What are the objections to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain? Why was it banned?

While the racial language is the primary reason for Huck Finn being banned, there are several other causes for the controversy that the book has caused.  The novel was first published in England because Twain knew that American readers, particularly the American South, would not appreciate his harsh criticism of the culture and beliefs that were associated with the region at that time. The novel was published several years after the Civil War, and the wounds and bitterness between the North and South had not dissipated.

Secondly, Twain's portrayal of a precocious boy as the novel's savvy narrator and protagonist offended those who believed that good writers do not promote poor grammar and smart-mouthed children.  While, of course, these elements are part of Twain's satire, many readers miss the satire and see the novel as a poor example of how children should act and talk.

Finally, modern readers still struggle with Twain's portrayal of Jim as simple and unintelligent.  While some critics argue that Twain's motivation in his characterization of Jim was to demonstrate Jim's pure conscience despite his lack of formal education, Jim still comes across as a man who is to be pitied.  I have to admit that it is always difficult to teach this aspect of the novel, because many of my students see Twain's portrayal of Jim as his true view of African-Americans from that time period.  It is difficult to know what Twain's real motivation was in this area; so readers have to make their own interpretation of Jim's characterization.