Mark Twain

Term Paper Title	Mark Twain
# of Words	4683
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	18.73

Mark Twain

In Mark Twain's two major works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and it's sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he develops and displays his humoristic abilities by concealing within them deeper meanings, ultimately producing a satire of the region in which he lived.
     Examined within this paper are the methods which Twain uses to conceal his satire within the above two novels.  The majority of his points are made using humor, but he also takes advantage of the use of southwestern dialect and Huck Finn's childlike innocence.  Much of the content of the two novels involve the region in which Twain lived as well as certain places or events in his lifetime.  The aspects of his past that lead to his writing style as well as his life on the Mississippi is discussed as far as is relevant to support the thesis.
     The information gathered to research the satirical aspect of Twain's writing is primarily in the form of books.  Several books as well as one critical essay were referenced and included in the Bibliography in order to write the research paper.  The research revealed his novels were deeply influenced by Twain's past.  His nature causes him to write in the manner he does.  In his past, people tried to stifle his creative mind, and as a result his works are have their most important meanings hidden below the surface.  This tendency is almost instinctive.

     In conclusion, this entire paper may violate Twain's notice in The Adventures of

Huckleberry Finn, in that it attempts to find a motive, a moral, and a plot in the narrative; and it

may lead its author to be subject to prosecution, banishment, and/or shooting.  However, the

novel is perhaps the best of it's kind, and even in it's warning it suggests a deeper meaning to the

entire book.  But like the warning, if one reads the book and accepts it at face value, they will

miss out on Twain's intentions.
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Table of  contents
Quote........................................................................................................................................iv
Introduction...........................................................................................................................1
Historical Background..........................................................................................................2
The Adventures of tom sawyer.........................................................................................5
the adventures of huckleberry Finn..................................................................................8
conclusion..........................................................................................................................13
endnotes............................................................................................................................14
bibliography.....................................................................................................................15

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"There are several kinds of stories, but only one difficult kind - the humorous..."
                                                      -- Mark Twain

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introduction
     In Mark Twain's two major works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and it's sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, he develops and displays his humoristic abilities by concealing within them deeper meanings, ultimately producing a satire of the region in which he lived.
     The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written in 1876 and it's sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was written in 1884.  The time difference between the two novels is significant.  Within the eight year span, Twain's feelings changed, and his gift for satire became more acute.  The observable increase in the deeper meanings of the second novel show evidence to this fact.  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is more commonly considered a book for younger readers, as opposed to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, which is considered one of the greatest novels in history because it conceals so well Twain...

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