A Lesson from the Past: A Response to Timothy Jay's "A Teachable Moment"
The psychology professor at Massachusetts College of Liberal Art, Timothy Jay, argues that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be censored because the original text can create a valuable and “teachable moment”. His status as a psychology teacher gives him an advantage because he has a better understanding of how individuals react than most people. (Also Timothy Jay wrote Cursing in America and Why We Curse. So his knowledge about the cause and effects of offensive words is appropriate to the controversy over the word "nigger" in Huck Finn.) When Jay writes in his article “A Teachable Moment”, “Uncomfortable topics like sexuality, racism, harassment and prejudice need to be confronted rather than tucked away”, it is assumed that he has some sort of psychological evidence to support his theory (due to his experience).
I’m currently taking a psychology high school course and I believe that he is talking about cognitive dissonance, which is the feeling caused by two conflicting opinions. If a child grew up never knowing that “nigger” was considered very offensive, then when he or she learns the truth behind the word from a societal perspective (that it is derogatory), he or she would experience cognitive dissonance. Now, cognitive dissonance creates feelings of frustration, guilt, anger, anxiety, and embarrassment, so I agree with Timothy Jay.
The best way to handle an awkward situation (in Huck Finn’s case, the use of the n-word) is to expose the truth; thus using Huck Finn as a “teachable moment”. In the fourteenth chapter of Huck Finn, Huck agrees with something that Jim says. To show his agreement, he mentions that Jim “was right; he was most always right; he had an uncommon level head for a nigger” (49). If Twain had used the word, “slave”, one would not think much of the sentence for it is understood that slaves are subordinates. However with the original text, a kid or a non-native English speaker who does not fully understand what the word nigger meant would question why it was “uncommon” for a “nigger” to be “right”. This moment would serve as a perfect teaching moment. Despite the negativity, it is necessary for the reader to understand the severity of the quote because those words represent how Huck is negatively affected by society. I must admit, that quote made me lose some respect for Huck because the breaks (signified by the semi-colons) show his hesitation to admit that Jim can be right. He went from calling Jim just “right”, then “most always right” (emphasis on the word “most” and how it is not just always) and then Huck acknowledged his race. The phrases get more degrading as Huck progresses. Despite how much I dislike this quote, it is important to the story’s tone. Twain included this quote because it represents American society’s views on racism in the mid-nineteenth century. By pointing out the flaws of the past, individuals can be more informed and avoid such errors. This is why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn makes for a good “teachable moment”.
The way that Huck Finn can be a teaching guide (because of the book's negativity) is similar to my thoughts of whether or not it should be an American Masterpiece. I do not like to acknowledge that a book like this could be considered a masterpiece because of how some white characters treat the black ones. However, it does reflect history and despite its flaws, I can (reluctantly) accept it as an American Masterpiece because it shows how America, a young nation, grows, creates its own history and that the book inspires readers today to act differently than the characters did on the topic of racism.
The psychology professor at Massachusetts College of Liberal Art, Timothy Jay, argues that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn should not be censored because the original text can create a valuable and “teachable moment”. His status as a psychology teacher gives him an advantage because he has a better understanding of how individuals react than most people. (Also Timothy Jay wrote Cursing in America and Why We Curse. So his knowledge about the cause and effects of offensive words is appropriate to the controversy over the word "nigger" in Huck Finn.) When Jay writes in his article “A Teachable Moment”, “Uncomfortable topics like sexuality, racism, harassment and prejudice need to be confronted rather than tucked away”, it is assumed that he has some sort of psychological evidence to support his theory (due to his experience).
I’m currently taking a psychology high school course and I believe that he is talking about cognitive dissonance, which is the feeling caused by two conflicting opinions. If a child grew up never knowing that “nigger” was considered very offensive, then when he or she learns the truth behind the word from a societal perspective (that it is derogatory), he or she would experience cognitive dissonance. Now, cognitive dissonance creates feelings of frustration, guilt, anger, anxiety, and embarrassment, so I agree with Timothy Jay.
The best way to handle an awkward situation (in Huck Finn’s case, the use of the n-word) is to expose the truth; thus using Huck Finn as a “teachable moment”. In the fourteenth chapter of Huck Finn, Huck agrees with something that Jim says. To show his agreement, he mentions that Jim “was right; he was most always right; he had an uncommon level head for a nigger” (49). If Twain had used the word, “slave”, one would not think much of the sentence for it is understood that slaves are subordinates. However with the original text, a kid or a non-native English speaker who does not fully understand what the word nigger meant would question why it was “uncommon” for a “nigger” to be “right”. This moment would serve as a perfect teaching moment. Despite the negativity, it is necessary for the reader to understand the severity of the quote because those words represent how Huck is negatively affected by society. I must admit, that quote made me lose some respect for Huck because the breaks (signified by the semi-colons) show his hesitation to admit that Jim can be right. He went from calling Jim just “right”, then “most always right” (emphasis on the word “most” and how it is not just always) and then Huck acknowledged his race. The phrases get more degrading as Huck progresses. Despite how much I dislike this quote, it is important to the story’s tone. Twain included this quote because it represents American society’s views on racism in the mid-nineteenth century. By pointing out the flaws of the past, individuals can be more informed and avoid such errors. This is why The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn makes for a good “teachable moment”.
The way that Huck Finn can be a teaching guide (because of the book's negativity) is similar to my thoughts of whether or not it should be an American Masterpiece. I do not like to acknowledge that a book like this could be considered a masterpiece because of how some white characters treat the black ones. However, it does reflect history and despite its flaws, I can (reluctantly) accept it as an American Masterpiece because it shows how America, a young nation, grows, creates its own history and that the book inspires readers today to act differently than the characters did on the topic of racism.
Work Cited
Jay,
Timothy. "A Teachable Moment." New York Times. The New
York Times Co., 6
Jan. 2011. Web. 9 Jan. 2013.
Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. N.p.: Project Gutenburg, 2006. Print.
I love the tie-ins that you used with your psychology class and the examples you used like non-native english speakers. they really add to your argument!
ReplyDeleteHowever, you have good reason to admit to Huck Finn's being an American Masterpiece (it displays our American History). Why would the fact that there is adversity in the text make it not a Masterpiece? What would the book be like without adversity? Not much of a plot, right?
Thanks for the comment Margaret! I do agree with you to an extent, that without adversity there wouldn't be much of a plot. However, I believe that Twain at times is pushing it. For instance, doesn't it seem a bit odd that when a slave like Jim runs away from his/her master, he doesn't immediately seek freedom? And com' on, don't you think it was unnecessary to have Jim, at the end, be dressed up like a woman? That was just embarrassing and some of Tom's actions (okay, I know his actions build up his character that he is this childish dreamer) could have been cut out of the book and we would've still gotten the same message about what type of character Tom is.
DeleteAmy, you couldn't be closer to the truth! However, do you really think that the cruelty of some of the whites towards the blacks really detracts from the novel? I myself am undecided as to whether the book is a masterpiece or not. However, I think that the ignorance and hatred of some of the whites towards the blacks increases the value of the novel in that the blacks, specifically Jim, are able to push through the stupidity and become better people themselves.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt in my mind, for instance, that Uncle Tom's Cabin is a masterpiece not only in American literature but in world literature as well. The cruelty of the slave owners towards the blacks far supercedes that of the white characters in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. But the blacks rise from not only the social discrimination of Southern society but also physical torture, the likes of which usually resulted in death. They were very intellectual, strong, and even Christ-like figures in literature mainly because they had overcome racism and life in a society which was built for them to fail.
Hiya Colin! You make a very interesting point about a perspective that I've never really took on before. Now, I've never read Uncle Tom's Cabin but I understand a little bit about the book from "basic" knowledge. I do think Uncle Tom's Cabin should be an American Masterpiece because, as we learned in APUSH, it also had an international effect (especially in Britain). I don't think The Adventures of Huck Finn can compare to the impact of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Also, I feel as if Uncle Tom's Cabin centers around the topic of slavery and racism more than Huck Finn (because Huck Finn is also a satire and focuses on Southern customs). If it were not for our society, being so picky about racism now, I would more easily accept the novel to be a Masterpiece because it seems as if the only controversy on whether or not this book should be taught or considered a Masterpiece is the topic of racism and slavery.
DeleteBut to respond to your question, like I said in Margaret's comments, I feel as if some things were beyond excessive and if some actions of the whites were left out (especially Tom), it'd still be considered excessive and the reader would get the point. I just find it difficult that as Americans, we would allow a book that shows such a bad side of us (mostly the white race actually) to be so renowned, and just the idea that Jim never really got a heroic ending with a reunion with his family and all that kind of stuff. However! Now that I have read your perspective about how the story can be about how blacks survive through such difficult and racist times, I am a bit more willing to accept it as an American Masterpiece.
I also agree with Margaret and love your tie-ins that you used with your psychology class. I too read this article and think that the “teachable moment” in Huck Finn is exposing the truth and learning to make your own decision on whether the situation is right or wrong. I do think that the book is an American Masterpiece because of its defining “teachable moments.” It’s views on our American history helps readers today realize how messed up society was/still is.
ReplyDelete