HC - Mark Twain Lesson
Mark Twain
Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, grew up near the Mississippi River and after the Civil War became a journalist at the Nevada Constitutional Convention. It was here he began signing his articles with the name "Mark Twain." In this lesson, we are going to study some of the rhetorical devices employed by Twain by which he earned recognition as one of America's first literary heroes through the genre of comedy. Twain's texts build a relationship with the tradition of American Humor through his addition of folktale, fable, gossip, satire, irony, and wit.
Reading Assignment: "Mark Twain's Nevada Funeral - Scotty Briggs and the Clergyman" by Mark Twain
Reading and Listening Assignment: "The War Prayer" by Mark Twain
Click here to read "The War Prayer" by Mark Twain. Links to an external site.
View the following version of "The War Prayer" and keep in mind the various purposes of humor.
Here are some questions to ponder as you listen and read. What might Twain be suggesting behind this use of irony? Reflect on the narrator in the story. From which perspective does the narrator tell the story? What stylistic variations does Twain implement to achieve two different types of humor? How does Twain use irony in both stories to develop the setting? Who is the target character in the stories? Can you relate any of these characters to current characters in television or cinema?
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