馬克吐溫 美國文學(xué)

1、(18351910)Background informationnI. Historical backgroundn1. The American Civil War n (1861-1865)n2. Development in technology1. The American Civil War (1861-1865)2. Development in technologyBackground informationnII. Characteristics of literary writingsn1. Realismn2. Local colorMark Twain Biographi

2、cal IntroductionBiographical Introductionn Mark Twain was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri; died of heart disease, April 21, 1910, in Redding, Connecticut; son of John Marshall (a lawyer) and Jane (Lampton) Clemens; married Olivia Langdon, February 2, 1870 (died, 1904); children: Langd

3、on, Olivia Susan, Clara, Jean Lampton. His real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Mark Twain is the pseudonym meaning two fathoms or twelve feet. Mississippi RiverMississippi River (2)ProfessionsProfessionsn1 Worked as printers apprentice and typesetter in Hannibal, MO, 1847-50; 2 associated with Ha

4、nnibal Journal, 1850-52; 3 typesetter, 1853-57;4 apprentice riverboat pilot, 1857-59;5 riverboat pilot, 1859-60;6 secretary and government worker in Nevada, 1860-62; 7 miner, 1862;8 Territorial Enterprise, Virginia City, NV, reporter ,1862-64;9 Morning Call, San Francisco, reporter under Twain pseud

5、onym, 1864;10 Sacramento Union, Sacramento, CA, correspondent under Twain pseudonym, 1866; 11Daily Morning, San Francisco, correspondent under Twain pseudonym, 1866-69;12 Buffalo Express, editor under Twain pseudonym, 1869-71.13 Owner of Charles L. Webster & Co. (publishers), early 1.Mark Twain

6、1. Optimist & misanthrope?The change of his attitude ?His earlier writing had been full of humor, but later replaced by biting satire. He was doubtful of mankind and humanity. Some critics link this change with the tragic events of his later life, but the basic reason is that the older Twain no

7、longer takes things at their face value; after many years of traveling he encounters more often than not the dark side of social life and the wicked corners of human nature.Mark Twain2. His peculiar humor n He used a lot of colloquial idioms and colloquial syntax; often described persons who were in

8、nocent, simple, naive, and ignorant as his heroes or heroines; applied the first person to act as various kinds of comic figures who had simple mind and did things depending on their own subjective desire, which made the books real. In addition, he used the artistic style of hyperbole on the basis o

9、f the western traditional humor and made his writing full of allegories that lay behind the humor.Mark Twain3. Racial concernnIn Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, Twain used the word “nigger” more than 200 times. Hence, the argument over racism becomes the concern of the critics. Actually as a realisti

10、c writer, Twain just presents true pictures of the social life at his time. Twain only mirrors the social reality. Moreover, Twain evaluates man not as whites or blacks but as equals on earth. In this sense, Twain is not a racist at all, but a humanist.Mark Twain4. Artistic viewnTwains literary view

11、s have been tied to realism because they seem to be based on hostility toward romantic literature, toward art or writing derived from outworn tradition and clich rather than observation and experience. Twain also detests psychological analysis; he wants comic effects and fun.What is realism？ As a li

12、terary movement realism came in the latter As a literary movement realism came in the latter half of the nineteenth century as a reaction half of the nineteenth century as a reaction against “the lieagainst “the lie” ” of romanticism and of romanticism and sentimentalism. It expressed the concern fo

13、r the sentimentalism. It expressed the concern for the world of experience, of the common place, and world of experience, of the common place, and for the familiar and the low. The author must write for the familiar and the low. The author must write what he or she observed and knew. Their focus of

14、what he or she observed and knew. Their focus of attention is directed to what is brutal or sordid, attention is directed to what is brutal or sordid, and to the open portrayal of class struggle. The and to the open portrayal of class struggle. The three dominant figures of the period are William th

15、ree dominant figures of the period are William Howells, Mark Twain and Henry James.Howells, Mark Twain and Henry James.Mark Twain5. Local colornThe local color refers to a group of writers in the late 19th century whose writings carry with them the quality of texture, that is, the elements that char

16、acterize a local culture, elements such as speech, customs peculiar to one particular place, and the quality of background, which cover physical setting and those distinctive quality of landscape that condition human thought and behavior. The aim is to create the illusion of an little world with qua

17、lities that tells it apart from the world outside. Mark Twains Works Jumping Frog (1865) The Innocents Abroad (1869) Roughing It (1872) The Gilded Age (1873) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) A Tramp Abroad (1880) Life on the Mississippi (1883) Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) A Connecticut Y

18、ankee in King Arthurs Court (1889) What is man? (1906)Cover of The Adventures of Tom SawyerAn approach to fiction Plot: a sequence of interrelated actions or events Characters: the people in fiction Setting: place and objects in fiction Point of view: the narrative voice Theme: the meaning and the m

19、essage in fiction Style: the words that tell the story Tone: attitude and control in fiction Symbolism: a key to extended meaning Allegory: a key to extended meaningPLOT (1)nsetting (time): Not specified, but probably around 1845nsetting (place): The fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri (which

20、 resembles Twains hometown of Hannibal)nprotagonist: Tom Sawyernpoint of view: Third personnmajor conflict: Tom and Huck perceive their biggest struggle to be between themselves and Injun Joe, whose gold they want and whom they believe is out to kill them. Conflict also exists between Tom and his im

21、aginative world and the expectations and rules of adult society.nrising action Tom and Hucks witness of Dr. Robinsons murder; the search for the boys bodies in the river when they escape to Jacksons Island; Toms testimony at Muff Potters trial; Tom and Hucks accidental sighting of Indian Joe at the

22、haunted house; entrapment in the cave. nclimax Huck overhears Indian Joes plan to kill Widow Douglas, and Tom encounters Joe when he and Becky are stranded in the cave.nfalling action Huck gets help from the Welshman and drives Joe away from Widow Douglas; Tom avoids conflict with Joe and navigates

23、himself and Becky out of the cave; Judge Thatcher seals off the cave, causing Injun Joe to starve to death; Tom and Huck find Joes treasure; Huck is adopted and civilized by Widow Douglas.Character of Tom Sawyer (1)n When the novel begins, Tom is a mischievous child who envies Huck Finns lazy lifest

24、yle and freedom. As Toms adventures proceed, however, critical moments show Tom moving away from his childhood concerns and making mature, responsible decisions. These moments include Toms testimony at Muff Potters trial, his saving of Becky from punishment, and his heroic navigation out of the cave

25、.Character of Tom Sawyer (2)nBy the end of the novel, Tom is coaxing Huck into staying at the Widow Douglass, urging his friend to accept tight collars, Sunday school, and good table manners. Hes no longer a disobedient character undermining the adult order, but a defender of respectability and responsibility. In the end, growing up for Tom means embracing social custom and sacrificing the freedoms of childhood.THEMEn 1. moral and social maturation; n 2. societys hypocrisy;n 3. freedom thro