Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) “A literary classic is a book which people praise and don’t read” – Mark Twain

Sam Clemens as a boy Born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri Born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri Sixth of seven children Sixth of seven children Only three siblings survived childhood Only three siblings survived childhood “Do not put off until tomorrow what can be put off till day-after-tomorrow just as well.”

Sam Clemens as a boy Brought up in Hannibal, MO, moved when four years old Brought up in Hannibal, MO, moved when four years old A sickly, strange, quiet child who hated the indoors and liked to run away. A sickly, strange, quiet child who hated the indoors and liked to run away. Purposely contracted the measles to gain attention and nearly died Purposely contracted the measles to gain attention and nearly died Father died when Sam was 11 Father died when Sam was 11 “By trying, we can easily learn to endure adversity – another man’s, I mean.”

Sam as a young man Apprenticed to a printer and wrote for his brother’s newspaper after his father died. Apprenticed to a printer and wrote for his brother’s newspaper after his father died. Worked as a type-setter and writer for the Hannibal Journal When he turned 18, he became a printer, living in several eastern cities, including New York. Returned to Missouri at 22. Inspired to become a steamboat captain on a trip to New Orleans When the Civil War ended river traffic, he joined the Confederate army in Missouri until it looked like they were going to have to fight. “The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them.”

Sam Clemens becomes Mark Twain Moved to Virginia City, Nevada, with his brother Orion and became a miner Failed at mining so he went to work at The Territorial Enterprise as a writer Failed at mining so he went to work at The Territorial Enterprise as a writer Used the pen-name Mark Twain for the first time in 1863 “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.”

Mark Twain in California Left for San Francisco to avoid a duel and became a reporter in 1864 Left for San Francisco to avoid a duel and became a reporter in 1864 Jim Smiley and his Jumping Frog was published around the country in 1865; giving Twain his first national fame Jim Smiley and his Jumping Frog was published around the country in 1865; giving Twain his first national fame Visited Hawaii as a correspondent for The Sacramento Union Visited Hawaii as a correspondent for The Sacramento Union Set out on a tour of the Mediterranean and Europe in 1867; wrote about it successfully as The Innocents Abroad in 1869 Set out on a tour of the Mediterranean and Europe in 1867; wrote about it successfully as The Innocents Abroad in 1869 “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”

Marriage and Home Life Writing success gave Twain enough money to marry Olivia Langdon in 1870 Writing success gave Twain enough money to marry Olivia Langdon in 1870 Moved to Buffalo, NY First child, son Langdon, died at 19 months Eventually had three daughters: Susy, Clara, and Jean

Movin’ on up The Twains moved to Hartford, Connecticut The Twains moved to Hartford, Connecticut “Education: that which reveals to the wise, and conceals from the stupid, the vast limits of their knowledge.”

From travel writer to immortal artist Started Huck Finn in 1876 but quit by chapter 16 because of difficulties with the plot Started Huck Finn in 1876 but quit by chapter 16 because of difficulties with the plot Published: Published: Tom Sawyer: 1876 Tom Sawyer: 1876 The Prince and the Pauper: 1881 The Prince and the Pauper: 1881 Life on the Mississippi: 1883 Life on the Mississippi: 1883 Huckleberry Finn: 1884 Huckleberry Finn: 1884 “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.”

Later life Susy died in 1896 while Twain was on a world tour Susy died in 1896 while Twain was on a world tour Olivia died in 1904 Olivia died in 1904 Later works were darker with a tinge of bitterness Later works were darker with a tinge of bitterness Died on April 21, 1910 Died on April 21, 1910 “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn “All modern literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn…All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since.” -Ernest Hemingway

Huckleberry Finn  Huckleberry Finn is thought to be a sequel to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but the first sixteen chapters of Huck were written before Tom Sawyer was published.  The novel is really about a boy’s discovery of true morality by shedding the messed up conventions of society in favor of his own sense of right and wrong.  Huck Finn is a comedy in which the humor is disguised – mostly ironic humor as real situations and people are different than Huck perceives them to be.

Plot  The plot is episodic, meaning that it has a series of separate situations, or episodes, that are almost unrelated but tied together by a certain character, theme, or device.  The Mississippi River is the plot device that holds the different episodes together.  The plot alternates between the idyllic life on the raft and the confusion, gullibility, callousness, and prejudice of the people within the towns along the banks of the river.

Characterization  The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the first American novel to use dialect (the way people really speak in a certain region) in such abundance  Huck is in the picaresque (rogue) novel tradition in which the main character is a rascal, thief or scoundrel  Huck is an unreliable narrator, meaning he cannot be trusted to see the action of the story accurately; he has the perspective of a naïve, young boy  Huck’s straightforward reporting of ridiculous situations provides much of the humor in the book as the reader sees what is going on while Huck may not.  Huck is a tableau rasa (a blank slate) untainted by society’s traditions, relying on instinct and common sense

Themes  The hypocrisy of a certain type of religion; Twain did not like Southern-based Christianity that taught love and compassion but sanctioned slavery  The ineffectualness of the law to protect the most innocent and weak members of society  Traditions that stifle creativity and common sense but promote conformity and narrow- mindedness are to be abandoned

Themes  Society is the individual violence, greed, conformity, laziness, gullibility, and selfishness of common citizens ruled by imperfect laws  Satire (making fun of a serious subject through exaggeration or mockery in order to improve the subject of mockery) of other melodramatic novels of the time period (melodramas being those plots that rely on suspense, sensational events, and coincidence)

Conflicts  Huck matures and develops into a moral human being as he journeys down the Mississippi, Huck’s moral struggles are the central conflict of the novel as he frees himself from the taint of the society in which he grew up  Good vs. bad type of religion Widow Douglas’s vs. Miss Watson’s Widow Douglas’s vs. Miss Watson’s  Life on the raft vs. life in society on shore Jim and Huck are free on the river and bound on land Jim and Huck are free on the river and bound on land  Instinct vs. education Huck’s common sense vs. Tom’s book learning Huck’s common sense vs. Tom’s book learning