Mark Twain2
It is indisputable that, during his many years of writing, Mark Twain established himself as a literary genius. It is also indisputable that the primary reason for his success as an author was his quick wit and sense of humor. During this nation's time of political and social division, Twain wrote about many of the simpler things in life while always showing his humorist side. His brilliant comedic mind was especially unusual for any popular writer around during this rough time period in the nation's history. Mark Twain's humorist views and writings truly solidify him as the forefather of American humor. Unlike many writers of his time, Samuel Clemens, better known as his pen name, Mark Twain never secluded himself or slaved over a piece of work. He enjoyed playing billiards or sitting on his porch, smoking a pipe. He lived with his wife and three daughters, and did most of writing in his billiards room or on his bed. He lived a simple, casual life, which proved to encourage his laidback, humorist attitude. (Whipple, Sally) William Dean Howells once compared Twain's lifestyle to the other famous writers of his time. "Emerson, Lon
released in 1872. Despite many humorous moments during the book, its popularity and comedic were very slight compared to his next book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In the early 1870's, Twain and his newlywed wife, Olivia Langdon, moved into a three-story house in Hartford, Connecticut, where he would spend his most successful years. The first book Twain wrote while in Hartford was Roughing It, which was Hemingway's comments on Huckleberry Finn truly helped boost Twain's popularity during the twentieth century, yet during the nineteenth century, this work caused enough controversy on its own. Like Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn came under immediate criticism, except in this case, it was much more severe. The book was banned in many school systems and several libraries due to its coarse, and at times, racist language, yet Twain was not a racist. To this day, the book still causes controversy in many school systems across the nation who refuse to allow the book into their schools. After The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain released two of his most famous comedies, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and Pudd'nhead Wilson. The first of the two books, Connecticut Yankee, was one of the first books made which dealt with time travel, an idea which was obscure and laughable at the time. The unique quality of this book is how it is complex and detailed, unlike most of his books which were about the simpler things in life. Mark Twain, a native of Missouri who lived most his childhood in poverty, began his career, surprisingly, as a steamboat pilot. This career path was soon to be interrupted by the Civil War, in which he served for the Confederate Army for two weeks before withdrawing. Already at this point in his life, Twain was showing his humorist side when he commented on this incident saying, "...it was my retirement from it that brought the crash. It left the Confederate side too weak." (Ayers, 42)
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1588
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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