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Mark Twain

Mark Twain. Renowned Author and Humorist. Mark Twain (1835-1910). Regarded as one of the greatest American writers He said he would have preferred to spend his life as a Mississippi riverboat pilot. Twain as a Young Man.

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Mark Twain

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  1. Mark Twain Renowned Author and Humorist

  2. Mark Twain (1835-1910) • Regarded as one of the greatest American writers • He said he would have preferred to spend his life as a Mississippi riverboat pilot.

  3. Twain as a Young Man • Grew up in the Mississippi River town of Hannibal, Missouri • Grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River and had a true love of its riverboats

  4. Twain as a Young Man cont. • His father died when Twain was 11, so he left school to become a printer’s apprentice. • He so loved life on the river that he left his printing job at age 21 and worked as a riverboat pilot for several years.

  5. Influence of the Mississippi • He was so infatuated with this river that it became the basis for many of his most famous works.

  6. Twain the Name • Twain was his pen name his real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. • Felt so close to the river that he chose this pen name because it’s actually a river man’s call meaning “2 fathoms deep”

  7. A Traveling Man • When the Civil War closed traffic on the Mississippi River, Twain went west to Nevada. • There he supported himself as a journalist and lecturer.

  8. Unique Style • It was in Nevada that Twain published “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” • This was his version of a tall tale he heard while working as a prospector in a mine in CA. • Story made him an international celebrity because of his unique writing style.

  9. Back East • In 1869, Twain moved to Hartford, Connecticut, where he lived for the rest of his life. • He did continue to travel extensively, though, even living in Europe for several years, but he always returned to Hartford.

  10. Inspiration • He used his travels and past experiences as the basis for all of his novels. • His childhood on the Mississippi inspired “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” 2 of his most famous works.

  11. Writing Style • Twain was best known for his infusion of humor in his stories • He used a variety of techniques to make his stories humorous and, at times, almost ridiculous, but the readers LOVED them!

  12. The Final Years • After the death of Twain’s wife and 3 of his 4 children, he never really could reproduce the mix of pessimism and humor he was most famous for. • His later works showed an increasingly pessimistic view of society and human nature.

  13. Humor • Writing intended to evoke laughter • Humorists use a variety of techniques to make their writing amusing, including: • Exaggerating/embellishing incidents to build comedy • Using a narrator who takes a serious tone, adding humor by suggesting that the teller of the tale is unaware of its ridiculous qualities

  14. Regional Dialect • Language specific to a particular area of the country • This can also add to the humor of a story • Twain was a master at adding this dialect as colorful language to his stories

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