How Mark Twain Influenced American Literature - 1641 Words

How 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 in 1835, as Samuel Clemens in the town of Florida, Missouri. He was the youngest out of 6 children born to John and Jane Clemens. He grew up knowing the hardships of being poor. At times, his family struggled with being able to put food on the†¦show more content†¦The Civil War in 1861 shattered his dream job. He was no longer allowed to be a pilot because of the war. Instead of flying, he joined the war. This was also short-lived for him. It lasted for about only 2 weeks. It seemed that his dreams were dying out fast. He next decided to travel out West. Where he worked for another local Newspaper. He developed the alter ego name â€Å"Mark Twain† during this time. In 1869, Mark Twain wrote and published his first book â€Å"The Innocents Abroad†. Sam married his soulmate, Olivia in 1870. They moved to Hartford, Connecticut in 1871 and started a family. The story â€Å"Roughing It† was published in 1872 and the following year â€Å"The Gilded Age†, which was a story about politics and the corrupt people involved, was published. The money was fruitful from these books. His family and himself stayed in Hartford for the next 17 years. Well-known stories such as â€Å"The Adventures of Huck Finn†, â€Å"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn†, â€Å"Life on the Mississippi†, â€Å"The Prince and the Pauper†, and â€Å"Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court† got their first start here. In 1891, they were forced to move to Europe due to bankruptcy from Samuel’s enjoyment of investing into failing inventions. Shortly after, one of their daughters died from illness, and Samuel once again witnessed more death. In the 1900’s, his writings became more depressing. They focused on failing humanity. Whether he started toShow 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 his senseRead MoreHuckleberry Finn American Literature Essay1373 Words   |  6 Pages American literature is a piece literary of work during and after the formation of the United States that is not only written by American authors, but is influenced and reflects on the nation’s past and truths (good or bad), values, ideology, or traditions. A prime example of American literature is Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. He exposes and reflects on the truth about slavery and racism during the 1870s, proves how Huck s view has been formed society, includes American characteristicsRead 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). 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Mark Twain s novel demonstrates the subjects of racism andRead MoreEssay on A Brief Biography of Mark Twain1322 Words    |  6 Pageswas born on November 30, 1835. Clemons grew up in a town called Hannibal, Missouri. Here Sam Clemens saw an array of different type of people pass through his town. People such as: gamblers, entertainers, thieves, and even slave traders that influenced his childhood memories. We see traces of his rugged hometown deeply embedded with southern tradition. Clemens was known as a mischievous boy that smoked, led of crew of pranksters, and often played hooky from school. At the age of twelve ClemensRead MoreThe Man Known as Mark Twain1188 Words   |  5 PagesMark Twain The man known as Mark Twain was born Samuel Clemens in Florida, Missouri on April 30, 1835. Samuel Langhorne Clemens was welcomed into the world as the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens. Little did they know their son (as Mark Twain) would be one of Americas most famous literary icons. Samuel got the name Mark Twain from the current of the river. He loved the rivers and everything about it. Mark Twains writing style was heavily influenced by the people and areaRead MoreFor Many Years, Romanticism Dominated English Literature,1294 Words   |  6 Pagesyears, Romanticism dominated English literature, and consequently American literature, as American writers were heavily influenced by the English. Writers like Poe and Hawthorne were leaders in this form of literature. As thinking changed scientifically, philosophically and spiritually, so did literature. Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn showed American culture in a way it had never been shown, and in doing so became arguably the most famous piece of realist literature. His novel exemplifies the rejectionRead MoreEssay on Ethnic Literature959 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican Literature Paper Randy Hale University of Phoenix ENG.301 American Ethic Literature Michael Cromwell December 24, 2012 American Ethic Literature Paper What makes American literature American? American literature is just that American literature. American literature is stories of people lives that are based on American standards. Early American standards where based around slavery and oppression but now they are based on freedoms like freedom of speech and press. America has