How should I censor a word in an essay?

Question

I'm doing this essay on a book for school. In the book n*g*er is used alot. (its an old book) I don't know if I should not censor the word in my essay or if I should do n***** or n****r or ****** or a different way. Does anyone know the correct way to censor a word?

Answer 1

What might be the best thing to do is always place the word in quotes (showing it's the author's word and not yours), and the first time you use it, footnote it and explain that it appears often in the text and that it was not the offensive racial slur we know it as today.

Answer 2

When quoting a piece of work, you do not censor what they have written. Was the book assigned by the school? If so, certainly don't censor it. Just try to minimize the amount of times you use quotes with the word. Can you use a different quote to get your point across? As long as what you are saying is not racist or offensive to anyone and your quotes support your thesis, then you should not worry. If you have to read the paper out loud, inform the people in the class about the quotes beforehand so that they are not shocked and appealed when they hear you read it.

Answer 3

I'm sure that if this book is essay worthy there are several different approaches you can use to writing about it. Granted the book may use such language but that doesn't mean you should lower yourself to using it as well. Just try a different approach. Put the book in your own words and explain the actions of the characters, the tone of the novel ( violent, peaceful, calm, explosive, explicit, detailed, or whathaveyou.) the setting, the scenery the author displayed for you or even the author him/her-self. Write about parts of the novel that refrained from vulgar language and actions to put a more positive aura around it. Or if you really want to put the language in your essay utilize quotation marks and just write out the whole word. The quotation marks will make sure whoever is reading your essay knows that the words of the book include the language and not your words of the essay.

Answer 4

If this is and old book like Tom Sawyer are Huckelberry Finn, or Uncle Tom's Cabin,
It is best that you not change a thing.
You are doing a book report on a piece of littiture if it uses the the word ****** then use it.
BUT if this makes you uncomfortible then maybe you need to do a book report on some other book.
In the book Tom Sawyer it was not about slavery it was about a young boy his aunt and a run away slave. There is more to the story than this but we can not hid from the pass.
Always embrace the pass learn from it then move on.
Good luck with your report dear and don't be afair to us the N---- word use it wisely.

Answer 5

Since you are quoting some author´s words from a piece of literature, go ahead and use it in direct quotes. The first time the word appears, include a foot- or end-note explaining that it is not yours, but that you are using a direct quote. Then tell your readers what you think of the word yourself. After that use the word only when necessary and preferably only when quoting directly from the text.

Answer 6

In England you would not censor this...as you are using someone's else words you should put them into "quotation marks" so they are not your words when you writing about them....

In my opinion, you are making an argument about the topic, so you should be emphasising your points in the language of the topic you are writing in...your essay will be stronger for using the words rather than kowtowing to political correctness.

Do you think this would work?

Answer 7

I don't think we should censor any piece of writing, no matter how much we disagree with what it says. Just put it in quotes, and the teacher will know you got it from the book.

Answer 8

Geez, someof you people need to get off of your soapbox! This person is simply asking for some advice not your opinions or world viewpoints.
As others have said before me: If you are using the sentence as a quote you do not "censor" the word.

Answer 9

you do not censor a piece of art no matter what the freaking consequences are

if you dont want to get in trouble, use a different book, if the school assigned the book, then you use the quotes AS WRITTEN

Answer 10

Don't be afraid of words with awful connotations. The real word holds history and meaning and to censor it would be to remove an emotional jolt from your essay.