HUM: Lesson - Mark Twain

A photograph of Mark TwainMark 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 that 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, who became recognized 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. Many people know Twain by his two seminal works: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. However, Twain published many more satirical works that have been read by the public since the 19th century. One such satire is “The War Prayer.”

Reading Assignment: “The War Prayer”

Please download and read The War Prayer by Mark Twain. Links to an external site.

Here are some questions to ponder as you 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?
  • What (or who) is Twain satirizing?

Embedded and Audio Versions

Read the embedded version of The War Prayer here:

Listen to an audio version of The War Prayer here:

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