Reading Reaction 8-28-09

[jason1]

Throughout the novel, the term “nigger” is used. There are many
possibilities why this is so, but I think Huck uses it to protect
himself. Everyone used the term back in those days. Also, back in
those days “nigger” was not considered a racist term. It would have
been abnormal if Huck had not used it. He also grew up using it.
That was all he knew how to call African Americans. It was the social
norm, so to speak, to use that terminology. Huck used it in part to
protect himself and in part to protect Jim. If people found out that
Jim and Huck were friends, then they would have said he was harboring
an escaped slave. Huck protected Jim. He never told the slave
hunters where Jim was. This proves that Huck and Jim were in fact
friends and Huck really didn’t know the difference between using the
word “nigger” and not. I think it is all a cover up. Huck has to use
the negative sounding term, “nigger” to fit in with all the other
people. Jim’s situation was a touchy subject. One perspective is he
wanted to see his family while another perspective is that he didn’t
want to go back to being a slave. Another reason why Huck still uses
the word “nigger” is because Tom comes into play again. Tom still
uses it. Tom doesn’t know that Huck and Jim, a runaway slave, are
friends.