Abstract
In this article, I explore emotional segregation and how it functions in the context of Huckleberry Finn for both personal and academic reasons. Recently, I read Huckleberry Finn because it had been assigned to my daughter's middle school class. I was concerned for her welfare because she is Black and worried how the book would affect her. To understand her reactions, I had to understand the controversy surrounding the book, particularly as a White mother I have reflected quite deeply on the question whether the book is racist. I define "racism" as a belief in the myth of White superiority and Black inferiority, also known as the race precept. 1 I conclude that Huckleberry Finn is racist. Undoubtedly, my conclusion reflects my experience as a White mother of a Black child. Without those experiences, it is possible my whiteness would not have allowed me to understand why and how teaching the book creates emotional segregation.
Recommended Citation
Sharon E. Rush,
Emotional Segregation: Huckleberry Finn in the Modern Classroom,
36
U. Mich. J. L. Reform
305
(2003).
Available at:
https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjlr/vol36/iss2/3
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