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Explore the life and works of Mark Twain during the Gilded Age, known for his humor, realism, and anti-imperialist views. Learn about his most famous works like "Huck Finn" and his impact on American literature.
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V. Literature of the Gilded Age (1865 – 1912) • Mark Twain Life Works Huck Finn
Gilded Age - characteristics • Urbanization • Industrialization • Immigration
Mark Twain • Transition figure • Work published after Civil War • Associated with antebellum era
Twain - Life • Born in Hannibal, MO (1835) as Samuel Clemens • Worked on Miss. steamboats • Fought in Civil War • Journalist after war in California & Nevada
Twain - Life • Published ”Jumping Frog” in 1869 • Later moved East – full-time writer, lecturer • Nationally famous • Personal troubles lead to ”Great Dark” period in 1890s • Dies in Connecticut (1910)
Twain - life • Humorist • Southwestern humor • Tall tale • Realist • Anti-imperialist
Associated w/ West Associated w/ antebellum era Known as humorist Wrote about simple man Lived mostly in East All works written after Civil War Cynical at end of life Very money-conscious Contradictions
Twain - Works • “Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” (1865) • Innocents Abroad (1869) • The Gilded Age (1873) • Tom Sawyer (1876) • Huck Finn (1883) • Connecticut Yankee (1889)
Huckleberry Finn "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.If you read it you must stop where the Nigger Jim is stolen from the boys. That is the real end. The rest is just cheating. But it's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since." Ernest Hemingway, Green Hills of Africa, 1935
Huck Finn - Reception • Criticized in 1880s when it first appeared • Banned by Concord Library • Why? • Criticized today for different reason • On list of ”Most Challenged Books” from 1990-2007 by ALA • Why?
ALA list of most challenged books 1990-99 • Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz • Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite • I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou • The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier • The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain • Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck • Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling • Forever by Judy Blume • Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson • Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor • Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
ALA list of most challenged books 2000-07 1. Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling 2. Alice series, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor 3. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier 4. Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck 5. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou 6. Scary Stories, by Alvin Schwartz 7. Fallen Angels, by Walter Dean Myers 8. It’s Perfectly Normal, by Robie Harris 9. And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson/Peter Parnell 10. Captain Underpants, by DavPilkey 11. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
ALA most challenged books - 2015 1) Looking for Alaska, by John Green 2) Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James 3) I Am Jazz, by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings 4) Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, by Susan Kuklin 5) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon 6) The Holy Bible 7) Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel 8) Habibi, by Craig Thompson 9) Nasreen’s Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan, by Jeanette Winter 10) Two Boys Kissing, by David Levithan
ALA msot challenged books - 2017 1. Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher 2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie 3. Drama by Raina Telgemeier 4. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini 5. George by Alex Gino 6. Sex is a Funny Wordby Cory Silverberg 7. To Kill a Mockingbirdby Harper Lee 8. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 9. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson 10. I Am Jazz by Jessica Herthel and Jazz Jennings
Huck Finn “Good gracious! anybody hurt?” “No’m. Killed a nigger.” “Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt.
Huck Finn - innovations • Language • Perspective of common man
Huck Finn – major themes • Search for freedom • Social satire • Development of Huck
Huck Finn Two major problems with novels?
Huckleberry Finn • Logic of fleeing southward. • Tom & Huck freeing Jim at end.
Reactions to ending • Hemingway • Ralph Ellison • Toni Morrison
Bret Harte • Born 1836 in NY • Moved to Calif. 1853 • Lives in SF 1860 • Moves back to NY in 1871 • Moves to Britain 1880 • Dies 1902
Bret Harte • Famous for tales about Gold Rush • Feud with Mark Twain
Charles Chesnutt • Born in North • “Free person of color” • Doctor, author • Explores mixed-race issues • passing
Charles Chestnutt • “The Wife of His Youth” • The Conjure Woman • “The Goophered Grapevine” • Status of mulatto • In white society • In black society
Next Lecture • Realism & Naturalism • Ambrose Bierce • Stephen Crane