Mark Twain

“Wit is the sudden marriage of ideas which, before their union were not perceived to have any relation.”

Mark Twain knows all about wit. His writings are full of satirical musings and sharp commentary of societies’ social norms and politics; plus he weaves quite a tapestry of colorful stories about the American lifestyle in the 19th century.

Yet, his magic as an author does not stop there. Giving Jules Verne a run for his money, Twain also wrote a science fiction book, “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” which involves time travel. He even tried his hand at a historical novel, “The Prince and the Pauper” which defies the rules of the aristocracy, in which a King and a Pauper change places. His approach to writing combines a “perfect union” of his political and social consciousness with the extraordinary command of the English language.

His first book, “Innocents Abroad”, Twain’s humorous observations of traveling to foreign countries gave readers on opportunity to see the world not through an intellectual or historical context, but as if they too were traveling to these places. Twain says, “I make small pretense of showing anyone how he ought to look at objects of interest beyond the sea – other books do that, and therefore, even if I were competent to do it, there is no need.”

Twain even uses wit with the creation of his pen name. Born Samuel Clemens, Twain decided to write under a pen name, “Mark Twain” when writing for newspapers out West. He cleverly applied his knowledge of the language a riverboat captain knows and took on the persona of” mark twain “which means: a cry for a measured river depth by the captain of the boat.

Even when Twain suffered financial hardship, his ability to see the irony of his situation is shown here, as he commented on his failings with humor and wit. He said, “Human existence is a cosmic joke perpetuated by a chuckling God.”

Famous authors such as Hemingway and Faulkner gave Mark Twain the highest praise. Faulkner said, “Mark Twain is the father of American Literature.” Hemingway pronounced his opinion of Twain’s contribution to literature, “All Modern Literature comes from the book by Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn”.

Twain’s mastery of the English language as well as being a civil rights spokesperson through telling the stories of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, again exemplify his marriage of ideas, which before did not exist. The two novels are known for “the vivid, raw not so respectable voice of the common folk,” said one critic.

The latter part of this author’s life, he toured the world giving lectures. It was said by historians that his standing in front of an audience, charming and making them laugh with his astute observations of life, paved the way for stand up comedy.

Only Mark Twain could predict his death with wit. He was quoted, “The Almighty said, no doubt: Now here are these 2 unaccountable freaks. (Referring to himself and Hailey’s comet.) They came in together, they must go out together.” Mark Twain died one day after the comet came the closest to the earth.