Adam and Eve Rhetorical Strategies

974 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Mark twain on humor

In “The Diary of Adam” and “The Diary of Eve,” Mark Twain writes of the lives of Adam and Eve from The Book of Genesis in a comical manner. Adam and Eve are newly conceived and are incipient to the world. Eve chases Adam in a vivacious manner while Adam continuously tries to elude her. Then, Eve makes the critical mistake of eating the forbidden fruit, and both Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden. The couple then discovers what they think is a fish but in reality is a human baby. In both of these short stories, Twain uses humor, imagery, and stereotypes to portray a central message. That message is that although both genders are unique in their own ways, they still require each other in order to survive.

The first way that Twain expresses the central theme that men and women need one another is through humor. He uses humor of many types to relate this message. One example of the manner in which Twain uses humor can be located in “The Diary of Eve” on page 201: “I could not stand it, but now I can. It sours the milk, but it doesn’t matter; I can get used to that kind of milk.” Eve is speaking of how atrocious Adam’s singing was but that she could get used to it. This takes the reader’s comprehension deeper into the playful relationship between Adam and Eve and makes it feel as if they personally knew Adam and Eve. This quote also illustrates the message that with the assistance of time, men and women can eventually become acquainted, even with all of their conflicting differences and social barriers. This quote additionally makes the reader think more deeply of their own situation, their relationships with others, and how social barriers can be deteriorated between their selves and others. Another example of humor T...

... middle of paper ...

...it feels like to be a mother to male readers and makes mothers themselves proud. These two quotes support the statement that although the sexes are different, they rely on each other because females need a shoulder “to cry on” for support, it is a positive attribute for males to have a sensitive, tender, compassionate, sympathetic side, and that the bond between mother and child can be matched by no other.

In the both “The Diary of Adam” and “The Diary of Eve,” Mark Twain continuously portrays the message that each of the genders require one another in order to maintain a successful, happy existence and that both male and female have to get over each other’s differences. This message is illustrated by three different techniques: using humor, imagery, and stereotypes. Each of these techniques does a fantastic job in enhancing the message portrayed by Mark Twain.

Show More
Related

  • An Analysis Of Mark Twain Corn Pone Opinion

    1230 Words  | 3 Pages

    As a very gifted writer and philosopher, Mark Twain, maintains his audience with the use of humor. He starts the essay out by saying, “You tell me whar a man gits his corn pone, en I’ll tell you what his ‘pinion is” (1). The

    Read More

  • The Second Child Of John Marshalll And Jane Moffit Clemens

    783 Words  | 2 Pages

    Samuel Clemens, was the sixth child of John Marshalll and Jane Moffit Clemens, born two months prematurely and was in poor health for the first 10 years of his life. His mother tried different types of remedies during those younger years. Twain used his memories of his childhood and his illness to fill the pages of several of his books including Tom Sawyer and other writings. Clemens was often pampered, by his mother, and thus developed early in life the testing her indulgence through mischief, while offering his humor as bond for the crimes he would commit. When Twain’s mother was in her 80s, he asked her about his poor health in those early years: “I suppose that during that whole time you were uneasy about me?” “Yes, the whole time,” she answered. “Afraid I wouldn’t live?” “No,” she said, “afraid you would.” One can clearly see where Twain got his sense of humor and zest for life, (Morris, 1996)). Even though it seemed life started out rough Twain pushed his passed it all and went for what he wanted not allowing anyone to stand in his way.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Appeals

    567 Words  | 2 Pages

    After reviewing this week’s episodes of serial, and given our topic, I found that the Rhetorical Appeals are directly linked to the court cases. These Rhetorical Appeals (Ethos, Pathos, and Logos), are used throughout both cases. From Jay’s case, it’s clear that Pathos and Ethos are two main elements supporting his defense. However in Adnan’s case, Logos was the prevalent appeal when defending his innocence.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of The Damned Human Race

    477 Words  | 1 Pages

    He captures readers by playing to their emotions of fundamental concepts (find quote). His ability to to focus on human behavior that society as whole can identify with gives a stark contrast of animal and human separation. Having the readers become emotionally invested gives Twains overall thesis that humans are "descendent" from the animals that surround us resonance with the

    Read More

  • Comparing Girl by Jamaica Kincaid and A&P by John Updike

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    Within every story or poem, there is always an interpretation made by the reader, whether right or wrong. In doing so, one must thoughtfully analyze all aspects of the story in order to make the most accurate assessment based on the literary elements the author has used. Compared and contrasted within the two short stories, “Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid, and John Updike’s “A&P,” the literary elements character and theme are made evident. These two elements are prominent in each of the differing stories yet similarities are found through each by studying the elements. The girls’ innocence and naivety as characters act as passages to show something superior, oppression in society shown towards women that is not equally shown towards men.

    Read More

  • Nature Versus Nurture

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the well-received novel “Pudd’nhead Wilson,” Mark Twain skillfully addresses the ancient argument about the origin of one’s character and whether it’s derived from his nature or his surroundings. We can best see this battle between nature versus nurture by inspecting the plot lines that follow the characters Thomas a Becket Driscoll, Valet de Chambre, and Roxana the slave. Thomas was born into a wealthy white family while Roxy birthed Chambers into a life of slavery. It seemed as though each would have gone their separate ways into opposite walks of life, but Roxy secretly swapped the children, which destined each to their counterintuitive fates. Through their words and actions, Tom, Chambers, and Roxy have proven the idea that one’s behaviors and desires are a result of his upbringings and the environment he lives in rather than by his innate nature.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Hypocrisy In Huckleberry Finn

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    Twain pictures the widow as a diligent religious subject of Christianity. She reads the Bible, prays often, doing good service to the community by taking care of orphaned Huck, and comically mocks Huck for his sins by referencing the Holy Bible. However, Twain points out the situation irony at play. The widow herself grumbles through meal’s blessing when she asks Huck to be thankful for what he has, and snuffs tobacco when she tells Huckleberry it’s wrong to do. Twain wants to display this a prime example of religious hypocrisy through verbal irony. Huck isn’t the best person when it comes to behavior and the Widow prides herself in finding his faults in his moral sin, but fails to realize that she herself is the one who is sinful. By criticizing the other person, one should look into his life before pointing out the faults of other. Otherwise, the person is committing

    Read More

  • Literary Analysis of Huckleberry Finn

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mark Twain applies humor in the various episodes throughout the book to keep the reader laughing and make the story interesting. The first humorous episode occurs when Huck Finn astonishes Jim with stories of kings. Jim had only heard of King Solomon, whom he considers a fool for wanting to chop a baby in half and adds, Yit dey say Sollermun de wises?man dat ever live? I doan?take no stock in dat (75). Next, the author introduces the Grangerfords as Huck goes ashore and unexpectedly encounters this family. Huck learns about a feud occurring between the two biggest families in town: the Grangerfords and the Sheperdsons. When Huck asks Buck about the feud, Buck replies, 搾... a feud is this way: A man has a quarrel with another man, and kills him; then that other man抯 brother kills him; then the other brothers, on both sides, goes for one another; then the cousins chip in ?and by and by everybody抯 killed off, and there ain抰 no more feud挃 (105). A duel breaks out one day between the families and Huck leaves town, heading for the river where he rejoins Jim, and they continue down the Mississippi. Another humorous episode appears n the novel on the Phelps plantation. Huck learns that the king has sold Jim to the Phelps family, relatives of Tom Sawyer. The Phelps family mistakes Huck for Tom Sawyer. When Tom meets with Aunt Sally, he ?.. [reaches] over and [kisses] Aunt Sally on the mouth?(219) This comes as a surprises to her and Tom explains that he 揫thinks] [she] [likes] it?(219) Later, Huck runs into Tom on the way into town and the two make up another story about their identities. The two then devise a plan to rescue Jim. They use Jim as a prisoner and make him go through jail escaping clich閟.

    Read More

  • Sojourner Truth Speech

    1339 Words  | 3 Pages

    He mentions how far women have come since his grandmother's day, but realizes the country as a whole has more room to grow. He mentions how tough it can be for women to juggle a demanding career while raising a family. Both text reference what honor motherhood is but they also admit the demanding workforce can determine how successful a mother they can be. Women today may not face slavery, but they face double standards that limit them to be successful professionals and parents.

    Read More

  • Huckle Berry Finn

    1649 Words  | 4 Pages

    Jim is an excellent example of how Twain demonstrates human nature. Jim is a black slave from the fictional town of St. Petersburg Missouri, who decides to run away from his owner, Miss Watson, for fear of being sold down south to New Orleans. Jim encounters Huckleberry Finn, who is also running away, and the two quickly develop a bond as they were able to relate to each other. Jim is a black slave, someone’s property, and Huck comes from the lowest level of white society. Jim and Huck’s friendship demonstrates the human nature of companionship.

    Read More

  • Comparing Women´s Images in The Yellow Wallpaper and The Awakening

    3073 Words  | 7 Pages

    There is no doubt that the literary written by men and women is different. One source of difference is the sex. A woman is born a woman in the same sense as a man is born a man. Certainly one source of difference is biological, by virtue of which we are male and female. “A woman´s writing is always femenine” says Virginia Woolf

    Read More

  • Mark Twain

    1865 Words  | 4 Pages

    This story and many others were Twain's way of relating his ideas on slavery to the common man and children. By writing in a conversational style ...

    Read More

  • Cordila Fine's Delusions Of Gender, By Cordelia Fine

    1120 Words  | 3 Pages

    She talks about how women and men act similar because of their emotions such as happiness, remorse and sadness but due to a different part of their brain, their reactive response to each emotion makes them different. This is where the stereotype of each gender comes into play with the female coming as better caretakers because they react better to happiness and comfort whereas the males are better workers because they react more to a reward. This is proven throughout time and history because while the women stayed home in many societies, the male was able to go out hunt, get food and provide for the

    Read More

  • The Portrayal of Women in American Literature

    2124 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout American Literature, women have been depicted in many different ways. The portrayal of women in American Literature is often influenced by an author's personal experience or a frequent societal stereotype of women and their position. Often times, male authors interpret society’s views of women in a completely different nature than a female author would. While F. Scott Fitzgerald may represent his main female character as a victim in the 1920’s, Zora Neale Hurston portrays hers as a strong, free-spirited, and independent woman only a decade later in the 1930’s.

    Read More

  • Humor In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    1415 Words  | 3 Pages

    Humor, along with its various forms, including satire, is often used to present social commentaries. This is especially true in Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In his novel, Twain tells the story of a boy named Huckleberry Finn voyaging down the Mississippi River to free his slave companion, Jim. In doing so, Twain evokes many issues of Southern culture. Through the use of satirical devices, characterization, and story, the author enlightens readers and offers a critique on racism and religion. One of the best, if not the single most important, humorist in American history, Mark Twain, through his satire, paints a portrait of the pre-Civil War American South and all its flaws.

    Read More

More about Adam and Eve Rhetorical Strategies

Open Document