Cannibalism In The Cars Autosaved 
Melzer 1
Garrison L. Melzer
Professor Gordon Williams
American Literature
26 January 2015 Legislation Derailed On the Cannibal Train Mark Twain’s metaphorical satire, “Cannibalism in Cars”, demonstrates the self-serving nature of government through a bizarre story that follows the actions of the men on a train attempting to save themselves through a parliamentary process. The scenario represents the often misguided collective conscience of the government in Twain’s era, and unfortunately, today as well. The men, trying to hold on to human values and not succumb to their instincts, fail miserably as they attempted to remove their guilt of eating each other by justifying it through “Robert’s Rules of Order.” The cannibalism may seem an extreme symbol to represent what is often the product of the government’s legislative actions, there is little arguing that acts and laws have been passed that have been detrimental to the citizens of this nation, such as the black codes and Jim Crow laws. Though the symbolic nature of the story may be hyperbolic, Twain vividly personifies the United States’ dubious legislative process by focusing on the dehumanization of the subjects for which it was created by illustrating selfishness, a lack of focus on the greater cause, and the inability to consider ulterior solutions. It is important to note the context of Twain’s work. This piece was written in 1868 during the era of Reconstruction, following the Civil War. The government, at the time, was trying to reestablish the viability of the South, but was failing, which drew the focus away from the true needs required to reconstruct the South rather to government proceedings. At the beginning of Reconstruction, disagreement between the Radical Republicans and the more moderate Republicans
Garrison L. Melzer
Professor Gordon Williams
American Literature
26 January 2015 Legislation Derailed On the Cannibal Train Mark Twain’s metaphorical satire, “Cannibalism in Cars”, demonstrates the self-serving nature of government through a bizarre story that follows the actions of the men on a train attempting to save themselves through a parliamentary process. The scenario represents the often misguided collective conscience of the government in Twain’s era, and unfortunately, today as well. The men, trying to hold on to human values and not succumb to their instincts, fail miserably as they attempted to remove their guilt of eating each other by justifying it through “Robert’s Rules of Order.” The cannibalism may seem an extreme symbol to represent what is often the product of the government’s legislative actions, there is little arguing that acts and laws have been passed that have been detrimental to the citizens of this nation, such as the black codes and Jim Crow laws. Though the symbolic nature of the story may be hyperbolic, Twain vividly personifies the United States’ dubious legislative process by focusing on the dehumanization of the subjects for which it was created by illustrating selfishness, a lack of focus on the greater cause, and the inability to consider ulterior solutions. It is important to note the context of Twain’s work. This piece was written in 1868 during the era of Reconstruction, following the Civil War. The government, at the time, was trying to reestablish the viability of the South, but was failing, which drew the focus away from the true needs required to reconstruct the South rather to government proceedings. At the beginning of Reconstruction, disagreement between the Radical Republicans and the more moderate Republicans