Rhetorical Analysis Of The Damned Human Race

In Mark Twain’s essay, “The Damned Human Race,” he uses a sarcastic tone in order to show that humans are the lowest kinds of animals and ar not as socially evolved as they think they are, making his readers want to change. In order to inspire his audience, Twain motivates them by providing specific comparisons between animals and humans. These satiric examples emphasize the deficiencies of the human race and entice them to change for the better.

Twain uses mock heroic diction in throughout his essay, most prominently seen through the example of the anaconda and the Earl. Although many assume that the Earl has better moral values than the anaconda, Twain contradicts this idea by proving the anaconda is a better animal. The anaconda only destroys

what he needs to and doesn’t kill for pleasure or sport. This makes the audience feel that humans are cruel and that they should learn to conserve resources and only consume when necessary. Another example that Twain uses are the squirrels and bees, who only gather what they need to survive. This shows that men are greedy and take more than they require. He tries to convey to his audience that men need to think about the wellbeing of others before boarding surplus for themselves.
Furthermore, in order to show the weakness of men, Twain uses grotesque imagery; animals are peaceful and men are violent. When the animals were in the cage, they were able to get along easily unlike the men who ended up fighting and killing each other. They demonstrate a superiority complex, so they can't overcome their differences because they believe that their beliefs are better than others. Twain contrasts the irrational behavior between humans and the passive nature of animals to show that humans are illogical and rash. This shows that their fighting is pointless and they should work together to find solutions.
On top of those examples, Twain utilizes a lot of invective elements. Throughout the text he is constantly attacking humans, calling them “incurably foolish”, “avaricious”, and “miserly”. He reveals the fallacies in human social behavior. He asserts that humans are at the bottom of the evolutionary chain and can’t move up due to their immoral sense. Twain appeals to his audience’s desire to be the best in order to motivate from the change for the better.