Chapter 1 Summary

The Day They Came to Arrest the Book is a thought-provoking and entertaining account of censorship in a small high school. As both sides of the issue fight for their own beliefs, the town is transformed into a virtual battlefield, where old friends and co-workers are set against one another. Those wishing to ban Huckleberry Finn claim the novel to be sexist, racist, immoral, and dangerous, while those fighting to keep the novel stress the irony, morality, and historical significance of the novel. Through careful plotting, national news coverage, and the dedication of several students, Huckleberry Finn is allowed to remain in the school. Through the process, the individuals within the novel learn the power and danger of freedom, the value of independent thought, and the importance of standing up for what one believes in.

The school year is just beginning at George...