They Mysterious Stranger

As we have discussed in class the ending of the short story "The Mysterious Stranger" was sad, depressing and discouraging. The notion that our world is a dream and the entire novel was thought up by Theodor Fischer.

I'm interested to read the other versions of "They Mysterious Stranger" because I believe Twain left them unfinished and did not publish them for a reason. I think it would be interesting to examine the other versions to help understand why Albert Paine and Frederick Duneka used the pieces they did in order to form the story we read in class.

The story was sad to read, because in the beginning of the semester we read books that showed Twain's hope and desire for society to change and become better and this piece basically says, nothing is real so nothing is worth it.

Throughout the class I viewed Twain as a likable person who wrote pieces to enlighten and provoke thought, but this piece was too much for me to handle. I enjoyed reading it, but it was so dark and sad in the ending I wish I could go back to Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn!

Will we always follow the crowd?

In January when someone mentioned Mark Twain I imminently thought, white suit, Tom Sawyer, Mississippi River and Huck Finn... He was not someone I would say followed the crowd. He lived to set a statement.

It interests me that he spends so many of the pieces discussing how society follows the crowd even when immoral acts are being done, such as lynching. I've been paying closer attention to this idea and I agree with Twain, people go with the flow of society to fit in, even if it isn't the right thing to do. And sometimes when you stand up for something you believe isn't right other people turn against you and then shun or hurt you.

It is a vicious cycle, because being like to be liked and have friends. It isn't something that can be easily changed, but if people continue to stand up for what they truly believe in time and time again. I believe slowly going with the crowd will change, but not as quickly as Mark Twain would have wanted.

Pudd'nhead Wilson Nature vs. Nurture

When I was reading "Pudd'nhead Wilson" I was interested by the comments Twain made about Tom and Chambers personalities as they grew up and if their actions were because of nature or nurture in their upbringing.

When Roxy switched the boys she thought no one would ever find out, as the reader I knew that wasn't the case and that the fingerprints would have something to do with the discovery.

After the switch, Tom (who was really Chambers), was raised in a wealthy family who gets in trouble with gambling, stealing and murder. Through Roxy, Twain suggests that Tom's behavior is a result of his racial heritage. As if he was born with these personality traits because he is black.

However, Chambers (who is really Tom), grows up as a slave is a good person who obeys this orders and doesn't get into much trouble. At the end of the novel when Chambers returns to his rightful position he is unable to assume the role as a wealthy white person. This suggests that Twain believes he could not assume these roles, because of the way he was brought up.

This idea is conflicting and shows that Twain feels that in different circumstances nature and nurture play different roles in peoples lives. This is interesting to me because in the same novel Twain doesn't really take a stance on this issue. Two characters have two different stipulations to address why they act a certain way.

I believe there is a balance within a person and the characteristics that are because of nature and those from nurture. I believe nurture has a lot to do with the way people change and grow through time. I don't believe that all characteristics come from nature; a lot can come from your experiences and the environment you grow up in.

In my life I feel more of who I am today is the environment I was brought up in and the people I am surrounded with. However, I also have characteristics that I was born with.

It is a very fine line, and I understand why Twain didn't take a stance, but I wish he would have.

The Sandwich Islands and My Debut as a Literary Person

The Sandwich Islands

I really enjoyed the picture Twain painted when he was describing the Sandwich Islands. I've been to Hawaii before and while I was reading I felt like I was back there.

But then there is a dramatic switch from a description of a paradise to the proposed annexation of the island so the United States could benefit from their exports. Twain continues to joke about what America does is better than what everyone else does and if it isn't American culture than it is wrong and should be changed to be just like America as soon as possible.

Overall, I thought it was a very interesting piece and I can see how it would be a popular article when it was published in 1873.

My Debut as a Literary Person

I have mixed reviews about this piece. First, I find it entertaining that Twain believes in order to be a literary person one must be published in a magazine, not just a newspaper. As a news/editorial journalism major it is a big deal to get published in a newspaper or magazine, but it doesn't matter which one it is. This idea that the magazine is more prestigious than the newspaper is interesting to me as a journalist. Secondly, I like how Twain framed the text by retelling the original story he had published, but I felt it was distracting when he added his own thoughts throughout. It made it harder to read and follow what was going on.

It is interesting that he wrote this because the original story was so successful and he was in debt at this time. "My Debut as a Literary Person" was written 32 years after the original and Twain sold it to Harper's again to make more money.

I would have enjoyed reading the original before reading "My Debut as a Literary Person." I believe I would have understood what was going on and enjoyed the story more.

The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg

After reading "The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg" and discussing it in class I can now answer the question, is the stranger an agent of moral destruction or rejuvenation?

I believe the stranger's goal was to be an agent of moral destruction, but the way Hadleyburg turns out in the end is more of a rejuvenated town than one that has been destroyed. The townspeople taught children from a young age to do what was right and never lie. They were never tempted to sway from these morals that were instilled early on; however, after the strangers trick the town welcomes people to try to sway their righteous ways and tempt them to do evil, because they now have the strength to resist it.

Although the stranger had a desire to gain revenge on the hypocritical town, he ended up bringing the town closer together and strengthened it during the only trial of morals the town had been through. I do believe that this story, like the "Eden myth", is a "fortunate fall" that ends up bettering the town because the stranger wanted to destroy them.

I thought the story was a little long winded and some of the details I would have liked to know while reading were left out, such as what made the stranger so upset when he traveled through Hadleyburg.

Ghosts and Eskimos

A Ghost Story and The Esquimau Maiden's Romance

I thought "A Ghost Story" was really entertaining. It was unlike any other story we have read thus far by Mark Twain. It was a creepy story, but it kept my attention until the very end and then I proceeded to laugh because the scary spirit is the ghost of a hoax.

The short story is just another example of how Mark Twain pokes fun at little aspects of society. This short story is making fun of the media frenzy that surrounded the Cardiff Giant and how people will believe anything they hear. It also provides a critique of society's desire for sensationalism and shows that people seek outrageous entertainment.

I enjoyed "The Esquimau Maiden's Romance" for two reasons. The first is that Mark Twain was the narrator and secondly because it is a romantic story that shows Twain's soft side. It obviously describes different cultural views of what wealth is, but I believe that no matter the type of wealth it can easily lead to greed and materialism.

These were my favorite short stories we have read so far because they both showed a different side of Twain and were fun to read.

Huck Finn

This is the second time I've read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and I enjoyed it the second time around; however, the story dragged in places causing me to loose interest. For example the last section of the book Tom and Huck are trying to help Jim escape. Tom keeps coming up with new things that Jim needs to do and tools he needs as a prisoner in order to do what the books say about prisoners is too long and drawn out.

I did enjoy Huck's development as a character and his internal struggles throughout the book. Huck grows up a lot during the story as he deals with a moral struggle of helping Jim escape to freedom. When Huck decided to go tell that he found Jim, but then lies when questioned about a runaway slave shows Huck knew the moral thing to do was help Jim even if the societal norm was to turn him in.

I found the ending ironic that Huck will be put back into "society" and he doesn't want to.

"Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can't stand it. I been there before" (912).

Huck struggled with being a part of society and being free throughout the entire novel as well. When he was with Miss Watson he didn't enjoy it. When he was away with Pap he enjoyed himself more because he wasn't on a schedule and didn't have to go to school, but then is leaves Pap to be free. But the only time he is really free in the novel is when he is on the river with Jim. On land the two have to conform to what society wants, but on the river Jim and Huck only have to look out for themselves.

Now that I have had the chance to read both The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and discuss them both in class I have decided I was more interested and enjoyed Tom Sawyer more. Although neither story has a real plot and both are character driven Tom Sawyer is more entertaining to me.