The Day They Came to Arrest the Book

Gordon and Steve are two of the students at George Mason High School embroiled in the Huckleberry Finn controversy. Gordon kicks off the plot when he objects to the use of the book in class, asking his father to get the book banned from the school. Gordon believes that students—especially Black students like himself, or Jewish students like his friend Scott Berman—should not have to read slurs as school assignments. He has an adult counterpart in his father, Carl McLean, who campaigns for the banning of the book on his behalf.

In the censorship debate, Gordon and Carl fall into the “manipulative” group—not because they are bad people or because their stance is wrong, but because they often use logical fallacies to pressure others into joining them, rather than debating based on logic. Carl threatens Mike with “a mobilization of a good many parents” unless he completely bans Huckleberry Finn (28). Gordon asks his fellow students to join him in walking out of Nora’s class; when Barney protests, Gordon accuses him of failing to stand against racism: “When the time comes to move, […] you just sit there. Talking. Talking. Well, I’ve heard enough talking” (91). He also claims that Nora is not a “decent lady” because of her decision to use a book with racist terminology, implying that Nora never considered—or actively ignored—the feelings of her Black students.

Standing opposite Gordon is Steve Turney, the only Black student who remains in Nora’s class to study the book. Steve has an adult counterpart in Professor Stanley Lomax; both of them fall into the “logical” group when debating censorship and free speech. Steve chooses to study Huckleberry Finn because he wants to decide its merit for himself; unlike Gordon, he rejects censorship because he believes individuals must retain the freedom to access and judge ideas. Stanley similarly points out that censorship is highly subjective; there is no universal concept of what is or is not acceptable, and it is impossible to shield everyone from everything. Steve’s speech in Chapter 16 is especially powerful because he stands against Gordon’s attempts to prevent them, specifically, from being exposed to racist language. He does not agree with Gordon’s stance that, as Black students, they should be shielded from offensive content. Steve argues that he has been exposed to racism and slurs his entire life, and he is capable of judging intent—and the value of a work—on his own.

Deirdre is the first-year librarian who replaces Karen Salters. She is “[t]all, slender, with long, lustrous brown hair and sharp features” (4). She arrives knowing little about the inner workings of George Mason High School, but she’s glad to be free of her old school, where the headmistress selected all the library books. Deirdre quickly learns that Principal Mike does not follow the official procedures of the school district; instead he pressures the faculty into making changes behind the scenes. Nora warns her right away that Karen left because of Mike, which immediately sets up the conflict between the educators and the administration.

Deirdre is a fierce First Amendment champion, repeatedly defending the necessity of allowing books to be studied at will by students. She strongly represents the theme of The Purpose of School; she repeatedly states that education is meant to expose students to many different ideas and teach them to judge those ideas for themselves.

Deirdre falls under the “logical” category of debate groups. In Chapter 9, Deirdre refuses to conceal all copies of Huckleberry Finn in the library until after the textbook review committee’s hearing; she tells Mike that she is following the proper procedure, “[s]o why should the book be removed from the library?” (69). Throughout the novel, Deirdre patiently reasons with those in favor of censorship—such as Mike, Kate, and Mrs. Dennis—using cogent examples to demonstrate the importance of free speech and free access to books.

The long-time principal of George Mason High School, Mike is the undeniable antagonist of the story. No other character in the narrative expresses any admiration for or kinship with Mike. Many students perceive his outgoing jovial familiarity as condescending and insincere. Most faculty members in the book do not trust him. Parents and school board members perceive him as holding the middle ground and never taking a personal stand.

Mike emulates the theme of a Lack of Administrative Support for Educators. He has a history of unethical behavior regarding parental complaints about schoolbooks; rather than follow proper review procedures, he pressures the librarians to quietly remove the controversial books. This places him in the “manipulative” group and puts him on the side of censorship. He bullies faculty members and students when they refuse to yield to his demands. Mike threatens his staff with poor reviews and negative recommendations, and if that doesn’t work, he mocks them and questions their mental states. Mike’s unwillingness to support his faculty ultimately results in the grandiose spectacle of the national news covering the school board’s Huckleberry Finn ruling. Ironically, Mike’s invariable priority is avoiding controversy and undue attention.