The problem : Deserializing a JSON String with escape characters in Java & Gson/Jackson adds additional escaping characters when deserializing JSON.

Desired Results : Return the exact JSON value when deserialized to text without any additional escaping values using either Gson or Jackson?

Desired return value: //Brindle

ie. testFile.json

{
  "dogs" :  {

      "Boxer" : "//Brindle",
      "Lab: "//Golden"
 }
}

Non Desired Returned Results : "\/\/Brindle"

Things I’ve tried which haven’t succedded

• Adding custom Gson Adapter to deserialize the fields as getAsString()
• Using Jackson ObjectMapper to convert back and forth to show idempotence
• Iterating JSON Object and manually enforcing the String with addProperty()
• using Gson Annotation bindings to set desired mapping
• Set Gson (GsonBuilder) to disablehtmlescaping()

The following conversions can happen and all of which return a deserialized String with additional escaping characters.

• File -> JSON -> POJO -> String
• JSON -> String
• String -> POJO -> JSON -> String

Ultimate questions : How do you have Java return a String with additional escaped characters when