The point made by Mark Twain’s “The War-Prayer” (1905) is simple‚ even simplistic: that the unspoken part of the desire for victory over the enemy is the desire that misery and death befall others. The irony‚ as noted by the stranger who comments on this silent prayer‚ is that it is directed supposedly “in the spirit of love” to “Him who is the Source of Love” (398). In fact‚ Twain’s piece makes this irony unmissable‚ as it ends with the failure of the congregation even to understand the stranger’s
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Mark Twain’s Relevance Today Gary Scharnhorst (University of New Mexico) From the earliest stage of his writing career‚ Mark Twain was more than a literary comedian. From the first‚ his humor had a satirical and sometimes even a bitter edge‚ and throughout his life he repeatedly ridiculed the foolishness and foibles of the “damned human race.” His humor was in fact the basis of his appeal across classes‚ races‚ and nationalities. His social satire is the basis of his relevance today. The secret
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Satire has been a major part of history. It has helped to make changes that would otherwise have never happened. The definition of satire is: "A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony‚ derision‚ or wit" (Dictionary.com). We can see all different kinds of satire through the ages. Classical satire‚ political satire‚ modern satire and even cruel satire are preset in our world today. A few famous satirists are Jonathan Swift‚ Jon Stewart‚ and Mark Twain and are prime
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Censorship of Mark Twain Mark Twain’s most famous work‚ Adventures of Huckleberry Finn‚ has been banned in classrooms and libraries since its first year of American publication‚ 1885. At the constant prodding of Louisa May Alcott‚ the public library of Concord‚ Massachusetts‚ banned the book; Louisa charged that it was unsuitable for impressionable young people. This criticism died down until the racially charged environment of the 1960’s‚ when African Americans began calling the novel “racist trash
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" ’Humor‚’ Mark Twain once wrote while in a different mode‚ ’is only a fragrance‚ a decoration. If it is really to succeed in survival‚ it must surreptitiously teach and preach.’ "(qtd. Howells 211). Mark Twain exposes the evil in society by satirizing the institutions of religion‚ education and slavery. One of Twains many techniques in writing involve his way of making a point without one knowing whether or not he is kidding. He satirizes religion throughout the novel using Huck who does not see
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In the passage The War Prayer by Mark Twain he tells a satirical story in which a mysterious man comes before a crowd of ignorant mass. Through this story and his setting he satirizes human logic when it comes to war and our tendency to not think our decisions through ; especially patriotic thoughts of war and glory. Twain satirically writes of the unseen and unthought-of horrors with a mock diction‚ excessive hyperbole and vivid imagery. At first glance it seems Twain seeks to write of glory and
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Nia Henderson March 14‚ 2013 5th period Rhetorical Analysis Samual Longhorne Clemon well known as "Mark Twain" was born on November 30‚ 1895 in Florida‚ Missouri. He was the sixth of seventh children of John and Jane Clemons. The family later moved to a small town Hannibal‚ Missouri where his father died of pneumania which prompted him to leave school and become a printers apprentice. He recieved work from his brother Orions newspaper Hannibal Western Union as a printer and editorial assistant which
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In May 18‚ 1858 Abrahamn Lincoln about the American Civil War said : "To give victory to the right‚ not bloody bullets‚ but peaceful ballots only‚ are necessary."(Usually quoted as: "The ballot is stronger than the bullet.") Mark Twain is an apprentice in a printer’s office ‚a journalist in his brother Orion’s local newspaper‚ and a pilot on the Mississippi River‚ Samuel Langhorne Clemens came West at the time of the Civil War.He was 27 and had briefly served in a Confederate militia. He is most
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"You don’t know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain’t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain‚ and he told the truth‚ mainly. There was things which he stretched‚ but mainly he told the truth" (Twain 11). In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn‚ Mark Twain describes the antebellum South through the eyes of a rebellious adolescent. The protagonist‚ Huckleberry Finn‚ befriends a runaway slave named Jim after deciding to get away from
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Mark Twain: The Man of his Century Samuel Clemens more often spoke of by his pen name Mark Twain‚ was born on November 30‚ 1835 in the small town of Florida‚ Missouri‚ as Haley’s Comet blazed through the sky. Mark Twain was an American humorist and author‚ he was considered to be the funniest man on the planet. Mark Twain was a truly brilliant performer when he went on his lecture circuits‚ and could enthrall virtually any audience. He wrote a whole slew of very successful books and short stories
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