Question about Mark Twain.

[Eager for More]

I am working on a paper about Mark Twain and I was wondering if anyone has noticed a similar/common theme throughout his literature. Anything specific that stands out in his writings?

I would greatly appreciate some help.

[HotKarl]

Ok; keep in mind that I am that by no means a Twain expert, but I do know some of his common themes.

For starters, Twain themeatizes slavery and racism a lot. Of course you're familiar with Huck Finn, but I can also remember one of his short stories (I can't remember the title) depicting a slave figuratively "rising up" over her owners. Additionally, you'll notice "whiteness" covering anything of color in much of his literature. "Puddin' Head Wilson" starts with white waters, flowers, fences, and houses dominating the landscape. And, of course, in "Tom Sawyer," Tom manipulates his friends to whitewash the fence, covering up all that color. Betcha' just thought that was just a cheesy scene of Americana.

You'll also find that Twain likes to use doubles to show that a person's background and upbringing--not their bloodlines--determines how a person will behave. It's nurture, not nature. For example, again citing "Puddin' Head Wilson," two babies are switched at birth. While the baby with pure white blood is raised in poverty to be a respectful, hard worker, the baby with mulatto blood is raised in white privilege and ultimately becomes a bigoted, ruthless, egotistical schmuck. See "The Prince and the Pauper" for further examples.

Finally, Twain tends to themeatizes his disdain for American Imperialism. Twain believed America's efforts to bring "progress" to foreign nations was a misguided, pigheaded attempt to bring our values to people who don't want them. Unsurprisingly, "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" ends with the protagonist shooting at the locals from a machine gun nest. Also see "The War Prayer."

I hope this helps you. I'm just mentioning works I'm familiar with too. I'm sure if you check out wikipedia they'll mention a few other works that share these themes. Best of Luck!

[PeterL]

Mr Clemens was a cynic before all else. He wrote about ironic situations in most of his works.

[edsbar101]

I would definately say there is an underlying humor throughout most of his works that provides a wittiness. Also, look for themes of color throughout his works as well.

[yewon]

well, i haven't read ALL of his books but i can say that throughout his books he always tried to criticize the society he was in.
so his famous books, such as <The prince and the pauper>- are kind of satirical proses.

and i can feel, strong 'Americanness' in his books. i guess it's because i'm a foreigner, not American, but i think he's the real American author who made his works to describe his own fatherland.

[AuntShecky]

You could take the biographical approach: is there in a
relationship between how emotionally depressed an author is in his personal life and ---HUMOR? Seems like an oxymoron but there really are patterns among authors known for their humor (not necessarily Light-hearted Comedy.)

Also twinship/twosomes/ dualities, which a previous replier mentioned. Prince and the Pauper. Puddin'head Wilson

Dreams/Reality: which was the dream?

Wrestling with religion and reality. Remember Huck's famous line when he decides NOT to turn in Jim "All right, I WILL go to hell then." How about the Diary of Adam and
Eve? His later, "darker" works (i.e. The Mysterious Stranger") contain truly rebellious critiques against conventional religion. Several literary critics have churned out impt. works on this topic. One I can think of at the moment is Bernard DeVoto: Mark Twain in Eruption.

[Ravenna]

I would concur that 'doubling' and 'role reversal' is inherent in much of Mark Twain's work. He takes a subject and then plays around with it a bit until it can end up an antithesis of how it started. This, I feel, is a theme in much of his work and shows how much of an accident life is: being in the right place at the right time plus a bit of luck (or bad luck) along the way. Twain certainly experienced some bad luck himself. Although he may have altered names and places he ironically stayed very much with the truth.

It might be worth looking through some of his after dinner speeches to get a hold on his sense of humour too. This humour came with a candour which was refreshing; especially in England when he was invited to meet the King and Queen at a garden party. Don't forget at that time (around 1907), England was a very 'proper' place to be. Manners were everything and some of Twain's work was not 'understood' by many British - although it has to be said that in academic circles such as Oxford and Cambridge - his work was thought to be amazing and full of insight.

In particular, the popular magazine 'Punch' (a very satirical journal) invited Mark Twain to dinner at the Savoy Hotel, London. Twain indicated he would like to go to the offices of 'Punch' and to his delight, a dinner was held there in his honour arranged by Rudolph C Lehmann (a writer, MP and contributor to the 'Punch' journal). This indicated that despite the grandness of meeting the royal family and the prestige of having dinner at the Savoy; Twain was happier at the roots of the work, within the very place of satirical publication.

His wit and double entendre's really emphasis his spirit. And he admitted himself after conversing with King Edward of an occasion when they talked sixteen years previous during a mile long walk. An extract of their discussion had become convoluted in re-telling when in print and Twain said: ' .... I should be quite fair and reasonably honest, and while I should probably never tell the story twice in the same way, I should at least never allow it to deteriorate at my hands. ... His Majesty indicated that if this good and sound history needed any improvements beyond the facts he would trust me to furnish these embellishments.' Again, he may have tweaked things a bit but fundamentally the people and the places existed. Any changes made a point; told a story. They say that truth is stranger than fiction.

[Eager for More]

Thanks a lot everyone. You've all been great help! =D

I've decided to focus on Twains religious views.

Again thank you everyone.