Mark Twain--A Man and his Literary Politics

Paper Summary:

Mark Twain was an outspoken and influential individual who, through his work, managed to influence American politics and society. The paper discusses how Twain's direct involvement in politics was limited, but his influence was felt in small degrees over the years. It examines his national campaign against police abuse and his affect on the masses. His most profitable followers were men and so he addressed a robust, masculine audience, however the paper shows that he was not sexist.

From the Paper:

"The nineteenth century in America marked an era of social and political turmoil, where the white man was abusing the rights of the black man, where the church was laden with hypocrisy, when westward expansion was an "All-American" endeavor, and when the middle class American was beginning to find his place in a young nation. During this era many literary giants emerged, one of them being the notorious Mark Twain. Mark Twain was a man who was raised on the banks of the Mississippi, and as a lasting tribute he depicted the very essence of life in that region. Aside from providing his readers with a vivid picture of the ante-bellum South, exposing corruption was yet another motive in Mark Twain's celebrated oratorical and literary careers. Twain became an outspoken political figure who used speech and writing to convey messages of the nation's widespread corruption. For many years, it appeared as if Twain had a degree of control over political figures with his satirical newspaper articles ether refuting or endorsing their opinions. When he addressed a group, he captivated them with his humor that left an impression that would last a life time. Mark Twain was well liked, his opinions much supported, and for a time he was one of the most important people in the United States."

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