1、Mark TwainMirror of America Mark Twain-马克马克吐温吐温(1835-1910)the pen name(pseudonym)of Samuel Langhorne Clemens 塞缪尔塞缪尔朗赫恩朗赫恩克莱门斯克莱门斯 Life story/biography -Noel Grove Life experiences grew up on the Mississippi River at 12,father died,13,left school a full time printers apprentice;18,went to New York,a
2、tramp printer 22,a steamboat pilot until 1861(26)-gave him a wide knowledge of humanity The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861,-confederate guerrilla Gold or silver fever-tried mining,speculating,but failed In Virginia City,a local journalist -on February 3,1863,“Mark Twain”was born His most producti
3、ve years Married in 1870(35)and moved to Hartford.Conn where he lived his most productive years till 1891(56)Tom Sawyer 1876 Huckleberry Finn 1884-all modern American literature comes.“(Ernest Hemingway)Personal tragedies 1.his investments and golden rush failed 2.Father:pneumonia 3.Brother Henry:ki
4、lled by a steamboat explosion 4.Son died at 19th month 5.two daughters died 6.His wife succumbed to heart attack -turn to be very bitter and satirical in his later days His works-Stories 1867:“The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County”“卡拉韦拉斯县驰名的跳蛙”“卡拉韦拉斯县驰名的跳蛙”-a frontier tale-He became nation
5、ally famous 1899:The Man That Corrupted Hardleybug 败坏了哈德莱堡的人败坏了哈德莱堡的人 local color represented social life through portraits of local places which he knew best drew from his own rich fund of knowledge of people and places tall tales(highly exaggerated)a texture of most local color literature，a sense
6、of humor he used colloquial language,vernacular language,dialects Words:short,concrete,direct in effect sentence&structures:simple,even ungrammatical Comments:Mark Twain was the first truly American writer,and all of us since are his heirs,who descended from him.“(William Faulkner)humor is of witty
7、remarks mocking at small things and making people laugh is a kind of artistic style used to criticize the social injustice Metaphor Mirror means a person who gives a true representation of description of the country.His life and works are a mirror of the America of his time.when you are to write a b
8、iography on somebody,What aspects about him/her will be touched?Common steps 1.a general comment/appraisal 2.life experiences a.the background knowledge(history,society,family,career)b.early life experience c.big events/way to success d.shining points 3.conclusion Part I(Para.1)a general appraisal o
9、f Mark Twain Part II(Para.2-19)-life experiences section 1(2-3)the setting background knowledge section 2(4-6)Early life on Mississippi and as a confederate guerrilla section 3(7-13)On his way to success section 4(14-19)Comment on his best works Part III.(20-22)personal tragedies and conclusion Part
10、 I a general appraisal of Mark Twain Twain is most famous to most Americans as the creator of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer.Eternal,Endless:hyperbole-to show that the two unforgettable and permanent literature figures long live in readers hearts On Huck and Tom Hucks sailing on the river was so pleasant,
11、carefree,simple and peaceful that it made his boyhood infinite.Toms independent mind and his exciting and dangerous activities made the summer seem everlasting.Adventurous:Twain was always trying new things,going to new places.Even in his literary career,he was never satisfied with what he had achie
12、ved.Patriotic:A.profound love for his country B.refers to his pride in American traditions and the American language Romantic:Writing features-passion,informal beauty Humorous:his works are so full of humor that he is considered Americas greatest humorist.I found another Twain as welllife dealt him(
13、personification)black wall of night.I also found another aspect of Twain,who became sarcastic,bitter because of the great tragedies,who was continually distressed by the weakness of the human race and who plunged himself into despair and hopelessness.Part II-life experiences Section 1(2-3)the settin
14、g background knowledge Section 2(4-6)Early life on Mississippi and as a confederate guerrilla Section 3(7-13)On his way to success Section 4(14-19)Comment on his best works Paragraph 23 Background knowledge Starry-eyed:romantic,dreamy Acid-tongued:sharp,sarcastic in speech Ranged across the nation;w
15、andered/travelled across New American experience Twain lived in the stirring years in American history a.American Civil War b.The westward expansion c.Golden Rush d.Rapid development of Capitalism e.Emergence of Imperialism Main artery of transportation in the young nations heart -metaphorical expre
16、ssion Artery-main channel Heart-central part A Steamboat View on the River Crops in the North Tobacco corn fur lumber wheat Crops in the South Cotton whiskey sugar The climax of Westward expansion When America became independent,there were only 13 states along the Atlantic Ocean.By 1850,U.S has expanded to the Pacific,including the massacre of the native Indians,the Louisiana Purchase 1803 Golden Rush In 1848,gold was found in California.People rushed there to seek their fortune,known as the“gol
