Celebrating its 135th anniversary this year, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classic of American literature and is read by millions of people across the nation every year. However, many argue that the book promotes and condones the heinous act of racism. In their attacks on the classic, many critics of the book use evidence such as the use of the n-word 211 times (Powers, 2010) and the novel's repeated inferior portrayal of African Americans. Many supporters of the novel, however, hail it for being so controversial. They say that the dialogue initiated during the discussion of the book is a great opportunity for students to broaden their opinions on many controversial topics. As Harris (2000) says, “If it's not a dangerous book, there's really no reason for anyone to read it or teach it.” Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn unquestionably promotes racism, and actually serves to question the very idea of ​​racism, as demonstrated by Twain's use of realism, the use of a child narrator, and by the author's deliberate intention to criticize the act of slavery and racism. Throughout Huck Finn, Mark Twain employs realism to accurately portray life along the antebellum Mississippi River. Merriam-Webster defines realism as “the theory or practice of faithfulness in art and literature to nature or real life and to accurate representation without idealization.” Throughout the novel, Twain uses realism to show readers what life was like and how black people were treated. Many critics of the book criticize the language used in the book. As Powers (2010) states, “Controversy erupted in 1957, when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People condemned his 211 uses of the n-word, the infamous epithet for African… middle of paper. .....-old boy, show them the true path of equality and fairness. Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn clearly does not promote racism, in fact it defames it, and the universal lessons taught in the book can still be applied today. Works Cited Camfield, G. (2005). Competition. Retrieved from http://dig.lib.niu.edu/twain/race.htmlHarris, E. (2000, September 26). “Huck Finn” still pushes buttons, the professor says. Retrieved from http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=3637Powers, M. (2010, May 05). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Retrieved from http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2010/May/20100505151725naneerg0.2608759.htmlSalwen, P. (Unknown). The quotable sign two. Retrieved from http://salwen.com/mtquotes.htmlTwain, M. (1986). The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York, NY: Penguin Books Ltd.