As a Black person, it did make me uncomfortable seeing that type of offensive language being used in the literary text. But now, as I grew up, I realized that it is necessary to include that language. Not only does it make the literary piece more authentic and its historical context. It makes the piece more heartfelt and gives insight into the cultural norms faced in a particular period. Historical texts show how people were viewed based on their race and gender. The reader can engage with the text and understand its historical significance. I feel like censoring offensive language could get rid of the message that the author is trying to portray. It removes the character’s behavior. We learn more about the context in which the story is told and the type of language being used, even if it’s not offensive. Rather than censoring offensive language, I think it should be used to help better grasp the issues it raises.
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One thought on “Octavia Kirkland Discussion 9”
Octavia, thank you for the insightful comments. I like what you say about how removing the authentic language removes a bit of the character’s behavior from the story. I also like your last sentence about how the language can be used to explore the “issues it raises.”