Wednesday, January 31, 2007
relation to the characters
there was this part in the chapter about Miss Sophia and Harney Sheperdson, running off. This reminded me of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, the two family feud. How the Ms. Sophia (Juliet) and Harney (Romeo) run off, because they fell inlove. And their family blamed each other.
And then, on a later chapter, The Duke and the King, are putting on a play about Romeo and Juliet. i don't know if there is a connection, or something, and i found it amusing.
And then, on a later chapter, The Duke and the King, are putting on a play about Romeo and Juliet. i don't know if there is a connection, or something, and i found it amusing.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Huck Finn should be taught
I can see how avoiding the N-word is a good idea, but I think Huck Finn should definitely be taught.
A. the language is authentic to the time period
B. the plot conveys a completely different message. If anything, I would call it anti-racist.
C. the language conveys accurately how Southerners thought of African-Americans--and hence it conveys the relationships between the characters. In context it is accurate and necessary in order to understand how whites viewed blacks (as only partly human). People need to understand that that is how people thought and recognize its absurdity. Huck Finn, I believe, helps to accomplish this.
A. the language is authentic to the time period
B. the plot conveys a completely different message. If anything, I would call it anti-racist.
C. the language conveys accurately how Southerners thought of African-Americans--and hence it conveys the relationships between the characters. In context it is accurate and necessary in order to understand how whites viewed blacks (as only partly human). People need to understand that that is how people thought and recognize its absurdity. Huck Finn, I believe, helps to accomplish this.
