Mark Twain's Revolutionary Use of Dialect

Ernest Hemingway once said, “All modern American Literature, comes from one book by Mark Twain called “Huckleberry Finn.” Mark Twain was a revolutionary writer during his time, he wrote things that most people would have never even thought of putting on a page. One of the most praised skills that Mark Twain had was his use of dialect. Furthermore, the use of his dialect really submerged the readers in the new territory of the west and really help give the west a place on the map. Twain, is especially praised for the several dialects he uses in “HuckleBerry Finn”. In Twain’s work, he uses strong themes of realism, for example in “Huckleberry Finn” Huck talks about Pap, “Every time he got money he got drunk; and every time he got drunk he raised

Cain around town: and every time he raised Cain he got jailed.” (page 122). This quote shows realism because it’s something that happened in daily life, people would get drunk and become violent, pap would even abuse Huck, which wasn’t something that was talked about during those times because as a realist Twain was infamous for bringing up controversial things. However, he was talked about controversial things with an air of satire. Twain’s satire is incorporated in all of his work and was one of his trademarks, dashes of satire is used throughout Huckleberry Finn” that goes along with it’s controversial topics. An example of satire in “Huckleberry Finn” is when Huck is honest about his dishonesty, “I says to myself, I reckon a body that ups and tells the truth when he is in a tight place is taking considerable many risks, though I ain't had no experience, and can't say for certain; but it looks so to me, anyway...” (pg 184). Ultimately, because of Mark Twain’s unique style and sometimes controversial writing is what put him above the rest, this lead to his writing has become timeless works of art.