issue is really not about Huck Finn the novel.

[Wasillaguy]

Actually, since Kindle has all of Twain's books for free, I just recently read a couple of them.
Pudd'nhead Wilson was the last one. I'm sure Mom read it, but it was either too long ago or I was too young to fully appreciate the lessons within.

[icenine]

Originally Posted by Wasillaguy

Actually, since Kindle has all of Twain's books for free, I just recently read a couple of them.
Pudd'nhead Wilson was the last one. I'm sure Mom read it, but it was either too long ago or I was too young to fully appreciate the lessons within.

that's great....and I am not implying there is anything wrong with Twain.
Should Huck Finn be taught in public schools is the question...