Written by: Leah Rife-Frame

Twain on Halley’s Comet “I came in with Halley's Comet in It is coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: ‘Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’” - Mark Twain, a Biography Single click speaker for audio clip >>>>

Twain: An Overview ( )

Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens Recognized by his pen name, Mark Twain Who?

Family left Florida, MO: Twain was four Moved to Hannibal, MO Hometown - Hannibal Single click speaker for audio clip >>>>

Drowsing Hannibal Moved about 40 miles from birthplace Often described Hannibal as “drowsing”

Florida to Hannibal, MO

Mark Twain’s Boyhood Home in Hannibal

Childhood home is a museum Additional sites connected with Twain: tourist attractions in Hannibal Tourist Attraction Annual pick of “Tom” and “Becky” sponsored

Tour Twain’s Home

Twain’s fictional St. Petersburg modeled after Hannibal Setting for two of Twain’s most famous works Title often mistitled by publishers An Inspirational Place

Twain is considered the greatest humorist of 19 th century American literature A humorist is defined as: –“an author who specializes in short, humorous articles and essays” American Humorist

Known for humorous “lectures” First show in San Francisco, CA Often described adventures in “exotic” places Laughing Lectures

Used witty advertising to generate lecture interest “Doors open at 7. Orgies to Commence at 8 P.M.” What Wit

Born prematurely Father: Judge John Marshall Mother: Jane Lampton Clemens Youth

Young Twain played in slave quarters Listened to slave stories and spirituals Scenes of Slavery Missouri was a slave state Family owned slave who told Twain stories Uncle owned several slaves

Influence of Slavery Horrors of slavery witnessed influenced Twain’s stories Pudd’nhead Wilson: clearest statement against slavery A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court: realization of slavery’s cruelty

Father died when Twain was 11 Twain left school Worked as printer’s apprentice Growing Up Fast

Continued a career in newspapers Returned to the Mississippi River in 1857 Career Journey Single click speaker for audio clip >>>>

Halted riverboat traffic on Mississippi No need for riverboat pilots Ended Twain’s pilot career Confederate volunteer for two weeks Civil War

Hoped to become rich mining Twain’s brother appointed Secretary of the Nevada Territory Invited Twain to move West Twain agreed Unsuccessful as silver prospector Go West, Young Twain! Orion Clemens

Began writing for Nevada newspaper First used name “Mark Twain” in this job Name came from riverboat days A Name Is Born Single click speaker for audio clip >>>>

Also speculated: Gained name from time in the West Told bartender to “mark twain” on his tab What’s in a Name?

Moved to San Francisco First major success came Jumping to Success

Hired to report on Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) Writing was popular Began lecture career Traveling Reporter Hired to continue travel writing Twain

Met Charles Langdon Saw picture of Olivia, Charles’ sister Married Olivia in 1870 Settled in Buffalo, NY Wrote for Buffalo Express An Important Trip

Moved to Hartford, CT Daughter born same year first child died from diphtheria Had two more daughters Home in Hartford

The Prince and the Pauper Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Tom Sawyer A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court Major Works - Novels

Set in St. Petersburg, MO Depicts childhood adventures along Mississippi River Introduced characters who appear in later novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 1876

Considered one of the first “great” American novels Told in first-person point of view Depicts life along the Mississippi River Criticizes slavery and racism Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 1884

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn often censored Banned soon after publication Still removed from reading lists Adventures in Censorship

Known for use of colloquial speech Used Regionalism in writing Say What?

Earlier works were less serious in nature Later used literature for social criticism Many Twain works share common themes: *Hatred of hypocrisy *Contempt for oppression Constant Themes

Twain is known for his epigrams Epigrams

According to Twain… What is a literary classic? “… a book which people praise and don’t read.” How does one become successful? “All you need is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.” Why should one do good in the world? “Always do right. That will gratify some of the people, and astonish the rest.”

Additional Twain Quotes “You can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus” “It is best to keep your mouth shut and be presumed ignorant than to open it and remove all doubt.”

Quotes Abound “Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.” “Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please.”

And Abound… “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” “If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.” “The man who doesn’t read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them. “

A favorite target of Twain’s wit was Congress: –“Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” –“It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress.” Cutting on Congress Single click speaker for audio clip >>>>

Several bad investments in inventions Went bankrupt Moved family to Europe Hoped was less expensive Publishing company failed Money Troubles

Oldest daughter died Wife died Youngest daughter died A Streak of Bad Luck

Died April 21 st, 1910 Was 74 years old Buried in Elmira, NY Twain’s Death

Twain lives on through his writing Image captured in photos and film footage Concluding Thoughts