How come in english class we read racist books they say the n-word

Question

it is ap english

Answer 1

Because at the time, the terminology was not considered racist and was used often.  To read these books, it's necessary to put your mind past these words to understand the genius.  

Answer 2

while reading any book one should "contemporarize" & contextualize the content. every book, its content & the author are 'bound' within a time-frame, within a societal period and one should therefore try to understand the contemporary situations/ compulsions/ knowledge/ mores in which the book came into being.

knowledge & society keep changing. that doesn't make the past redundant. it shows the Progression to our present. it doesn't make the book 'racist' or politically incorrect - it indicates & Sensitizes us to the change we have gone through & should be read in that spirit.

i think, at times we tend to go overboard in our "political correctness" - paying more attention to words than actions & thoughts...

  

Answer 3

While some of the books you read in English class may contain racial slurs, it does not mean that they are racist.  Many of the classics contain words that are now considered racial slurs but were not considered so when the author wrote the book.  Also, the author may have wanted to appropriately represent the time the book was set in.  Unfortunately racial slurs, such as the n-word, were used in the past.  Just because a book contains these words does not mean that it should be read or appreciated.  

Answer 4

Like To Kill a Mockingbird? People in books may be racist, but that doesn't mean the book is. Also, it's good to expand your mind to learn about the not-so-pretty things in life, like racism.

Answer 5

The books are not necessarily racist; the books may be using the words to make a point, show how horrifying racism is, etc.  Also, depending on when the book was written, you may find that the word was accepted during that era, but it is not accepted now.

Answer 6

Was it Huck Finn cause if it was Huck finn is actually an anti racism book if you look into the lessons it teaches you

if its not, the focus of the book is obviously not racist it wal most likly just written in a time when it was normal or considered common practice

Answer 7

Because alot of the books you read are from before racism was as big of a thing as it is today.