Mark TwainMark TwainRenowned Author and Renowned Author and

HumoristHumorist

Mark Twain (1835-1910)Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Regarded as one of the Regarded as one of the greatest greatest American writersAmerican writers

He said he would have He said he would have

preferred to spend his life preferred to spend his life

as a as a Mississippi riverboat Mississippi riverboat

pilot.pilot.

Twain as a Young ManTwain as a Young Man Grew up in the Mississippi River town Grew up in the Mississippi River town

of of Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, Missouri

Grew up on the banks of the Grew up on the banks of the Mississippi RiverMississippi River and had a true love and had a true love of its of its riverboatsriverboats

Twain as a Young Man Twain as a Young Man cont.cont.

His father died when Twain His father died when Twain was 11, so he was 11, so he left schoolleft school to to become a become a printer’s apprenticeprinter’s apprentice..

He so loved life on the river He so loved life on the river that he left his printing job that he left his printing job at at age 21age 21 and worked as a and worked as a riverboat riverboat

pilotpilot for several years.for several years.

Influence of the Influence of the MississippiMississippi

He was so infatuated with this river He was so infatuated with this river that it became the basis for many of that it became the basis for many of his most famous works.his most famous works.

Twain the NameTwain the Name

Twain was his pen nameTwain was his pen name his his real name was real name was Samuel Samuel Langhorne Clemens.Langhorne Clemens.

Felt so close to the river that he Felt so close to the river that he chose this pen name because it’s chose this pen name because it’s actually actually a river man’s call a river man’s call meaning “2 fathoms deep”meaning “2 fathoms deep”

A Traveling ManA Traveling Man

When the Civil War closed traffic When the Civil War closed traffic on the Mississippi River, Twain on the Mississippi River, Twain went west to went west to NevadaNevada..

There he supported There he supported

himself as a himself as a journalist journalist

and and lecturerlecturer..

Unique StyleUnique Style

It was in Nevada that Twain published It was in Nevada that Twain published “The Notorious Jumping Frog of “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”Calaveras County”

This was his version of a This was his version of a tall taletall tale he he heard while working as a heard while working as a prospectorprospector in a mine in CA.in a mine in CA.

Story made him an Story made him an international international celebritycelebrity because of his because of his unique unique writing stylewriting style..

Back EastBack East

In In 18691869, Twain moved to , Twain moved to

Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, Connecticut, ,

where he lived for the rest where he lived for the rest

of his life. of his life.

He did continue to He did continue to travel extensivelytravel extensively, , though, even living in Europe for though, even living in Europe for several years, but he always returned several years, but he always returned to to HartfordHartford..

InspirationInspiration

He used his He used his travels and past travels and past experiencesexperiences as the basis for all of as the basis for all of his novels.his novels.

His childhood on the Mississippi His childhood on the Mississippi inspired inspired “The Adventures of Tom “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”Sawyer” and and “The Adventures of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,”Huckleberry Finn,” 2 of his most 2 of his most famous works.famous works.

Writing StyleWriting Style

Twain was best known for his Twain was best known for his infusion of humorinfusion of humor in his stories in his stories

He used a He used a variety of techniquesvariety of techniques to make his stories humorous to make his stories humorous and, at times, almost ridiculous, and, at times, almost ridiculous, but the readers but the readers LOVEDLOVED them! them!

The Final YearsThe Final Years

After the After the deathdeath of Twain’s wife and 3 of Twain’s wife and 3 of his 4 children, he never really could of his 4 children, he never really could reproduce the reproduce the mix of pessimism and mix of pessimism and humorhumor he was most famous for. he was most famous for.

His later works showed an His later works showed an increasingly increasingly pessimistic viewpessimistic view of of society and human nature.society and human nature.

HumorHumor Writing intended to Writing intended to evoke evoke

laughterlaughter

Humorists use a Humorists use a variety of techniquesvariety of techniques to to make their writing amusing, including:make their writing amusing, including:– Exaggerating/embellishingExaggerating/embellishing incidents to build incidents to build

comedycomedy– Using a narrator who takes a Using a narrator who takes a serious toneserious tone, ,

adding humor by suggesting that the teller adding humor by suggesting that the teller of the tale is unaware of its of the tale is unaware of its ridiculous ridiculous qualitiesqualities

Regional DialectRegional Dialect

Language Language specific to a particular specific to a particular areaarea of the country of the country

This can also This can also add to the humoradd to the humor of a of a storystory

Twain was a masterTwain was a master at adding this at adding this dialect as colorful language to his dialect as colorful language to his storiesstories