Mark Twain Research Paper

Name -- Professor Reber English 1113 10 October 2012 Mark Twain Mark Twain was a world renowned novelist and a beloved American Writer. He wrote things about what was happening in the world around him and is also a huge part of American Literature. Although Mark Twain is a famous novelist his home life, background/achievements, and greatest accomplishments are what made him who he is today. Mark Twain was more than the man we all know.

For one thing, he was born as Samuel Langhorn Clemens on November thirtieth eighteen thirty-five and given the nickname “Little Sam. ” In addition, his birthplace was “a two-room frame house in Florida…Missouri” (Cox, 7) to a John and Jane Clemens. After reaching the age of eighteen he took on an occupation in Philadelphia. Incidentally, he started working “as a cub and later as a captain for four years” (Lasky, 25) on a ship. In time, he achieved a certificate for being a Mississippi Pilot.

When the Civil War broke out, Twain somewhat became a part of it. Likewise, he joined a group of friends, although none having any knowledge about fighting, war, or of the military, to fight “on the Confederate side with a small militia called Marion Rangers” (Lasky, 26). By the way, Twain was twenty-five when he moved back to Hannibal to be a part of the Militia. Mark Twain, even having little achievements, had quite the background. The root of where all this started wasn’t just at his birth, but also in his home life.

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Thus, Twain and “his family moved to…Hannibal, Missouri” (Biography of Mark Twain, 1) where he befriended slaves of his dad and uncle. As a result, this had started Twain’s negativity towards slavery when he grew older. Twain loved his family though he wasn’t so fortunate of the mishaps that were to come. For instance, he lost his father when Twain was eleven and his brother, age twenty, was “fatally scalded… [when Twain] found him on a mattress” (Cox, 43) on the Pennsylvania after the steam boat exploded killing one hundred fifty people, his brother included.

On the other hand, Twain married lovely Olivia Langdon on February second eighteen seventy which follows his quote,” when you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain” (Brainyquotes, 2). Twain and Olivia, just like any happily married couple, also had children of their own. That is, little Langdon was their first child, born prematurely and with brittle bones, only lived nineteen months and second daughter Olivia Susan (Susy) even living up to age twenty-four had unfortunately “died from spinal meningitis” (News, 1).

Twain always had problems with his middle daughter Clara, who overtime became distant to her family, and his youngest daughter, who he had the most struggles with, suffered from epilepsy (nearly trying to kill the maid during her attacks) and died at the age of twenty-nine from a heart attack. Some things that happened in Twain’s home life marked as either turning points or became the center for some of his works. Mark Twain, unlike any other famous novelist/writer, has his very own accomplishments. The two of his greatest accomplishments is what everyone knows him famous for.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as being his greatest and most popular works were also to quickly become his greatest accomplishments. Likewise, both books corresponded with the other about adventures of both low class, Huck Finn, and middle class, Tom Sawyer, had together and of their friendship. Another believed greatest accomplishment was his hidden eulogy that hadn’t surfaced until about two years ago. Furthermore, about his daughter Susy “a passionate eulogy” (News, 1) is guessed to have been written around the time of her death.

In addition, this eulogy shows the fondness he had towards his daughter, ultimately showing she was his favorite daughter, he described “her as being ‘full of fire’” (News, 1). His occupation changed later on in his life. Therefore, he had begun to write his works “under the pen name of Mark Twain” (Synopsis, 1). In addition to all his greatest accomplishments, he had obtained the title of a sailboat pilot, novelist, journalist, lecturer, entrepreneur, and inventor. Among everything, his greatest accomplishment was him himself.

Today, Twain is known for his popular works, or greatest accomplishments, thus making him a huge character for American Literature. What made him so great is through his experiences growing up, his background, and what he achieved that made up his motivation and within his works he writes of some of his incidents, his opinions, and similar adventures. All-in-all, Mark Twain may have believed his novels were his greatest achievements, but the true answer to that is what he created as himself – a legend. Works Cited

Biography. CMG Solutions, 5 Jul. 2006. cmgww. com. 26 Sept. 2012. Web. Biography of Mark Twain. The Mark Twain House & Museum. marktwainhouse. org, n. d. 26 Sept. 2012. Web. Cox, Clinton. Mark Twain. New York: Scholastic Inc, 1995. Print. Lasky, Kathryn. A Brilliant Streak: The Making of Mark Twain. Orlando: Harcourt Brace & Company. 1998. Print. Mark Twain. A+E Television Networks, LLC, 2012. biography. com. 26 Sept. 2012. Web. Mark Twain. Xplore Inc, 2012. brainyquote. com. 26 Sept. 2012. Web.

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