An Essay in Sarcasm Consider, what if everything ever written by the great American author Mark Twain was a lie. One would simply indicate that twain was a great American author who pens wonderful trails of fiction and developing intricate and well-rounded characters, well-intentioned entertainment one would say. We will look at Twain’s work entitled “The Dammed Human Race” and explore his writing methodology, and investigate how versatile and effective Twains strategic use of sarcasm enhanced his message and continues to resound with readers today. Samuel Clemmons, who would later in life be referred to as Mark Twain would rise to fame as a humorist, novelist, and lecturer. Twain however would be born poor, raised poor, and knew how difficult life is, to be poor. (History.com/staff) Hence, we will see how social status seems to serve as a stepping-stone in many of Twains works. We will show how the American author harnessed this deep-seated empathy to illustrate the very serious situation influencing the American populace during the time of writing. Twains tells it simply as a “study of the lower traits and dispositions” (Twain) however before looking at some the examples and self-evident supplements, it becomes increasingly more important to understand the impetus that drove Twain to pen the damned …show more content…
Twain compares human beings sense of cruelty as he compares us to Anacondas. He further explores mans innate sense to seek greed and misery as he compares us to Ants, bees and squirrels and finishes in comparing and contrasting mans unhealthy relationship with abnormal sexual proclivity in contrast to roosters maintaining harems. (Twain) All of these cases are abhorrently made by Twain to make a point, namely that “Below us, nothing.” (Twain) a statement that can not be further and closer from the truth in the same
The structure of the essay leads the reader to make conclusions about the morality of the human species. Twain presents specific examples of human deficiency that certain populations can identify with, then moves to broader topics that anyone can relate to. Twain describes mankind's moral dilemma by saying (quote). Allowing the readier to come to the conclusion that man kind is jaded when it comes to issues on morality Twain has successfully achieved his goal. He does state his opinion but does not force the reader to come to the same idea. The manner that he presents the information allows the reader to come to the conclusion that humans are flawed in comparison to animals in a logical manner even though the overall theme of the essay is a satire
The only impulses that Twain intends to stir are a person’s moral compass in an attempt to rid society of their negative outlook toward African Americans. In the Explanatory of the novel, Twain tells the readers that “several different ‘dialects are used,’ which have been written ‘painstakingly,’ based on his own ‘personal familiarity with these several forms of speech’” (Adventures 3). Twain grew up in a setting similar to that of the
Mark Twain’s use of humor in the story mocks and shines light on the issues of our society’s political system from back then that continue
Throughout the book it is obvious that there are characteristics that Mark Twain either detests and despises, or respects and values them. Twain quite obviously is making fun of the undesirable characteristics such as the natural curiosity of people and also the greed for money. Although there are not many values that he respects, there is one that is shown in this book, friendship.
According to Mark Twain, “A man is never more truthful than when he acknowledges himself a liar.” Throughout literary history, the reoccurring theme of a shady character performing immoral, habitual actions is no new topic. These vial characters entertain readers by their confident persona and their desire to win. The literary pieces that include this genre of character are especially prominent entering the 19th century, as humor and deception become key components of literature. Mark Twain, one of the most distinguished American authors in the 19th century, made his living by writing “light, humorous verse, but evolved this literature into a chronicler of the vanities, hypocrisies and murderous acts of mankind.” The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, written by Mark Twain, focuses on a narrator from the east suffering through a Westerner’s tale about a jumping frog as the author attempts to entertain the reader through its oddities in the short story, its humorous tall tale of satire, and its desire to inform the reader of East versus West stereotypes.
Twain’s novel was greatly influenced by the times and criticizes the imperfections in society. These errors in society were subjective to the current events during the Gilded Age. The following show the effects of the current times that influenced the context of the novel. One of America’s leading historians of America in the west, Patricia N. Limerick well elaborates on what happened in the Gilded Age. The following quote fro...
In conclusion, Mark Twain exposes humanity throughout two opposite episodes of violence and joy. The author uses these episodes as metaphors to prove humanities cowardly actions and the lengths people will go to, to not look
This essay will analyze the themes of religion, slavery, and democracy in the book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. By exploring these themes that lie behind the book’s veneer, we can understand Twain’s objective for writing this book.
In the midst of the dishonesty, greed, and corruption of his time, Mark Twain's characters and stories display great candor. Candor is the ability to express frankly, openly, and unabashedly an opinion or depict a situation, and the letters that William Dean Howells received from Twain are brimming with candor. Howells recounts, "He has the Southwestern, the Lincolnian, the Elizabethan breadth of parlance which I suppose one ought not to call coarse without calling one's self prudish [. . .]" (351). As Twain's stories unfold, he realistically and vibrantly describes outrageous events with an unbl...
Life in the late eighteen hundreds was very different from the life we know today. Not only was there more inequality, there were also more health concerns and lapses in education. Mark Twain, in his book “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” has given us a special look into the past through the eyes of a young boy. Though this book is one of, if not the most highly criticized books in the American school system, it is also one of the most highly renowned. Through the criticism, Twain has given us a golden reflective opportunity.
Throughout the novel the Twain presents the nobility as completely unaware, or uncaring, of its subjects’ struggles. Twain employs slavery to illustrate the aristocracy’s ignorance to the cruelties of their governing. After being captured, and sold, as
Mark Twain’s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through much criticism and denunciation has become a well-respected novel. Through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy, Huckleberry Finn, Twain illustrates the controversy of racism and slavery during the aftermath of the Civil War. Since Huck is an adolescent, he is vulnerable and greatly influenced by the adults he meets during his coming of age. His expedition down the Mississippi steers him into the lives of a diverse group of inhabitants who have conflicting morals. Though he lacks valid morals, Huck demonstrates the potential of humanity as a pensive, sensitive individual rather than conforming to a repressive society. In these modes, the novel places Jim and Huck on pedestals where their views on morality, learning, and society are compared.
In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain illustrates several traits that are common in mankind. Among these traits are those that are listed in this essay. Through characters in the story Twain shows humanity's innate courageousness. He demonstrates that individuals many times lack the ability to reason well. Also, Twain displays the selfishness pervasive in society. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, many aspects of the human race are depicted, and it is for this reason that this story has been, and will remain, a classic for the ages.
The short story, “The Damned Human Race”, seems to take the form of a scientific journal. Throughout the passage, Twain writes of experiments he performed and hypotheses he had developed by watching the human race. The whole article has almost a mocking tone. He writes of how he was able to put several animals in a cage together and they all “lived together in peace;even affectionately”, but when he placed people of different religions and ethnicities together, they all killed one another. I think that he used this tone, because it is effective in creating a satire, which is highly effective at catching people’s attention. It makes a passage memorable, because it almost seems ridiculous. This use of tone completes the idea that humanity is
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by the pseudonym Mark Twain, has been central to American literature for over a century. His seemingly effortless diction accurately exemplified America’s southern culture. From his early experiences in journalism to his most famous fictional works, Twain has remained relevant to American writing as well as pop culture. His iconic works are timeless and have given inspiration the youth of America for decades. He distanced himself from formal writing and became one of the most celebrated humorists. Mark Twain’s use of the common vernacular set him apart from authors of his era giving his readers a sense of familiarity and emotional connection to his characters and himself.