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An American
Master: Mark Twain
by
Marilyn Green Faulkner
Mark Twain
is as colorful a figure in our collective consciousness as any of
the characters he created. This is because the man we remember as
Mark Twain was himself a character, carefully created and promoted
by the brilliant Samuel Clemens. Clemens was born in 1835, the son
of a genteel but unsuccessful father who died when he was eleven.
He was raised on the banks of the Missouri River in a tiny town
called Hannibal, later to be immortalized through his fiction. His
early years were spent as a printer, a journalist, and as a pilot
on a Missouri steamboat. He was always writing, and had his first
story published while still a teenager. Around 1865, when his story
about the mining towns of the west was published and circulated
in newspapers throughout the country, Clemens realized that he could
make a living through his humorous accounts of his travels. He adopted
the name Mark Twain and followed the example of Artemus Ward, a
famous humorist of the time, giving lectures on his experiences
in the west.
Twain found
a popular subject in the strange new sect of Mormonism. He had visited
Salt Lake City and poked fun at polygamists, the Book of Mormon,
and the curious rituals practiced by the new faith. Three chapters
of Twain's autobiographical account, Roughing It, deal with
his "experiences" in Utah, though much of his information is taken
from Ward's earlier lectures. (If you would like to know more about
Twain and the Mormons, Dr. Richard Cracroft has written two fascinating
articles on the subject, available through BYU Studies.) His most
famous passage explains how he intended to expose the evils of polygamy
until he got a look at the women involved:
"I was touched.
My heart was wiser than my head. It warmed toward these poor,
ungainly, and pathetically homely creatures, and as I turned to
hide the generous moisture in my eyes, I said, "No - the man that
marries one of them has done an act of Christian charity which
entitles him to the kindly applause of mankind, not their censure
- and the man that marries sixty of them has done a deed of openhanded
generosity so sublime that the nations should stand uncovered
in his presence and worship in silence." (101)
Twain's success
as a lecturer kept him busy, but he continued to write. His first
real novel was serialized in the Atlantic Monthly in 1876.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is remarkable in many respects.
Here we see the world through the eyes of a boy, and what a boy
he is. I love to think about the first lines of novels, and try
to imagine how the author selected the words which would begin the
long narrative. The first line of this book is the shortest first
line in all of literature, and a pure stroke of genius. Here it
is: "Tom!" In one word Twain lets us know that our hero is no hero,
he's a boy who gets yelled at - a lot. Tom is always in trouble,
always has a new angle, and is the kind of kid you don't want your
child to play with. You have to love him. Don't be fooled by the
subject matter - this is a book for adults, with themes of death,
religious faith vs. true goodness, and the natural honor that exists
in man before civilization corrupts him.
These themes
continue in the sequel, Huckleberry Finn, with the added
theme of racial harmony, a courageous move on Twain's part and one
that caused the book to be banned in many places. The irony of political
correctness is such that the book has become controversial again
in our time for the opposite reason, in response to Twain's use
of the offensive word, "nigger." It is a jarring word, but, as Toni
Morrison so brilliantly asserts, the word is inextricable from the
novel, since Huck would not have referred to a black man in any
other term. Morrison makes the point that Huck's love for the runaway
slave Jim represents racial harmony, but not racial equality. Neither
Huck, nor Twain, could truly conceive of the black man as an equal.
That Twain portrays Jim as human, fallible and with the same emotional
complexity as his white characters, is a great leap forward in literature.
If I had to
summarize these two books, I would say that Tom Sawyer has
a better plot and Huck Finn is a greater book. If you haven't
read Tom Sawyer in the last decade, read it by all means.
You will find so much there that you missed as a child. Then, go
on to Huck Finn for a deeper, more moving experience. Norman
Mailer described the image of Huck and Jim, floating down the great
river on a raft, as an image that had haunted him all his life.
There are moments of pure hilarity, such as the doctrinal discussion
of "King Sollerman," and moments of pure descriptive power, such
as Huck's picture of the sudden storm in Chapter Nine:
"It would
get so dark that it looked all blue-black outside, and lovely;
and the rain would thrash along by so thick that the trees off
a little ways looked dime and spider-webby; and here would come
a blast of wind that would bend the trees down and turn up the
pale underside of the leaves; and then a perfect ripper of a gust
would follow along and set the branches to tossing their arms
as if they was just wild; and next, when it was just about the
bluest and blackest - fst! It was as bright as glory and you'd
have a little glimpse of tree tops a plunging about, away off
yonder in the storm, hundreds of yards further than you could
see before; dark as sin again in a second, and now you'd hear
the thunder let go with an awful crash and then go rumbling, grumbling,
tumbling down the sky towards the under side of the world, like
rolling empty barrels downstairs, where it's long stairs and they
bounce a good deal, you know." (113)
Twain manages
the impossible task of preserving Huck's dialect, mannerisms and
vocal style while tackling themes that range from abuse to integrity,
and from democracy to religious faith. I'll be interested to hear
your comments as you re-discover Mark Twain, the man William Dean
Howells referred to as "the Lincoln of our literature."
Readers
respond to July's selection, The Keys of the Kingdom, by
A.J. Cronin:
Our July book
posed a special challenge to our erstwhile club members, since it
is out of print! But readers found it in local libraries, used bookstores,
and in the used book section at Amazon.com. Here is a sampling of
their comments:
I really
enjoyed "The Keys of the Kingdom" by A. J. Cronin. I had never
read any of his books before. It is refreshing to read a book
that is profoundly uplifting without glossing over the harsh realities
of life. Father Chisholm worked his way into my heart with his
simple faith in God and in the redeeming qualities of his fellow
man. He gives us a glimpse of what the world could be like if
people would put aside the things which separate us, and focus
on those things that join us together. Brotherhood and unity is
a message woven through every part of this book, even while the
characters deal with extreme physical hardships, bigotry, abuse,
war, etc. Father Chisholm faces disappointments and difficulties
with sadness, of course, but also with a practicality and optimism
that allows him to pull himself back from the depths, lift himself
above the tragedies, and go on. We can all learn a lesson from
him. This book has definitely found a place on my list of favorites.
As a former
Catholic and LDS convert of two years, I found this book to have
a very realistic portrayal of that church. I was also pleased
to see Father Chisholm bring forth a few of the best, but frequently
overlooked, teachings of the Catholic Church. Things like tolerance
for people of all religions for the good they do, and the belief
that all who follow the best light they are given, including non-Christians,
will somehow be saved. I was definitely taught these things in
the Catechism classes I attended. This was a big difference between
the Catholic and Protestant doctrines that I studied in a 27-year
search for a church I could believe in 100%. (Admittedly, I did
not study every sect.) It is also something shared with the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but here I see how that
can be accomplished through temple work.
-Kitty
I finished
The Keys of the Kingdom last night and I absolutely loved it.
The most moving parts for me were when Sister Mary Veronica had
to leave, when Mr. Chia decided to convert due the example of
Father Chisholm, and of course when he finally left China after
36 years of missionary work. (I wished he could have somehow met
with Sister Mary Veronica again, but that was only a mild disappointment).
We only went on missions for 2 years, imagine 36. I loved how
he always had doubts and questions about his religion but they
never stopped him for serving the people around him. I was forced
to reflect on my own faith and how often I rationalize my way
out of helping others because of the challenges I am dealing with
in my personal life. It's easy to do.
I want to
thank you for starting the book club. It has started me reading
again and I have enjoyed all the books I've read so far this summer.
So far I have read, A Room with a View, The Chosen, Fried Green
Tomatoes, Midwives (which I loved) The Accidental
Tourist, Christy (another book with strong religious themes)
Snow Falling on Cedars, and Keys of the Kingdom all since
June 1st.
-Steve
I enjoyed
this book and thought Father Chisolm was an example of an IDEAL
Christian. While all the other characters were like most of us,
struggling to do better, he was the example of how we all should
be (but won't because perfection is not obtainable in this life).
The book should be viewed in that light as a teaching story, rather
then a realistic story. However, the book helped me reflect on
areas in my life where I can improve and in that sense is a wonderful
book. I have also read "The Citadel" by Cronin, it is a wonderful
account of how physicians should be. Thanks for introducing me
to such a thought-provoking book.
"millrum"
I reread "Keys
of the Kingdom" a couple of years ago and found it wonderful (as
was the movie adaptation with Gregory Peck). As a former Catholic,
I knew a few priests like the father in the book; men who were
very simple and so very, very, kind and spiritual but badly treated
by the Church hierarchy because they dared to march to a different
drummer.
Valerie
I've read
nearly all of Cronin's novels. My favorite is "The Citadel" although
every woman I know who has read it has hated it. Every man has
loved it. "Keys of the Kingdom", "Shannons Way" and "The Green
Years" are all excellent. I love Cronin's writing style. His earlier
books are better than his later books as his later books included
some sexual content.
I assume as
he became more successful, he thought adding that stuff would
give it realism or something. This of course, disappointed me.
Stick with his earlier works. "The Citadel" is semi-autobiographical.
AJ Cronin wrote an autobiography that is in fact better than them
all: "Adventures in Two Worlds" The chapter of his experience
on a ship in this book is one of the greatest things ever written.
Wes
It's easy to
join the Best Books Club. Just click on bestbooks@meridianmagazine.com
and I'll put you on our mailing list. Read along with us and send
your comments, and I'll share them with the group in these articles.
Here is our reading list for the next few months:
August: The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer and/or Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
September:
Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen
October: How
Green Was My Valley, by Richard Llewelyn
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Magazine. All Rights Reserved.
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