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"'Classic.' A book which people praise and don't read." When renowned author Mark Twain made this cynical statement, he probably did not realize he was foreshadowing the treatment of his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. According to American Library Association, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been the fifth most challenged book in the US, and since its publication, numerous voices have cried out for the censorship of Huckleberry Finn. Criticism has run the gamut from outrage at the immorality of Huck and the frivolity of the novel (a contemporary newspaper describes Huck as “earthy”) to the more recent parental dismay at the novel’s use of racially charged language (New York Times). The common thread among this plethora of criticism is misunderstanding and oversimplification of the book, leading to premature and naïve calls for banning Huckleberry Finn from schools. While some critics, such as Jane Smiley, might claim otherwise, the book is indispensable as......

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Approximate Word Count: 2355
Approximate Pages: 10 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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