unit 9 Mark Twain mirror of America

MarkTwainMirrorofAmericaQuestionsWhatdoyouknowaboutMarkTwain?Whatdoyouknowabouthisworks?HowtounderstandMarkTwainasamirrorofAmerica?WhatdoyouknowaboutMarkTwain?MarkTwainwasthepseudonymoftheAmericanhumoristandwriter,SamuelLanghorneClemensThisphrase,meaning“twofathomsdeep”,wasemployedinmakingsoundingsontheMissisippiriverboats.backWhatdoyouknowabouthisworks?Amonghiswell-knownworksare•TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn•TheAdventuresofTomSawyer•InnocentsAbroadbackHowtounderstandMarkTwainasamirrorofAmerica?Mirrorheremeansapersonwhogivesatruerepresentationordescriptionofthecountry.–Allliterarygiantsinhumanhistoryarealsogreathistorians,thinkers,andphilosophersinasense.–Theirworksoftenrevealmoretruththanmanypoliticalessaysputtogether,andtheirnamesusuallyliveinpeople’smemorylongafterthenamesofallthekingsandqueensthatruledthecountryareforgotten.–MarkTwainwasoneofthesegiants,andhislifeandworksareamirroroftheAmericanofhistime.GoParagraph1MostAmericansrememberMarkTwainasthefatherofHuckFinn’sidylliccruisethrougheternalboyhoodandTomSawyer’sendlesssummeroffreedomandadventure.–Theunderlinedaremetaphors.–fatherof:theauthororthemanwhocreatedtheunforgettablecharacters.–cruisethrougheternalboyhood:journeythroughlastingboyhood–endlesssummeroffreedomandadventure:longsummerfulloffreeandadventurousactivities.–eternal,endless:botharehyperboles,andareparalleled.–eternalboyhood:HuckFinnisthe“eternalboy”immortalize–endlesssummer:alltheadventuresofTomSawyerdescribedinthebookaresupposedtohavetakenplaceinoneparticularsummer.Paragraph1Indeed,thisnation’sbest-lovedauthorwaseverybitasadventurous,patriotic,romantic,andhumorousasanyonehaseverimagined.–everybit:altogether;entirely–as…asanyonehaseverimagined:mostadventurous:MarkTwainwasadventurousineverysenseoftheword.Hewasalwaystryingnewthings,andalwaysgoingtonewplaces.Eveninhisliterarycareer,hewasneversatisfiedwithwhathehadachieved.patriotic:ReferstoMarkTwain’sprofoundloveforhiscountrywithitsrobustpeopleandbeautifulsceneryanditsloftyideals.ItmayalsorefertohisprideintheAmericantraditionsandtheAmericanlanguage.romantic:(inart,literatureandmusic)markedbyfeelingratherthanbyintellect;preferringgrandeur,passion,informalbeauty,toorderandproportion.humorous:HisworksaresofullofhumorthatheisconsideredAmerica’sgreatesthumoristParagraph1‘romantic’vs‘sentimental’–Romanticmeansfullofordominatedbythoughts,feelings,andattitudescharacteristicoforsuitableforromance;passionate,adventurous,idealistic,etc.(eg.aromanticgirl,aromanticnight).–Sentimentalsuggestsemotionofakindthatisfeltinanostalgicortendermoodoremotionthatisexaggerated,affected,foolish,etc.(eg.pettybourgeoissentimentalstuff,afoolishsentimentaloldlady.)backParagraph1‘humorous’vs‘witty’–Humorousmeanshavingorexpressinghumor,funny,amusing,comical.–Wittymeanscleverlyamusing,intelligent,clever.Examples:–Thereisahumoroustouchinthearticle.–Heisahumorousactor.–Thenhetoldusahumorousstory.–Einsteinwasawittyperson.–Benjaminmademanywittyremarks.Paragraph1IfoundanotherTwainaswell—onewhogrewcynical,bitter,saddenedbytheprofoundpersonaltragedieslifedealtwithhim,amanwhobecameobsessedwiththefrailtiesofthehumanrace,whosawclearlyaheadablackwallofnight.–foundanotherTwain:foundanotheraspectofTwain–cynical:sarcastic,sneering;seeinglittleornogoodinanythingandnotbelievinginhumanprogress–profoundpersonaltragedies:seeParagraph20fordetails,“Personaltragedyhauntedhisentirelife,…”–obsessedwiththefrailtiesofthehumanrace:continuallydistressedbythemoralweaknessofthehumanrace–ablackwallofnight:metaphor,meaninghopelessnessanddespairParagraph2Trampprinter,riverpilot,Confederateguerrilla,prospector,starry-eyedoptimist,acid-tonguedcynic:ThemanwhobecameMarkTwainwasbornSamuelLanghorneClemensand….–trampprinter:(towanderaboutaimlessly)apersonwhogoesarounddoingoddjobsofprinting–prospector:onewhoexploresanareaformineraldepositsoroil.–starry-eyed:havinganaivelyenthusiastic,overoptimistic,orromanticview;unrealistic;withtheeyessparklinginaglowofwonder,romance,visionarydreams–optimist:pessimist–acid-tongued:sharp,sarcasticinspeechParagraph2Bothstarry-eyedandacid-tonguedareofthesameword-formationpattern:adj+n-ed=compoundadjcynicvscritic–cynic:acynicalperson–Acriticisusuallyapersonwhoseprofessionistowritecommentsonbooks,music,paintings,plays,motionpictures,etc.foranewspaperormagazine.Acriticcanalsomeanapersonwhoindulgesinfaultfinding.backParagraph2…herangedacrossthenationformorethanathirdofhislife,digestingthenewAmericanexperiencebeforesharingitwiththeworldaswriterandlecturer.–rangeacross:Hewanderedortraveledacrossthenation…–thenewAmericanexperience:TwainlivedinthestirringyearsinAmericanhistory—theAmerican-MexicanWar;theCivilWar;theGoldRush;thewestwardexpansion;theAmerican-SpanishWar;therapiddevelopmentofcapitalismandlatertheemergenceofimperialismalongwiththefirsteconomicdepression,etc.–aswriterandlecturer:whendenotingprofessionalstatus,sometimes,noarticleisused,especiallywhentwoormoreprofessionsarementionedtogether,eg.Soldierandstatesman,poetanddiarist.Paragraph2Hispopularityisattested