Stage Fright By Mark Twain Analysis

Samuel Langhorne Clemens better known by the name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. Twain was raised in Hannibal, Missouri, and served an apprenticeship with a printer and then worked as a typesetter, contributing articles to the newspaper of his older brother Orion Clemens. He became nothing less than a national treasure. He captured a world audience with stories of boyhood adventure and with commentary on man's faults that is humorous even while it probes the roots of human behavior. One of his most famous essays (satire) that I will analyze is, “A Presidential Candidate”, which was written on June 9th, 1879, in which he evokes a sarcastic tone to mock presidential candidates by using syntax, diction, irony, and examples from his own past.

Also he writes that the man is surrounded by the darkness of the theater, consumed by it, and with the white light ahead and on stage he is alone, and lonely in the darkness, playing the game. These are all references to how invisible and alone the man is.

Mark Twain is satirizing the advice young people are given by authoritative figures on different issues in life. The words of wisdom used to guide youth usually promote the same ideals and are repeated so often that in some sense they lose their strength. That does not mean though that the issues they touch upon are not important. Twain uses humor to actually make young people go beyond the banality and conformity and ask questions of importance.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by the pseudonym Mark Twain, has been central to American literature for over a century. His seemingly effortless diction accurately exemplified America’s southern culture. From his early experiences in journalism to his most famous fictional works, Twain has remained relevant to American writing as well as pop culture. His iconic works are timeless and have given inspiration the youth of America for decades. He distanced himself from formal writing and became one of the most celebrated humorists. Mark Twain’s use of the common vernacular set him apart from authors of his era giving his readers a sense of familiarity and emotional connection to his characters and himself.

Many critics agree that Twain's skilled use of the satirical literary style, defines himself as a writer. "If the prevailing spirit of Mark Twain's humor is not a sort of good-natured self-satire, in which the reader may see his own absurdities reflected, I scarcely should be able to define it" (Howells). This similarity was present in all three short stories.

In the article “The Mesmerizer,” by Mark Twain in his autobiography, Twain tells us a story when he was a teenager. In 1850, there was an exciting event taking place in the village Hannibal. A mesmerizer named Simmons came to town to advertise his show. Simmons has a subject in his show named Hicks. Fifteen year old Twain participates in this show that Simmons promised marvels to his audience, the townspeople. Twain usurps Hicks’s place stealing the spotlight with a lie. Although Twain became the show, the temporary fame that Twain receives is lost years later and continues to bite him back even after many years. Just as Twain is to blame for being carried away with his own fame that was built on a lie, those who were at the

The philosophy of realism is the quality or fact of representing a person, thing, or situation accurately or in a way that is true to life and Mark Twain, being a leader in the realist movement in the 1880s, integrated this outlook into his books. The bluntness of every character and word in Twain’s book transforms into the topic of how this can be beneficial to students today. James, another caller on the N.P.R. radio talk having to do with the censorship of the word “nigger” and Injun” in Mark Twain’s books, stated that “The N-word is in the book because it is a powerful, explosive word. It is used intentionally and ironically… that that’s exactly as Twain intended… and the language in the book is essential to the meaning of the book.” The racial slurs such as these do pose a moral dilemma to the audience reading the novels. Twain’s realist influence on these books is one of the main reasons so many teachers and parents complain about the value of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. Besides the obviously racial influence within the pages, there are also influences never smiled upon such as a drunken, abusive father, a Coronal that kills in cold blood and a duo who robs from a dead man and mourning family. With these crude, realist behaviors being integrated into the book, one parent might think that this book is too immoral

One writing that Mark Twain is not as famous for, but is still a well known piece of work for showing the use of humor in his writings is, “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”. This work starts off slow without much humor until later on in the writing. The humor picks up as Twain includes bits of sarcasm to the mix. The humor in this short work is not so hidden or subtle as it may have been in some of Twain’s other writings. One example of this sort of dry humor is, “And Smiley says, sorter indifferent like, ‘It might be a parrot, or it might be a canary, may be, but it an't it's only just a frog.’” (Jumping Frog). This shows a side and type of writing that is not usually seen with Twain. Usually the humor in his writings was always sort of hidden away and harder to pick out, but in this work, it is more obvious that he is trying to make it humorous. “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” may not be as widely known as some of Twain’s other work, but it is a good example of how he includes humor into his writings to catch the reader’s attention and to provide some comic relief from, at times, tense situations.

Starting with an anecdote Twain begins, “Fifty years ago, when I was a boy of fifteen and helping to inhabit a Missourian village on the banks of the Mississippi, I had a friend whose society was very dear to me” (Twain, 799); opening with an anecdote captures the reader’s attention and leads to the point he is trying to pursue. “Anecdotes authenticate in a way mere quotations cannot” (Schweninger, 24) and are consequently extremely important in convincing the readers. Using this story in particular helps the reader to see the point Twain is making from his perspective and from where it originated. Twain’s young friend stated, “You tell me whar a man gits his corn pone, en I’ll tell you what his ’pin- ions is.” (Twain, 799). This quotation introduces the main point of the piece and because it is introduced within the story the reader is more apt to be open to the opinion. The use of anecdotes throughout the paper engages the reader from the first moment and keeps the audience captivated throughout.

Mark Twain was more than the man we all know. For one thing, he was born as Samuel Langhorn Clemens on November thirtieth eighteen thirty-five and given the nickname “Little Sam.” In addition, his birthplace was “a two-room frame house in Florida…Missouri” (Cox, 7) to a John and Jane Clemens. After reaching the age of eighteen he took on an

American author Mark Twain was one of the most influential people of his time. Twain is perhaps best known for his traditional classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel about an adventurous boy named Huck Finn as he traverses about on the Mississippi. Under first impressions, Huckleberry Finn would be considered nothing but a children’s tale at heart written by the highly creative Mark Twain. However one interprets it, one can undoubtedly presume that Twain included personal accounts within its pages, humorous and solemn opinions on the aspects of the diverse societies around him during his life. Throughout the entire story, Huck Finn would often come into conflict between choosing what was consciously right and what was morally

1. How and why does Twain establish Huck’s voice as storyteller? What do we learn about Huck from what he reveals of other characters’ assessments of him?

In this essay, Julius Lester talks about the morality of the story itself. Lester talks about how Twain wants the readers to believe certain things that are not credible or with emotions related to fiction stories. Lester mentions how the readers think that Twain is including into his story some sort of a connection between Tom and Jim, when Tom decides to help Huck to free Jim from slavery, but is not what it

Critics generally agree Mark Twain takes on a goal to hold a mirror to society in order to reflect the problems it contains regarding the hierarchy and power of social groups. As critic Heather Shrum points out, “the flawless family will never be found,” but Twain attempts to promote improvement so that each individual works together as a unit to create a solid unit (2). The role and value of women stand as a key issue for him, thus he displays their typical lifestyles that involve their entrapment in positions of inferiority. The efforts made by Twain go towards a demonstration of how basic principles of these families should be shared by means of all the members. Such becomes a necessity in order for a family to truly

To fully understand the themes within Mark Twain’s novels we all must first understand his upbringing, where he was born, where he was raised, and what was going on within the era of his life. Samuel