Mark Twain Influences

"There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded." This quote was first ever given by Mr. Mark Twain, an interesting man, and author, whom I believe, was definitely in the first group of people. Mr. Twain, whose original name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was born on November, 30 1835; in Florida, Missouri. As a child, he moved to Hannibal, Missouri; a town on the bank of the Mississippi river. When he was young, Twain lived in a time when slavery was still legal, we see influence of this in many of his novels. Another primary influence in Twain's novels were his ambition as a boy to become a steamboat captain. In 1857, he became an apprentice to a licensed steamboat captain, where he discovered the phrase,"mark twain", which he later took as his pen name. We know all these things and more about Mr. Twain. How he spoke, how he wrote, these things are all recorded. However, who really was Mark Twain?
Comparing two separate pieces of literature Twain wrote gives us
a convenient glance into who this man was; what his character was like. One piece is from, "Chapters from My Autobiography: Chapter 2," Twain's own autobiography, and the other, was a speech he wrote for a friend's birthday, the title being, "Unconscious Plagiarism". In both articles, Twain paints himself as a creative, unique man, who prided himself on his originality and individuality. In Mr. Twain’s own autobiography, he implies heavily that he was sometimes lazy. He stated, "...I had but a slender reputation to publish it on, but I was charmed and excited by the suggestion and quite willing to venture it if some industrious person would save me the trouble of gathering the sketches together. I was loath to do it myself, for from the beginning of my sojourn in this world there was a persistent vacancy in me where the industry ought to be," (Twain). His saying that a vacancy was present in him where hard-work should have been leads us to believe that when Mr. Twain didn't care to do something, he would avoid it. In his second piece, "Unconscious Plagiarism", Mr. Twain states that his friend, a Mr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, is a "great man" indicating that he had great respect for those he admired. He also shows his ability to humble himself and recognize the greatness in others. He also states, "...there was nothing mean about me," indicating a lack of spite, and want to hold grudges, despite his sharp humor.
Mr.
Twain was a complex being and, just like anyone else, he had many facets to his personality. Mark Twain was something of an eccentric. He was very eager to be published, and kind of considered himself a clever and unique man. He was hot-headed at times, and had no problems resorting to wild plots and interesting threats to reach his goals. He seemed to have a deeper, and at times, hot-tempered side to him that I feel he concealed with his sharp sense of humor; trying to make light of distressing, and even ordinary situations. Twain himself said of humor, "The secret source of humor is not joy but sorrow; there is no humor in Heaven," leading us to believe that Twain practiced humor simply to cover or cope with his own hardships and sorrows. He may even have been dark at times, feeling that he lacked joy, and sought to find humor in his situation, thus prompting his quote of where humor stems
from.
One admirable trait Mr. Twain possessed, was the boldness to preserve his uniqueness, no matter what situation he was in. His personality, while being complex, never changed, whether he was the author, the teacher, the steamboat pilot, or the lecturer. He was a passionate and thoughtful man, and this translated into his writing.
He was a very eager author who loved his work. He wanted to get published and be recognized for his works. He loved to write, especially with a sense of humor, which he also prided himself on. Mr. Twain seemed a master of storytelling, and prone to exaggeration to establish his point. This combined with his humor made for an amusing, descriptive, and yet deep writing style.
Mark had many traits that contributed to his character. He had a fantastic sense of witty humor that seemed to be present in every aspect of his life. He prided himself on being original, and considered himself smart, creative, and unique. His zeal and excitement presented themselves in his desire write and publish his works. He could be lazy, and wanted others to compile his book for him when he was first asked to put some of his sketches together. He was perhaps prone to exaggeration, an important part of his humor. Despite this, he was very honest, and wasn't afraid to give his opinions. Twain was very bold and valued the truth, even if it criticised others.
The great American author who was Mark Twain was an amazing man. He valued truth, individuality, humor, and the right to speak your mind. Through his lifetime, he made some of the most poignant truths known, regardless of how it would affect others. He spoke his mind freely, valuing truth over cautious social graces. His individuality was proudly carried with him wherever he went, whether it was appropriate or not. The same went for his humor. But at the end of the day, beneath all his wit and exaggeration, Mr. Twain was truly an incredible man and author.