I think it is best to leave a story fully unedited to capture the author’s message conveyed through the story. The writing process is already lengthy, with several drafts and endless hours of writing development. If we censor a word, we are missing one of the author’s intentional decisions in making the story. This can lead to a missing detail in character analysis. For example, through the use of a slur, we are given a better sense of the grandmother’s character when she berates the children for not having enough respect, and yet turns around and insults a child with a negative assumption that they are incapable of owning pants. These offensive slurs do not reflect current times, but they give us an insight into the grandmother’s past. It is a reminder of the history that failed many people who couldn’t fit into idealized standards. If these slurs are omitted, then we do not get to fully experience what life was like for those discriminated against during those times. It robs students of important lessons, like the negative effects that discrimination has on people’s egos as well. The grandmother highly believed she was above reproach when she tried to manipulate everyone around her to do her bidding and thought she had the right to be racist towards those of a different skin color.
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2 thoughts on “Concepcion Arellano Discussion 9”
Concepcion, thank you for these excellent comments with their insightful reference to “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” I agree that readers would not fully grasp the extent of the grandmother’s racism and ignorance if these words were expunged; they would also not have as a clear glimpse into the attitudes in that time and place in the U.S.
i agree with you on this one. i think once you change something in the story it also takes away other things. i also believe that they should always gives people a fair warning to let them know that there are some offensive slur in there, it kinda give them an option to chose if they want to read it or not and if they do decides to reads it there shouldn’t be no complaining. i thing the warning label will also help people classify those books better so kids doesn’t gets access to them without the consent of their parents.