54 pages • 1 hour read
The Day They Came to Arrest the Book
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Themes
Freedom of Speech Versus the Banning of Books
The overriding concern of the narrative is the preservation of freedom of speech and the struggles against various types of censorship. Free speech, in the context of this book, means the freedom of the author to write anything and the freedom of citizens to read what the author has written. During his debate against Griswold, Dickinson says, “There is the student’s right under the First Amendment […] to read and to discuss controversial thoughts and language. […] Also, there is the right of Mark Twain […] to have his ideas, his language, remain free” (104). Kate argues that if the First Amendment encourages hateful language and stereotypes, there should be less of it in schools; Professor Stanley cautions her against going down that slippery slope. Censoring one person opens the door for anyone to censor anything.
In describing the behavior and rationale of those who wish to ban Huckleberry Finn, Hentoff demonstrates that only the individual reader can judge whether or not a piece of literature is acceptable. Stanley, for instance, gets Carl McLean—who adamantly opposes Huckleberry Finn—to admit he would fight to prevent the banning of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which also contains numerous racial epithets and vivid descriptions of the maltreatment of Black citizens.
Hentoff uses Huckleberry Finn to display the reasoning and tactics of censorship advocates since it is a book that citizens have sought to ban for over a century. In the narrative, critics of Huckleberry Finn express idealistic concerns about its content, often as the mouthpiece for movements invested in higher moral or religious purposes: Parents for Moral Schools, Citizen’s League for the Preservation of American Values, or The Black United Front for Accuracy in Education. Steve, the only Black student who studied Huckleberry Finn, says he doubts the book’s critics have really read it. Steve is, in theory, the exact person that the censorship advocates intend to protect by banning Huckleberry Finn—however, he argues, “I have already seen and heard those words. And since they are not new to me, and believe me they are not, I know when those words […] are directed at me” (162). Thus, he renders moot the arguments in favor of banning Huckleberry Finn; he is also proof of the necessity of free speech, because he would not have been able to draw his own conclusions without it.
Logic Versus Logical Fallacy
The narrative contains many discussions between individuals on different sides of the key issues, each trying to persuade the other party to accept the validity of their position. As in life, no one is persuaded to change their position by these rational discussions. There are, however, small instances of compromise. Barney, recognizing the validity of Maggie’s concern that Mike will retaliate against them if Barney prints criticism in his editorial, grudgingly agrees to remove the paragraphs. He does so not because he believes his position is wrong, but because Maggie convinces him that the freedom to keep the newspaper running (and to keep Maggie as faculty advisor) is worth the cost of honesty. This decision allows them to later print their interview with Karen Salters, a much more compelling condemnation of Mike than Barney’s two paragraphs would have been. Some characters show that there may be rational reasons to favor censorship, as with Maggie and Barney’s articles, but Hentoff invariably portrays logic as being on the side of freedom of speech.
While Hentoff offers a variety of different arguments conducted by very different individuals, the one constant in these debates is that one side presents logically while the other side presents illogically, using logical fallacies. Here are some of instances of the fallacies listed in alphabetical order:
The Appeal to Authority Fallacy: the appeal to authority implies that a single individual’s view—typically an expert on the topic—means there is no need for logical examination. This is closely related to the Appeal to False Authority fallacy, which allows an irrelevant authority to validate a position. Griswold tells the students of George Mason High School that God, “who cannot speak for Himself” (65), is the ultimate authority, and thus should be included in their education.
The Appeal to Fear Fallacy: an attempt to get others to support or reject a position through fearful scenarios, regardless of fact or reason. Rather than address Dickinson’s points about freedom, Griswold warns students that those who support liberty and free speech intend to brainwash them with a secret agenda.
The Argument Ad Hominem Fallacy: countering the argument or principles of another person by criticizing the person rather than what they stand for. Mike regularly resorts to this fallacy when his will and reasoning is challenged. When Deirdre refuses to conceal the library’s copies of Huckleberry Finn, Mike accuses her of being too naïve and inexperienced to understand what he wants her to do instead of engaging with her logical arguments.
The Bandwagon Fallacy: arguments in which people hear that they should accept an idea or join a group because everyone else is. This fallacy threatens to exclude and isolate those who do not jump on the bandwagon. Both Carl and Gordon exercise this fallacy, as when Gordon launches his boycott of Nora’s class, asking, “Well? Am I the only one who feels that way?” (91), forcing the Black students particularly to side with him or be marginalized.
The Correlation/Causation, or Coincidence Fallacy: the illogical assumption that, when two events happen simultaneously, one causes the other. During the review committee hearing, Nancy claims that reading Huckleberry Finn will cause her children to become free thinkers and thus rebellious. “I do not want them coming home and telling me they know better than I do what’s right and what’s wrong” (111).
The Hasty Generalization Fallacy: drawing a conclusion based upon little to no evidence. When school board chairman Reuben Forster says the review committee meeting will be open to the public, the principal assumes, with no basis for his claim, that the participants will descend into uncontrollable conflict.
The Red Herring Fallacy: diverting the logical process by focusing on an unrelated issue. Citing Jim’s habit of calling Huck “honey” and Huck’s mention of nudity in the summertime, Mr. Dennis claims that Huckleberry Finn implies a same-sex relationship between Huck and Jim. Not only is there no evidence of this, but it diverts the topic away from freedom of speech.
The Undistributed Middle Fallacy: pointing out a fact, then drawing a conclusion that does not proceed from the fact in question. Kate wants to ban Huckleberry Finn because the women are portrayed as foolish and uneducated. Deirdre points out that the men in the book are equally foolish and uneducated, thus there is no connection between Twain’s descriptions of the women and the notion that they are treated differently or unfairly.
Lack of Administrative Support for Educators
Throughout the narrative, the school administration—embodied by the principal—does not support the educators, especially in regard to any conflict or controversy. On the first day of school, Nora warns Deirdre to be on her guard against Mike’s intrusions into her library work. Similar warnings are shared between educators, other faculty members, and even students as the struggle over Huckleberry Finn intensifies. In preparation for the events that will determine whether the book remains available or is censored, faculty members and students conspire from the shared understanding that Mike will try to undermine them while he appears to remain neutral.
Mike gives educators and students ample reason to distrust him. In the dispute over Huckleberry Finn, Mike attempts to downplay the issue by resolving it through covert action, just as he has done when confronted with complaints in the past. He attempts to bully Nora by threatening her career, then mocks her emotional response to his manipulative tactics. He wheedles Deirdre, attempting to convince her that she would be empathetically caring for students and parents by concealing all copies of Huckleberry Finn. When that fails, he scolds her for being too youthful and inexperienced to understand how secondary education works.
Hentoff uses Mike as a symbol of the very real drift away from administrative support that educators have experienced in the latter decades of the 20th century and beyond. Two well-documented departure trends among educators cite this issue as contributing factors. First, approximately one half of all novice teachers leave the classroom in the first two years. In her 2017 doctoral dissertation, Pamela Talley addresses the impact of lack of administrative support upon new educators (ERIC: Through the Lens of Novice Teachers). Second, an investigative survey taken by the National Education Association in 2022 indicated that up to 55% of US educators plan to take early retirement (Live5news.com). Thus, national trends continuing 40 years after the publication of Hentoff’s book depict the circumstances resembling those described in the narrative.
The Purpose of School
Inserted at key points in the narrative is the notion that education is meant to teach students to evaluate various worldly ideas. This notion is voiced first by Dickinson during his debate with Griswold over unlimited freedom of speech and press. Griswold points out that, following Dickinson’s logic, youth could be allowed to read the works of Holocaust deniers. He asks if Dickinson would be willing to allow those books in the school library; Dickinson says he would because the ability to compare truth and deception would teach young people critical thinking skills. When Griswold suggests Jewish parents would disagree, Dickinson replies, “You don’t help people learn to be free by narrowing their choices” (66).
Hentoff also presents counterarguments to this notion. During the review committee’s hearing, Nancy Dennis is concerned that Huck deviates from propriety based upon the circumstances of the moment, that he has no adult guidance. Deirdre tries to explain how Huck displays mature discernment and true moral understanding. She says, “Your organization wants morality in the schools. Well, this is a very moral boy. Despite all the pressures on him to return Jim to slavery […] He was too moral to do it” (111). Nancy, however, insists that the true message of Huckleberry Finn is that kids should make adult decisions, a position with which she vehemently disagrees. Ultimately, the explanations of Dickinson and Deirdre fall upon the deaf ears of those who hold different views of the purpose of education; this reflects ongoing real-life debates over academic curricula, censorship, and moral teachings in the classroom.
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