Literary texts shouldn’t be edited to remove offensive language because it takes away from their authenticity and historical context. Writers like Flannery O’Connor used language to reflect the harsh realities of their time, and censoring it changes how we understand the story and its characters. I have mixed feelings about this. Some of the language definitely makes me uncomfortable, but I also think it’s important. It forces us to face the past as it was, not in a way that’s easier to digest. If we erase offensive language, we risk erasing history and the deep-rooted issues, like racism, that were prominent at the time and still exist today. These texts aren’t just about the past; they’re still relevant now. Reading them as they were written helps us see how much progress we’ve made and, more importantly, how much further we need to go in addressing racial tensions and inequality in society.
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