Discussion board #9

I have mixed feelings about reading literature that contains racial slurs as a 20-year-old Black woman in college, especially when such insults are targeted at me. In my opinion, including racist insults in literary writings is unacceptable, regardless of their historical context. I say this because it is unsettling to see expressions that have historically dehumanized people who are similar to me still expressing such sadness and disappointment.The language used in stories such as Flannery O’Connor’s expresses the general mindset and brutal reality of the era. Removing or restricting those words may make the story more appealing to some people, but it also has an impact on the recognition of the real experiences of those who lived through that time. It’s very critical and important to realize both the historical significance of certain words and how unpleasant they may be.