MARK TWAIN Lesson Guide & Activities
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Learning Objectives Timeline Major Works Classroom Activities/Handouts: • What Did He Mean? • Write The News • Censorship • Pen Names More About Mark Twain Mark Twain Websites © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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INTRODUCTION Samuel Langhorne Clements was born in 1835 in Florida, Missouri. By the time of his death in 1910, he was known around the world as Mark Twain, “the first truly American writer” and the country’s greatest humorist. In his lifetime, he published over 30 books, both fiction and non-­‐fiction, and wrote countless sketches, articles, essays, and letters. He traveled the world and as a lecturer appeared on five continents; biographer Ron Powers has dubbed him America’s “first rock star.” Mark Twain is one of the few authors whose books were bestsellers in three centuries. Some of his works were also controversial when they were written, and they still are today. (see “Censorship”) But even critics who have a problem with his language and manner do not deny that he is the quintessential American writer. Mark Twain has become a part of American culture: schools in 16 states are named for him; there are parks, playgrounds, and libraries named for him; a national prize for humor bears his name, as do a number of awards for outstanding literature. “As a legend‚” one author has said, “Mark Twain is alive and well – and almost as well known as he ever was.” To fully appreciate the writings of Mark Twain, it is important to look at and understand the life of Samuel Clemens – both his successes and his failures. This program gives students an opportunity to examine the life of the man who became -­‐ and still is -­‐ an American icon. © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES By viewing this program students will: • Learn about the life of Samuel Clemens • Understand how his experiences influenced the writings of Mark Twain • Gain an appreciation for Mark Twain’s humor • See the extent of Mark Twain’s influence around the world © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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TIMELINE : The Life of Mark Twain 1835 Samuel Clemens is born in Florida, Missouri on November 30. 1839 Family moves to Hannibal, Missouri. 1847 Sam’s father dies. Sam leaves school and becomes an apprentice at the Hannibal Gazette. The following year he becomes an apprentice at the Hannibal Missouri Courier newspaper. 1850 Starts work at his older brother Orion’s newspaper, the Hannibal Western Union, where he prints his first known published work, “A Gallant Fireman.” 1852 His sketch, "The Dandy Frightening the Squatter," is published in the May 1 issue of Carpet-­‐Bag, a humor magazine in Boston, Massachusetts. The sketch is signed S.L.C. 1853 -­‐ 1857 Leaves Hannibal and works as a journeyman typesetter in St. Louis, New York, Philadelphia , towns in Iowa, and Cincinnati. 1857 Becomes an apprentice river pilot under Captain Horace Bixby of the Paul Jones. 1859 -­‐ 1861 Officially licensed to pilot steamboats on April 9, 1859. Continues to work as a commercial pilot until the outbreak of the Civil War. 1861 Joins the Hannibal Home Guard, a small band of volunteers with leanings to the Confederacy; leaves after two weeks. Travels by stagecoach to Carson City, Nevada, with brother Orion who had been appointed Secretary to the Territorial Governor of Nevada. 1862 After brief stint as a miner, becomes a reporter for the Virginia City, Nevada, Territorial Enterprise © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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1863 February 3, first uses the pen name “Mark Twain” while writing for the Enterprise. 1864 Moves to California to avoid prosecution for dueling. Writes for the San Francisco Call, the Californian, and the Golden Era. 1865 Visits Jackass Hill in California where he hears the Jumping Frog story. Tries gold mining, then returns to San Francisco. "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" published in the November 18th issue of New York Saturday Press. 1866 Travels to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) as a correspondent for the Sacramento Union. Upon return, gives a lecture about the trip in San Francisco. 1867 The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and Other Sketches is published. Gives his first lecture in New York City. Sails to Europe and the Holy Land on the steamer Quaker City. Meets Olivia (Livy) Langdon on his return to New York. 1868 Conducts a lecture tour in the eastern and mid-­‐western states. 1869 The Innocents Abroad, his first book, is published. The book is based on his travels to Europe and the Holy Land. 1870 Marries Olivia Langdon in Elmira, NY on February 2. They settle in Buffalo, NY, where Olivia’s father had bought Sam a one-­‐third interest in the Buffalo Express. Son Langdon is born. 1871 Sells the Buffalo Express and moves to Hartford, Connecticut, where the family will live for the next twenty years. They will spend their summers at Quarry Farm in Elmira, NY. 1872 Daughter, Susy is born; son Langdon dies. Roughing It, based on his experiences out west, is published. 1873 The Gilded Age, written with Charles Dudley Warner, is published. “The Gilded Age” has become the name used to describe the period in American history from the 1870s to the © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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end of the 19th century – a time of unprecedented material wealth, industrial growth, and political corruption. 1874 Daughter Clara is born. The family moves into the house in Hartford that will become the Mark Twain Museum. 1875 Mark Twain’s Sketches, New and Old is published. 1876 The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is published. 1878-­‐79 Travels with the family to Europe. 1880 A Tramp Abroad is published. Daughter Jean is born. 1881 The Prince and the Pauper is published. Invests in the Paige typesetting machine. 1882 Travels up the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Minnesota to gather information for Life on the Mississippi. Visits Hannibal, Missouri 1883 Life on the Mississippi is published. 1884 Starts Charles L. Webster and Co., a publishing house headed by, and named for, Olivia’s nephew. 1885 Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is published. Charles L. Webster and Co. publishes the best-­‐selling memoir, The Autobiography of Ulysses S. Grant : Memoirs of the Civil War. 1888 Receives a Master of Arts degree from Yale University. 1889 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is published. © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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1891-­‐94 Nearing financial ruin, the Clemens family travels in Europe; lives in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy. Henry H. Rogers, vice-­‐president of Standard Oil, takes over Sam’s finances. 1894 Charles L. Webster and Co., declares bankruptcy. Sam abandons the Paige typesetting machine. The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson is published. 1895-­‐96 Conducts an around-­‐the-­‐world lecture tour to raise money to pay off debts. Accompanied by Olivia and Clara, gives 150 lectures on five continents in eleven months. Susy dies in Hartford; Jean is diagnosed with epilepsy. Lives in London. 1897 Following the Equator is published. Lives in Switzerland and Vienna. 1898 Repays last of debts from bankruptcy in full. 1900 Returns to the United States. Lives in New York City. 1901 Receives honorary doctorate degree at Yale University. 1902 Makes last visit to Hannibal; hands out graduation diplomas to Hannibal High School graduating class. Receives honorary doctorate degree from the University of Missouri 1903 Sails for Florence, Italy with Olivia, who was very ill. 1904 Olivia dies in Florence. Returns to New York. 1907 Receives honorary doctorate degree from Oxford University in England. 1908 Moves into his last house, Stormfield, in Redding, Connecticut . 1909 Daughter Clara is married at Stormfield ; daughter Jean dies there. © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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1910 Travels to Bermuda ; suffers severe angina. Returns to Stormfield where he dies on April 21. Is buried in Elmira, New York. THE WRITINGS OF MARK TWAIN Mark Twain wrote books, both fiction and non-­‐fiction, as well as short stories, essays, sketches, even a play. Here is a selection of some of his books. •
1867 -­‐ The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras Count, and Other Sketches •
1869 -­‐ The Innocents Abroad •
1872 -­‐ Roughing It •
1873 -­‐ The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today •
1875 -­‐ Mark Twain’s Sketches, New and Old •
1876 -­‐ The Adventures of Tom Sawyer •
1880 -­‐ A Tramp Abroad •
1882 -­‐ The Prince and the Pauper •
1883 -­‐ Life on the Mississippi •
1884 -­‐ Adventures of Huckleberry Finn •
1889 -­‐ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court •
1894 -­‐ Tom Sawyer Abroad •
1894 -­‐ The Tragedy of Pudd'n'head Wilson •
1896 -­‐ Tom Sawyer, Detective •
1896 -­‐ Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc •
1897 -­‐ Following the Equator © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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WHAT DID HE MEAN? Here are some of Mark Twain’s famous quotes. Ask students to comment on what they think each means. • The man with a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds. • Books are the liberated spirits of men. • Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. • A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. • Comedy keeps the heart sweet. • Censorship is telling a man he can't have a steak just because a baby can't chew it." • There is no sadder thing than a young pessimist‚ except an old optimist. More Mark Twain quotes can be found at http://www.twainquotes.com/quotesatoz.html © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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WRITE THE NEWS When Sam Clemens was a reporter for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise, by his own admission, his reporting wasn’t always accurate. In fact, he often “invented” the news. This activity gives students the same opportunity. Following are three scenarios that revolve around people pursuing their dreams. Students can chose one and use the information provided as the basis for a story; then they can “invent” their own endings for the tales. • COLLEGE STUDENT HEADS TO NEW YORK A young woman, who has studied English literature and law in her home state of Alabama, has decided to pursue a literary career in New York. Fresh from spending a year as an exchange student at Oxford University in England, she is hoping she can fulfill her dream of becoming a writer. …….. • A YOUNG ATHLETE OF PROMISE This young man, the youngest of five children, has been encouraged by his older brother to follow his dream of becoming a professional athlete. At the junior college he attends, he has already made a name for himself in four sports -­‐ baseball, football, basketball and track….. • WESTWARD HO! “Who wants to go to California without costing them anything? As many as eight young men of good character who can drive an ox team will be accommodated. Come, boys, you can have as much land as you want without costing you anything.” Advertisement in the Springfield, Illinois Gazette, Spring, 1846. Not only young men, but whole families are joining the caravan of wagon trains, saying good-­‐bye to the lives they know, and heading west across the continent, to California…….. SPOILER These three scenarios are based on true stories. The young woman in the first story is Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird; the young man in the second story is Jackie Robinson; the advertisement in the third story was signed by George Donner, leader of what would become the greatest tragedy in the history of U.S. westward migration. © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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CENSORSHIP When the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1884 it was met with some severe criticism. Life magazine objected to its “blood curdling humor” and “coarse and dreary fun ” and Louisa May Alcott said that “if Mr. Clemens cannot think of something better to tell our pure-­‐minded lads and lasses, he had better stop writing for them.” In some places the critics didn’t just complain, they took action : the Concord, Mass. Public Library called the book trash and banned it from its shelves; in 1905 the Brooklyn, New York Public Library did the same. The controversy over Huckleberry Finn continues today, mainly because of Twain’s use of the “N” word when talking about Jim, the runaway slave. While no one would disagree that this racial slur is a despicable word, there is strong argument over whether or not the book should be banned from schools. In an attempt to counter the problem, a new version replaces the “N” word with “slave.” The word “Injun” is also replaced. (Books that are edited to eliminate words or passages that are considered vulgar or objectionable are said to be “bowdlerized.” The word is named after Thomas Bowdler, an English doctor, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare in 1818.) This new edition of Huckleberry Finn has sparked an interesting debate among scholars, teachers, students, and parents. Both sides have strong and compelling arguments for why the “N” should either be replaced or needs to be retained; students can research and discuss both sides of the controversy. © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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PEN NAMES Before he settled on Mark Twain, Samuel Clemens wrote under a slew of other names including Josh, W. Epaminondas Adrastus Blab, Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass, and Sergeant Fathom. Of course, he wasn’t the only writer who used a pen name. Have students research the following real names, that they probably don’t recognize, to discover authors that they know. • Mary Ann Evans • Daniel Handler • Eric Arthur Blair • Charles Lutwidge Dodgson • Theodor Geisel • Ramona Lofton • William Sydney Porter • Cecil Smith © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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MORE ABOUT MARK TWAIN • Halley’s Comet Halley’s Comet was visible in November of 1835 when Samuel Clemens was born. He always claimed that it would also be visible when he died. He wasn’t far wrong. Halley’s Comet was visible the year he died. I came in with Halley's Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it. It will be the greatest disappointment of my life if I don't go out with Halley's Comet. The Almighty has said, no doubt: "Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together." • His Inventions Samuel Clemens received three patents from the US Patent Office in his lifetime. He received his first patent for the "Improvement in Adjustable and Detachable Straps for Garments" on December 19, 1871. The strap was used to tighten shirts at the waist, and was supposed to take the place of suspenders. This strap attached to the back of a shirt and fastened with buttons to keep it in place and was easy to remove. The invention was not only used for shirts, but for underpants and women's corsets as well. The purpose was to do away with suspenders, which he considered uncomfortable. In 1873 he received a patent for a self-­‐pasting scrapbook that became very popular ; it sold over 25,000 copies. His third invention was a history trivia game for which he received a patent for in 1885. Mark Twain believed in the value of the patent system. In his book, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, Hank Morgan, the Connecticut Yankee, said "...the very first official thing I did in my administration -­‐ and it was on the very first day of it too -­‐ was to start a patent office; for I knew that a country without a patent office and good patent laws was just a crab and couldn't travel anyway but sideways and backwards." In addition to his own inventions, Sam Clemens invested in the inventions of others. His investments never paid off. His support of the Paige Typesetting Machine played a large part in his financial collapse. © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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MARK TWAIN WEBSITES Mark Twain House, Hartford, Ct : www.marktwainhouse.org The Official Website of Mark Twain : www.cmgww.com The State Historical Society of Missouri – Famous Missourians : shs.umsystem.edu/famousmissourians/writers/clemens/clemens.shtml Twain Quotes : www.twainquotes.com Mark Twain Library, Redding CT : www.marktwainlibrary.org The Hannibal-­‐Courier Post : www.Hannibal.net The Mark Twain Papers and Project, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkley, http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/MTP/ The Mark Twain Project Online : www.marktwainproject.org/ Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum : www.marktwainmuseum.org Mark Twain: A Film Directed by Ken Burns : www.pbs.org/marktwain/ © Mazzarella Media, Inc.
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