Sam's right. It's exhausting--if for no other reason that you as teacher realize how deeply confused and ill-informed our kids are. I've taught it several times, but I often spent so much more time preparing the linguistic and anthropological groundwork for the "N" word that the story received short shrift. My advanced IB, AP kids do better. Some underprivileged kids--who use the use the word themselves daily--bristle when Twain uses it. We must remember here that for some of these kids the idea that what they are reading fiction is not a viable concept.
That said: HF has to be taught. The Black youth especially need to know
what their ancestors suffered and how it was possible for men of different races to love one another.
So the question of level is critical. I would not recommend a ninth public school teacher to attempt the book. Possibly a teacher of seniors. I would be certain my principal was on board.
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