Some left comments (which are always welcome) on my last blog entry about the new edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Some of my friends emailed me their responses which I would like to share:
“Excellent points Charlie, political correctness seems to be the only venue which is allowed to de-value art, whether written or sculpted or painted. Art expresses, if nothing else the thinking of the people of the day. To change it 150 years later will cause us not to grasp the thinking of the people in the day in which it was written, painted or sculpted. Silliness... pure silliness.”
"I love Huck Finn too, but I like the idea of the revised edition as an option. It makes the story more accessible to younger audiences. And it is just an option. The original will always be with us.”
"I love Huck Finn too, but I like the idea of the revised edition as an option. It makes the story more accessible to younger audiences. And it is just an option. The original will always be with us.”
“I found your article on your blog pertaining to political correctness, etc. thought provoking. Not sure I agree with you or Bro Will and his friend but the friend is surely better than the enemy and liberals who are so seldom realists in any sense of the word can surely work themselves into positions worse or as bad as the enemy. For sure.”
“I am appalled at the thought of someone changing already published historical literature! There are PLENTY of words that I find offensive in current literature, poetry, song, and rap, but that is what freedom of speech is! I also have the freedom not to not listen to and to not read what I find offensive. I have the freedom to overlook or bypass a few offensive words in consideration of the broader literary contribution of the work while taking into account the historical perspective under which the work was written. However, if there have been some people prevented from reading the works of Mark Twain because of some of the language found in his works and if those people will now be exposed to his work in revised form, then perhaps I can find some solace.”
"I love Will Campbell - even called him once. I look forward to reading the revised Huck Finn - The American classic against racism!"
One friend sent me to a link to a cartoon, Tom the Dancing Bug: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Corrected to reflect modern sensibilities). He calls it "a great send up of those who would alter the sacred text of Huck.” It is quite hilarious. You can see the cartoon here.
Thanks to all who weighed in on the controversy.
