In Paul Beatty's "The Sellout," the narrator shares a personal experience about trying to read "Huckleberry Finn" to his grandchildren. He found himself unable to continue due to the frequent use of the racial slur "n-word," which he believed would be inappropriate for their age. His grandchildren, despite being perceptive and mature for their ages, were not ready to grasp the complex themes of Twain's work.

To address this, the narrator decided to rewrite the classic text, replacing the offensive terms with more palatable alternatives. He changed "n-word" to "warrior" and "slave" to "dark-skinned volunteer," in an effort to make the book more accessible and less controversial for young readers. This approach reflects his desire to present literature in a way that avoids the harsh realities of its original context.