SUMMARY: Mark Twain (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910) American American humorist, writer
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Being dubbed “the father of American literature,” many know Mark Twain for his novels, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Since these literary masterpieces, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has been called the great American novel.
Early Life
Mark Twain began his life on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri. Samuel Langhorn Clemens (better known as Mark Twain), was the sixth of seven children, three of his siblings died in childhood. At four years old, his family moved to Hannibal, a small port town on the Mississippi River. This town would later inspire a fictional town in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain grew up in a time when slavery was rampant, he despised injustice of slavery and any form of senseless violence. At age 11, his father died of pneumonia and Twain left school and began work. The following year, Twain became a printer’s apprentice. His brother, Orion, owned the Hannibal Journal newspaper and Twain began work as a typesetter. By the time he was 18 Twain traveled to New York, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Philadelphia to work as a printer. Twain returned to Missouri at 22 and pursued a career as a steamboat pilot. Twain worked as a steamboat pilot until 1861 when the American Civil War broke out.
Family Life
Twain and his brother traveled across the United States to Salt Lake City, Nevada and eventually to San Francisco, California. In 1867, he took a tour of Europe and the Middle East. Twain then met Charles Langton. Langton had a sister named Olivia whom Twain fell in love with. The two married in 1870. Olivia gave birth two three daughters and one son. Three of their children died before they reached their twenties. In 1874, Twain built their home in Hartford, Connecticut. To this day, the home still stands and is a museum to Mark Twain.
Twain was known for losing money on printing machines, mining and other projects that never succeeded. However, one of Twain’s best attributes during his financial woes was his sense of humor. In 1895, Twain set off on a world lecture tour, in order to pay off his debts. During this time, he encountered numerous famous people such as Mahatma Gandhi, Sigmund Freud and Booker T. Washington.
Literature
Hailed as one of America’s greatest novels, Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876. The book was based on Twain’s own childhood and adventures with his friends. His next published work, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, set Twain apart as one of the best American novelists. The overall theme of the book was the young boy’s belief in the right thing to do despite being told it was wrong. After his great successes, Twain began to write, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, in 1885. This work marked a difficult time for Twain as he spiraled downward into deeper debt. In 1894, he was forced to file bankruptcy. Twain’s final writing was an autobiography published in 1924 after his death.
Twain’s literary career produced over 19 famous books such as: The Prince and The Paulper, The Guilded Age, Roughing It and many other famous works. His impact on American literature is impressive and still admired by inspiring writers.
End of Life
Mark Twain died on April 21, 1910 in Redding, Connecticut. He is buried next to his wife and children in Elmira, New York. Twain’s last written statement was-
“Death, the only immortal who treats us all alike, whose pity and whose peace and whose refuge are for all—the soiled and the pure, the rich and the poor, the loved and the unloved.”
