Is Mark Twain a Racist?

Is Mark distich A racist? Many guess trustworthy things ab forth Twains Great American novel, makes it a racist book, like the overuse of the word, nigger, and the given depiction of the black slave, Jim. However, in that location is a substantial amount of grounds that this book was not written come out of hate, but in hope that Twain could change the ideals of skin color of the unclouded people around him. The introductory and foremost question most people ask when they read the novel is, was Mark Twain a racist? There are assumptions that because of Twains use of cheeky language and writing in the point of view of racists, that he was a racist himself. Much of the article is Twain going into detail nearly the showcase of environment and adults this young male child has been embossed(a) with, and how racism a pull aheadst the Chinese is commonplace. For example, the Chinese are taxed twice as much as all the other races to tap for gold. Also, when they are caught stea ling from a mine, they are hung. However, when the same happens to the other races, they are only asked to leave the mining camp (Galaxy).In genius part, the narrator shares, the boy found out that in many districts of the vast Pacific coast, so strong is the wild, free love of justice in the hearts of the people, that whenever any secret and mysterious shame is committed, they feel out, Let justice be done, though the heavens fall, and go straightway and swing a Chinaman. (Galaxy) The reason why Twain lists these observations is to show the city of San Francisco that it is not the boy whos at fault, because, What had the childs education been? How should he suppose it was wrong to stone a Chinaman (Galaxy)? In fact, in one part of the article, the boy says, Ah, there goes a Chinaman God will not love me if I do not stone him (Galaxy). With this article, Twain hoped that he could allow the adult of the city to see how foolish they have been acting towards the Chinese and it was not the boy who is acting childish, but it is the men whom the young boy looked up to. This is the same scenario with the affray surrounding, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In both stories we see a young boy who lives in a society that is racist against a certain race only because they were raised that way.An example of this in, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is one of the number 1 things we hear from Hucks father and his feelings nigh black people who have done well in the country. He refers to an African-American college prof who wore nice clothes and was intelligent. Also, since the man was from Ohio, he was also allowed to vote. Its interesting how Hucks father says, It was lection day, and I was just about to go and vote myself if I warnt too drunk to get there (37).The irony in this is how Hucks father, a man who is obviously morally, financially, socially, and intellectually inferior to the professor he met, believes he is superior to the man because of th eir exit in skin colors. This confirms that Huck was raised in a racist environment, which means that things Huck says or does probably isnt out of hate, but because thats the way hes been raised in his home and society. Something very risky that Twain did to show others his position on slavery and racism was when he volunteered to help pay for one of the first black students tuition at Yale University.In his letter do the Dean of the university explaining why he treasured to do this, he said, We have ground the manhood out of them, and the shame is ours, not theirs, and we should pay for it (Fishkin). This act and quote shows that Mark Twain tangle personally convicted about slavery as a terrible error towards the black society and wanted to give something covert to those affected. Therefore, with all his negative experiences with slaves and racism, why would this man write a book that goes against the ideals he so boldly defends?This book should not be looked at as an attack against African-Americans, but as another way Twain tried to repay the debt he felt he owed the slaves and their families (Fishkin). When the book first introduces Jim, it seems that the slave is almost superstitious to the point of idiocy. In chapter two, Jim falls asleep when looking for turkey cock and Huck in Mrs. Watsons yard. Tom takes Jims hat and places it on a branch above his head, and when Jim wakes up he tells the other slaves a group of beguilees, rode him all over the world, and tired him most to death, and his back was all over saddle-boils (14). Two chapters later, Jim pulls a hairball out of an oxs stomach and claims an all-knowing spirit lives inside (26). Many people find Jims superstitions very umbrage and racist because it emphasizes the idea that slaves had no hope in having a good life. Some believe that since the slaves were treated so poorly and had little chance of escaping their sentence, they make up superstitions as a way to escape from their cruel r eality. Most African-American advocates of anning Twains novel from schools dont think their children should have to read about a judgment of conviction in their familys history where so much pain, suffering and dignity was lost. The fact that Twain makes Jim an extremely superstitious character, is interpreted by many as a racist action (Wolfson). However, whos to say that Jims superstitions are not just a creative way for him to take advantage of certain things for his own personal gain? Its possible that Jim used the witch story from chapter two because he knew hed gain popularity throughout the slave world.It even says later that slaves traveled from far places to hear Jims witch story. As with the hairball, Jim could have just used it to get a quick buck from Huck, or other customers who wanted some questions answered, since Jim pretended the spirit wouldnt charm unless it was paid. If Jims superstitions are viewed in this light, he should be looked at as a very clever human universe, rather than a hopeless slave, and no one with the same skin color as him should be offended (Fishkin). Another big exsert people have with the book is its seemingly overuse of the word, nigger. throughout the book, the word is mentioned an overwhelming two hundred and fifteen times, something that many see as unnecessary, since the word comes with such a negative, degrading implication in todays world. However, there is much debate whether or not the term carried the type of negative connotation it has today, but even if people did use the name as an insult, there are still reasonable explanations as to why Mark Twain would use this word. First of all, Twain strived to make this novel as down-to-earth as possible.If he had not used the language of his time or depicted characters the way they were in his time period, then no one would have interpreted his book seriously. Its possible that there were other names that were less offensive that he could have used, but doing so would not have been as hard-hitting in exposing the ugliness of racism as, nigger does. The word reinforced the books idea that the societies of the southern United States lived in constant racism. Though its unclear whether Shelley Fisher Fishkin back up this idea, she says in her book, A Historical Guide to Mark Twain nigger was integral to the project of presenting and indicating a racist society, whose illegitimate racial hierarchy was incorporated in the use of that word, because it was central to dramatizing the failure of everyone in that society (black and white) to challenge the legitimacy of the status quo and of the word that cemented and reinforced it, and because the diction was realistic to the time and characters. (137) The comparison between, Disgraceful Persecution of a Boy, and the novel at hand must also be analyzed.The young boy who stoned the Chinese man didnt commit the nuisance because he hated the Chinese, he did it because thats what he was taught to do. When Huck referred to the slaves as, niggers, its not out of hate that he uses the word, but because he was taught thats just what you call slaves. Another issue people have with this book is the overall depiction of the slaves intellect. In parts of the book, its hard to even understand what Jim is arduous to say because he hasnt been educated. People believe that making Jim sound intellectually inferior to every other character in the book is a racist move on Twains part.However, when reading the novel, the lecturer must also realize that the author and the narrator are two different voices. The author, Twain, is an adult who is very against the idea of slavery. The narrator is a young boy who has been raised by a society who sees nothing wrong with enslaving black people. Thus, it is not Twain voicing his opinions through the thought processes of Huck, but it is Twain trying to portray an accurate, historical point of view from a young, white boy (Fishkin). Unfortunately, this young boy has been raised with certain biases against slaves, and Twain must honor that bias.If he doesnt then the book would be historically inaccurate. Also, one must remember that people living today were probably not Twains target audience. Twain wanted to change problems in his generation, and in order to create a story that applied to the proofreader of his day, he would have to make the story as realistic as possible. Lastly, the most obvious argument is that it just wouldnt make sense to create a slave character who was as smart as the white people. If slaves were not allowed any formal education, how realistic would it be to write about a smart, literate slave?Finally, at the end of the novel, it seems Huck is thinking about running away from his home again, only because, Aunt Sally shes going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I cant stand it (307). For this quote to truly hold any meaning, the reader must realize a sivilized person in the societies of the southern st ates back then would probably have owned and mistreated slaves. Hearing Huck say that hes sick of society teaching him how to be sivilized, could be his way of expressing the newfound feelings he has against slavery (Fishkin).To say that, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is a racist novel should be considered a ridiculous idea. Why would an anti-slavery and anti-racist man write a racist book? Twain wrote books and articles to justify his ideas to his reader, even if the ideas were absurd, like the idea of the black man being on equal ground with the white man. Though by the time the book was completed slavery was abolished and African-Americans were free, the mindsets of the southern white families did not change. These types of families were to whom Mark Twain was directing this book.He hoped they would see the ugliness of racism and slavery, and see people past the color of their skin. wiz of Mark Twains well known quotes on racism is, One of my theories is that the hearts of men are about alike, all over the world, whatever their skin-complexions may be (Everett). Twain probably never realized his novel about young Huck Finn would have gained so much popularity and attention so long after its original publishing, but throughout every generation, his message of anti-racism should not be banned for its racist interpretations because it is relevant for any race, people, or community.