1. An Introduction to Mark Twain

2. Mark Twain: The Man Born in 1835 as Samuel Clemens, died in 1910
Called “the inventor of the American novel”
He is also the author who popularized the sophisticated literary attack on racism in seemingly unrelated forms such as his novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Twain drew his readers into his message by creating interest in the story

3. The Background of the Novel
According to the American Library Association no book has been banned more often than Huck (published 1884)
The novel was considered “gutter trash” at the time
It is now controversial due to Twain’s use of “the n-word” despite its purpose of challenging racial conventions

4. Source
Time Magazine article “Getting Past Black and White” by Stephen L. Carter