Mark Twain… His Life and Times Born: Samuel Langhorne Clemens, November 30, 1835 Family moved to Hannibal, Missouri when Samuel was four Apprenticed to a printer when twelve years-old, thus his “profession” Twain’s body of work includes: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, Pudd’nhead Wilson, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County…

Young Clemens spent much of his time traveling across the country, working for local newspapers, and honing his craft as a writer… Young Clemens spent much of his time traveling across the country, working for local newspapers, and honing his craft as a writer… Much of his early writings were satires, burlesques, and “hoaxes”… Much of his early writings were satires, burlesques, and “hoaxes”… He spent considerable time in California during the Gold Rush, befriending such notables as Bret Harte…though he never made his fortune panning for gold. Just one bucket short… He spent considerable time in California during the Gold Rush, befriending such notables as Bret Harte…though he never made his fortune panning for gold. Just one bucket short… It was while he was in California that he began signing his articles “Mark Twain,” a river term used in making soundings… It was while he was in California that he began signing his articles “Mark Twain,” a river term used in making soundings… The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in January 1885… The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in January 1885… Huck Finn was originally pre-published in part serially in The Century Magazine, a relatively bold marketing tactic for those times… Huck Finn was originally pre-published in part serially in The Century Magazine, a relatively bold marketing tactic for those times…

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned in March 1855 by the Concord (Massachusetts) Library Committee… The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned in March 1855 by the Concord (Massachusetts) Library Committee… The Concord (Mass.) Public Library committee has decided to exclude Mark Twain's latest book from the library. One member of the committee says that, while he does not wish to call it immoral, he thinks it contains but little humor, and that of a very coarse type. He regards it as the veriest trash. The library and the other members of the committee entertain similar views. characterizing it as rough, coarse, and inelegant, dealing with a series of experiences not elevating, the whole book being more suited to the slums than to intelligent, respectable people The Concord (Mass.) Public Library committee has decided to exclude Mark Twain's latest book from the library. One member of the committee says that, while he does not wish to call it immoral, he thinks it contains but little humor, and that of a very coarse type. He regards it as the veriest trash. The library and the other members of the committee entertain similar views. characterizing it as rough, coarse, and inelegant, dealing with a series of experiences not elevating, the whole book being more suited to the slums than to intelligent, respectable people –Interracial Friendship and Domestic Abuse –“…as rough, coarse and inelegant, dealing with a series of experiences not elevating, the whole book being more suited to the slums that to intelligent, respectable people.” –Twain’s use of slang to describe people of color –The notion of rubbing America’s collective nose in our racist attitudes: "if we'd eradicated the problem of racism in our society, Huckleberry Finn would be the easiest book in the world to teach." (David Bradley) "if we'd eradicated the problem of racism in our society, Huckleberry Finn would be the easiest book in the world to teach." (David Bradley) –Colloquially, the truth hurts…thus Mark Twain became a legend because he was never afraid to tell the truth.

Huck: Symbols, Motifs… Themes: Themes: Racism / Slavery Racism / Slavery Education: Intellectual and Moral Education: Intellectual and Moral “Civilization” “Civilization” Motifs: Motifs: Childhood Childhood Lies and Cons Lies and Cons Superstition Superstition Influence of outside literature Influence of outside literature Dialect and colloquialisms Dialect and colloquialisms

Symbolism: Symbolism: The Mississippi River The Mississippi River