Webb, Chapter Six

Webb's chapter on Huckleberry Finn and race was very interesting and produced a lot of questions but also made a lot of issues clearer. Huckleberry Finn has been considered a very controversial book with many issues on race that society struggles with today. The book ultimately is anti-racist and has many themes that can help students understand differences. "To do this, we need to listen to objections raised against the novel and reconsider the process of teaching it." By finding out new and revolutionary ways of teaching the text you as a teacher can still teach the novel but can help dispel the myths and objections that some people have against the book. Listening to your students is very important and diverse students can help you find a way to teach the text in many ways. African American students may see the book in a different way then white students, which makes a great deal of issues in the classroom that can lead to amazing classroom discussion. The teaching of Huckleberry Finn can be approached in many directions but many factors need to be considered according to Webb, "teaching Huckleberry Finn in a way that is sensitive to the racial makeup and dynamics of the classroom. Discussing the presences of many words that are socially unacceptable when it comes to describing race. As well as informing parents that the text is being used and express why the text is being used. By thinking critically about all of these ways to look at the book, you can teach a great piece of literature in a way that examines many social issues that need to be addressed.