Wednesday morning, the moment prior to the verdict, I felt a rush of anxiety and anticipation. This might sound silly, considering it was only a mock trial. For the past week and a half, though, I worked closely with my fellow “lawyers”, Evelyn, Grace, and Allison, and our testifying witnesses, to help prove an innocent man innocent. Strangely, I had become somewhat emotionally invested in this case. When the verdict was finally revealed (The jury had found Mark Twain not guilty for being a racist), I was extremely relieved.
As a lawyer for the defense of Mark Twain, I believed strongly in our case. To me, it was clear, through outside research paired with in depth reading of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, that Mark Twain was not a racist. The testimonies of duke, the literary expert, Huck, Twain, and even the cross-examination of witnesses such as Aunt Sally and Jim, helped prove our point and ultimately led to the win.
Though I felt pretty confident with our case, the prosecution was inarguably amazing. I was flabbergasted by their complex, persuasive opening statement, as well as with the preparedness of their witnesses. The most convincing testifier, in my opinion, was the literary expert. Shivangi brought up some good points about how Mark Twain’s book was offensive: back in the post-Civil War era, many people didn’t understand the satire he intended. She argued the dramatic diction difference between Jim and Huck shows how Twain was trying to degrade blacks and show white superiority. She also pointed out how Huck referred to Jim’s traits as “white”, therefore showing how only white people can have positive characteristics. The repeated use of the n-word, she said, was and still is a “slap in the face for black Americans”. Though Shivangi was very professional and believable, our literary expert was just, if not more, persuasive.
Zoe, our literary expert, brought a careful analysis of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to the table. She disputed the prosecution’s argument for the word nigger being offensive, saying that the frequent use of that term is used to emphasize, and even mock, the extreme racist views of the South. It is not Twain’s fault that the book may be interpreted differently by different people: it is his intent that matters. When Twain came to the stand, he stated clearly that he is not a racist. Though his credibility was questioned numerous times when the jury was deliberating, I believe his in depth knowledge of his life and literary works, paired with his calm, confident persona aided his case. The prosecution relentlessly questioned Twain on the fact that his book was perceived by many to be racist, and he repeatedly had to remind them that he did not intend for that to happen. He wanted controversy to arise from this book, but in a way that would start discussions about the uncomfortable topic of racism, not in a way that would make blacks feel inferior.
This mock trial was definitely an interesting, eye-opening experience, and I am glad I had the chance to partake in such a project. I was uncomfortable with the position of lawyer at first, but as time went on, realized it was actually exciting! This project was a great way to make students delve deeply into the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
