““All American literature All American literature began with the began with the publication of publication of Adventures Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”of Huckleberry Finn”

(Ernest Hemingway)(Ernest Hemingway)

Adventures of Adventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn by by

Mark TwainMark Twain

Frank McCourt, author Frank McCourt, author of of Angela’s Ashes, wrote:Angela’s Ashes, wrote:After I read After I read Adventures of Adventures of

Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry Finn, I knew I knew that someday I had to that someday I had to come to America.”come to America.”

Who was Mark Twain?Who was Mark Twain?

Why is Why is Adventures of Adventures of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn such such

an important novel?an important novel?What makes this novel What makes this novel so so distinctly Americandistinctly American??

Importance of the Novel:Importance of the Novel:

First American novel to First American novel to capture the capture the “sounds” of American speech by “sounds” of American speech by accurately using the dialects accurately using the dialects of poor of poor Missouri whites and blacksMissouri whites and blacks

Although supposedly taking place BEFORE Although supposedly taking place BEFORE the Civil War, the book the Civil War, the book openly condemned openly condemned the ill-treatment that blacks the ill-treatment that blacks were still were still experiencing in the 1880s in Americaexperiencing in the 1880s in America

The novel The novel dared to condemn racial dared to condemn racial inequalityinequality

Mark TwainMark Twain1835-19101835-1910

Born near Born near Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, Missouri, on the , on the banks of the Mississippi Riverbanks of the Mississippi River

Halley’s Comet Halley’s Comet was visible (he was visible (he predicted that he would die when predicted that he would die when the comet came again)the comet came again)

Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, Missouri, served as the , served as the model for the town in model for the town in The The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Adventures of Tom Sawyer and and Adventures of Huckleberry FinnAdventures of Huckleberry Finn

Childhood:Childhood:

His father died when Twain was His father died when Twain was twelve; Twain worked to help twelve; Twain worked to help support familysupport family

Became a Became a journeyman apprentice journeyman apprentice printer printer for the for the Hannibal Gazette Hannibal Gazette newspapernewspaper

Left home for St. Louis, New York, Left home for St. Louis, New York, and Philadelphia as an “itinerant” and Philadelphia as an “itinerant” (traveling) printer(traveling) printer

The Mighty MississippiThe Mighty Mississippi Became a Became a steamboat captain steamboat captain on the Mississippi (a on the Mississippi (a

high-paying, and sometimes dangerous, high-paying, and sometimes dangerous, occupation)occupation)

Piloted for two years, “learning the river”Piloted for two years, “learning the river” His His pseudonympseudonym MAY have come from “mark MAY have come from “mark

twain,” the twain,” the term signaling the correct depth of term signaling the correct depth of water water for a riverboat, OR it came from always for a riverboat, OR it came from always getting two drinks getting two drinks (“mark twain”—mark “two” (“mark twain”—mark “two” drinksdrinks) in bars out West) in bars out West

Civil War broke out, ending most traffic on the Civil War broke out, ending most traffic on the riverriver

Joined the Joined the Confederate armyConfederate army, but deserted after , but deserted after two weekstwo weeks

Out West:Out West:

Traveled to Traveled to Nevada and California Nevada and California with his with his brotherbrother

Forced to leave Nevada for fleeing a duelForced to leave Nevada for fleeing a duel Began Began writing for newspapers and writing for newspapers and

magazinesmagazines Traveled to Traveled to Hawaii Hawaii as a reporter for a San as a reporter for a San

Francisco newspaperFrancisco newspaper Began a successful career as a Began a successful career as a “stand-up” “stand-up”

comedian, reading his works and telling comedian, reading his works and telling jokesjokes

EuropeEurope

Traveled to EuropeTraveled to Europe While onboard ship, While onboard ship, saw a picture saw a picture of of

the sister of one of the ship’s the sister of one of the ship’s passengers, and “fell in love passengers, and “fell in love instantly”instantly”

Returned to New York; met Returned to New York; met “Livy,” “Livy,” the girl in the picturethe girl in the picture

Courted Livy; Courted Livy; marriedmarried her in 1870 her in 1870

Marriage and Success:Marriage and Success:

Twain published Twain published The Innocents AbroadThe Innocents Abroad, , which was an instant bestsellerwhich was an instant bestseller

Married Livy; her parents gave the Married Livy; her parents gave the couple a couple a house as a wedding presenthouse as a wedding present

Their first child, Their first child, a son, dieda son, died They had the first of their They had the first of their three three

daughtersdaughters Twain invented and patented the Twain invented and patented the Mark Mark

Twain Self-Pasting ScrapbookTwain Self-Pasting Scrapbook

The Adventures of Tom The Adventures of Tom SawyerSawyer

Published in 1876, this was a Published in 1876, this was a cheerful childhood “adventure” book cheerful childhood “adventure” book with a happy endingwith a happy ending, based on his , based on his childhood in Hannibal, MOchildhood in Hannibal, MO

A wildly successful book, Twain’s A wildly successful book, Twain’s wealth grewwealth grew

Career Flourished:Career Flourished:

Published Published A Tramp Abroad A Tramp Abroad , , Life on the Life on the Mississippi; Mississippi; and and The Prince and the The Prince and the PauperPauper

Published the memoirs of Published the memoirs of Ulysses S. Ulysses S. GrantGrant, saving Grant’s family from , saving Grant’s family from financial ruinfinancial ruin

Started investing in the Started investing in the Paige Typesetter Paige Typesetter (which would later prove unwise)(which would later prove unwise)

PublishedPublished Adventures of Huckleberry Adventures of Huckleberry FinnFinn

Adventures of Huckleberry Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:Finn:

Readers Readers expected this novel to be a expected this novel to be a “sequel” to “sequel” to The Adventures of Tom The Adventures of Tom SawyerSawyer

Many were shocked and angered that Many were shocked and angered that the novel dared to take on the issue of the novel dared to take on the issue of racial equalityracial equality

Others were outraged that the narrator Others were outraged that the narrator of the book was of the book was an uneducated, an uneducated, somewhat “delinquent” child with an somewhat “delinquent” child with an alcoholic fatheralcoholic father

Publishing Business:Publishing Business:

Twain founded his own Twain founded his own publishing publishing companycompany

Foolishly invested in the Paige Foolishly invested in the Paige typesettertypesetter, buying exclusive rights, buying exclusive rights

Published Published A Connecticut in King A Connecticut in King Arthur’s CourtArthur’s Court

Financial Tragedies:Financial Tragedies:

Twain invested nearly Twain invested nearly $200,000 in $200,000 in the Paige Typesetterthe Paige Typesetter

He published He published Pudd’nhead Wilson, Pudd’nhead Wilson, and his publishing company failedand his publishing company failed

Twain declared Twain declared bankruptcybankruptcy Forced to tour Europe, giving Forced to tour Europe, giving

readings and humorous speeches readings and humorous speeches to to raise money raise money to pay off his debtsto pay off his debts

Family Tragedies:Family Tragedies:

Susie, his favorite daughter, died Susie, his favorite daughter, died while while Twain was away in EuropeTwain was away in Europe

His His wife’s health started failing wife’s health started failing and she and she dieddied

Paid off all his debtsPaid off all his debts His His daughter Jean dieddaughter Jean died He formed the He formed the Angelfish Club Angelfish Club for young for young

girlsgirls Experienced Experienced heart trouble and died heart trouble and died in the in the

year that year that Halley’s Comet returned.Halley’s Comet returned.