Mark Twain Metaphors

Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, who wrote under the pen name Mark Twain, was the leader of the literary style of realism, and an American literary icon. Twain was born November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri. Later the family moved to Hannibal, Missouri a developing port town. While growing up in Hannibal, Twain was exposed to the Mississippi river, to steamboats, and the people who made their living by working on them. In some of his stories, he wrote about his admiration and respect for the river. Twain’s style of writing entwined themes of social commentary. Hallmarks of Twain’s writing include capturing colloquial speech, he uses metaphors, similes to create vivid depictions of his characters, and show you their similarities and differences.

Twain narrates the part about the ruthless “cub” engineer, who all the boys hated and admired at the same time. He says, that “no girl could withstand his charms,” and after his boat blew up, he returned home a battered hero. The people of the town stared and wondered over him. Twain uses a metaphor when he states that the “cub” engineer is an undeserving reptile. This metaphor has far greater impact than just stating that young man didn’t deserve to be treated as a hero, and it shows just how much he disliked the young man.

Mr. Bixby, is the pilot of the steamboat. He agrees to teach Twain a portion of the river from St. Louis to New Orleans for the sum of five hundred dollars; payable out of the first wages that Twain would receive. Mr. Bixby begins instructing him on the names of the points along the river, and draw attention to the important places, and things he needs to be aware of to prepare himself to become a pilot. Twain doesn’t fully understand why Mr. Bixby is educating him, and that he should be paying attention and taking note of what Mr. Bixby says. In fact, sometimes he wishes he would talk about something

Bixby and Twain. One night Mr. Bixby asks him to name the first point above New Orleans. Twain says he doesn’t know, the answer and in fact, he can’t name any of the points or places that Bixby has taught him. Mr. Bixby is livid, he says “By the great Cæser’s ghost, I believe you! You’re the stupidest dunderhead I ever saw or heard of, so help me Moses! The idea of you being a pilot—you! Why you don’t know enough to pilot a cow down a lane.” This line shows twain’s humor and it allows him to poke fun at his own inadequacies. Mr. Bixby asks him why he thinks he has been telling him the names of these points and places. He considers and states that the devil of temptation provoked him to say “Well to—to—be entertaining, I thought.” Twain uses another metaphor here to describe just how mad this response makes Mr. Bixby. “This was a red rag to the bull.” This metaphor paints vivid picture of a bull charging a red rag. The line simply wouldn’t have the same impact if Twain had only described it by using words like boiling, livid, or