Mark Twain: The writer who portrayed the soul of America.
Did you know that Mark Twain, known as the “father of American literature,” was not only a writer, but also a critical thinker who challenged the social norms of his time? With works such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Twain became one of the most influential writers in history. But beyond his literary work, his life and his views on slavery, racism, war and capitalism continue to resonate in today’s social and political debates.
In this module, we will explore Mark Twain’s life and work, but we will also delve into the complex issues he addressed in his writings. We will analyze his approach to literary realism, a current that painted an accurate picture of American society, full of contradictions and problems. We will study slavery, racial discrimination, the American Civil War and imperialism, recurring themes in his writings, and how his psychology of humor caused him to address these issues directly, but with irony and sarcasm.
We will also discover Twain’s financial side: a man who experienced the American dream and suffered the dilemmas of debt and financial responsibility, something he reflected not only in his personal life, but also in his criticism of the capitalist system of his time.
Character Curiosities
- ✒️ Mark Twain was a pseudonym; his real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. The name “Mark Twain” comes from a river navigation term, which indicated a depth measurement of two fathoms.
- 🌍 Twain was a fierce critic of imperialism and colonialism, taking a stand against U.S. expansion into other nations, such as the Philippines, which made him unpopular with many of his contemporaries.
- 💸 Despite being a highly successful writer, Twain lost much of his fortune due to bad investments, which led him to write about the moral dilemma of debt and financial responsibility.
