Mark Twains Influence on American Literature Essay examples

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. Mark Twain is world†¦show more content†¦He was one of the first to descriptively verbalize southern speech in writing. Not only was it uncommon for people of Twain’s era to write in vernacular, it was new-fangled for him to write about the subject of vernacular itself. It is a difficult task to write about, much less in, a dialect to which one is foreign without appearing foolish. Twain’s ability to both with ease marked him as an authority on the subject. Thus, Twain’s early experiences in life helped him to flesh out a well-rounded vocabulary and sparked his interests in adventure and traveling. Twain spent his boyhood in the riverside town of Hannibal, Missouri where he, â€Å"experienced the excitement of the colorful steamboats that docked at the town wharf, bringing comedians, singers, gamblers, swindlers, slave dealers, and assorted other river travelers† (Gribben). His exposure to much of the world at a young age opened his eyes to people groups, travel, and differences in dialect that would all become subject matter of his later writing. Twain wrote in Life on the Mississippi that he became acquainted with all the â€Å"different types of human nature that are to be found in fiction, biography, or history† while he worked as a steamboat apprentice (128). The diverse people and places he met during his time on the river all became awe-inspiring to him and served as the foundation for his works to come. CountlessShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mark Twain s Works Made A Huge Impact On Readers And Literary Critics1288 Words   |  6 Pages2/26/17 P:2 Outline Mark Twain’s works made a huge impact on readers and literary critics. His writing occurred during both the romantic and realist time eras in American Literature. He has simple, seemingly artless narrators and an understated style leads readers to arrive at the social commentary of his narratives on their own. Mark Twain’s writing influenced society because he created a new perspective on life with the views pointed out in his books. The distinctive trait of Twain s was hisRead MoreMark Twains Humorous Satire in Running for Governor1692 Words   |  7 Pageszwwx@overseaen.com http://www.overseaen.com 2012 Ã¥ ¹ ´ 02 æÅ"ˆ Tel:+86-551-5690811 5690812 ISSN 1009-5039 Overseas English æ µ · Ã¥ ¤â€" è‹ ± è ¯ ­ Overseas English æ µ · Ã¥ ¤â€" è‹ ± è ¯ ­ Mark Twains Humorous Satire in Running for Governor ç” °Ã¥â‚¬ © ï ¼Ë†Ã¥ ® Ã¥ ¤ Ã¥ ¤ §Ã¥ ­ ¦ Ã¥ ¤â€"å› ½Ã¨ ¯ ­Ã¥ ­ ¦Ã©â„¢ ¢Ã¯ ¼Å' Ã¥ ® Ã¥ ¤  é“ ¶Ã¥ ·  750021ï ¼â€° Abstract: Mark Twain, a mastermind of humor and realism, is seen as a giant in world literature. His humorous satire had great impact on the following men of letters; critics also attached significant importance to it and put forward various interpretations. NoticeablyRead More Biography of Mark Twain Essay1429 Words   |  6 PagesBiography of Mark Twain Mark Twain was a writer whose works revolved around his childhood experiences growing up on the Mississippi River. The main source of his writing was the time he spent in Hannibal, Missouri as a young boy. He also used his childhood friends in many of his work, such as modeling the character Sid in Huck Finn after his brother Henry. Twain also used the happy times in his life to express his feeling in his writings. Twain used the trials of his life to make his works humorousRead MoreHow Mark Twain Influenced American Literature1641 Words   |  7 PagesHow Mark Twain Influenced American Literature When you think of the start of American Literature, what comes to your mind? Authors such as Walt Whitman, Ernest Hemmingway, Emily Dickinson, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain stick out in our minds. They were the face of post-civil war and social realism poetry. Today we will take a closer look at Mark Twain, who was also known as the â€Å"Father† of American Literature. His work has survived more than 100 years after his death. Mark Twain was born inRead MoreMark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn And The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer1654 Words   |  7 Pagesperson who stands as a symbolic representative, as a mortal embodiment of a widely known field or characteristic- there are icons for nearly every conceivable concept in the known universe. In American literature, Mark Twain claims the title. He is a paragon of the ideals that are ascribed to what a(n) (American) writer should be; his humor, his fluid and flexible writing, his ability to portray emotion and passion via ink on dead slices of trees is a mirror image of the- alleged- freedom that AmericaRead MoreHuckleberry Finn Persuasive Essay1571 Words   |  7 PagesStarting the Conversation â€Å"The difference between the almost-right word and the right word is really a large matter- ‘tis the difference between the lightning bug and lightning.†(Mark Twain). Mark Twain, the author of an extraordinary yet controversial novel; The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn had a great way of capturing moments in time and bringing them to life through the use of meaningful and direct diction. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been a vexed novel for it s a use ofRead MoreEssay about Mark Twain1654 Words   |  7 PagesMark Twain Mark Twain is believed to be the father of all American literature. Twain was known for writing about issues of his time such as slavery, due to his style of honesty and truth he was known as one of the very first modernist writers. Mark Twain had many inspirations that motivated him to write his novels. The inspirations varied from events that he witnessed and experienced, people he met in his lifetime, other stories he read or heard about, and his environment. The writer knownRead MoreMark Twain- American Author664 Words   |  3 PagesSome of the most riveting books in not just American literature but in all of history, was written by this famous author. Twain, an American writer, is one of the major authors of American fiction. Also, he is considered the greatest humorist in American literature (Alan Gribben, np). Mark Twain was influenced by the society’s conditions he lived in, hence the incorporation of much of it in his writing. Growing up in the 1870s, Twain’s society was much different than growing up now. He grew up duringRead MoreHuck Finn Character Analysis Essay1057 Words   |  5 PagesAdventures of Huckleberry Finn was written by Mark Twain in 1884 and is considered to be a Great American Novel. Mark Twain’s adventurous novel depicts the image of a young American boy living along the Mississippi River in the mid-1800s and expresses interpretations on on rules, morality, and racism. This caused a lot of controversy and criticism, due to the moral compass of the times. Although main characters play a major role throughout the story, Mark Twain does a great job using vivid details toRead MoreEssay about Influences that Have Shaped American Literature1001 Words   |  5 PagesInfluences that Have Shaped American Literature There have been a number of influences that have shaped American literature. From the time that Western Europeans founded the country to the inclusion of Native American lore to the contributions of such literary giants as Mark Twain and Carol Sandburg, the composition of American Literature has been both constant and ever changing. In deed as much as America, itself, is a melting pot of diversity within a cultural concern, so too is this considerable