Mark Twain

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Mark Twain
The Lowest Animal
Man is the only animal that blushes or has
occasion to.
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• Satire The Weapon of Laughter

Mark Twain wrote that we have only one really
effective weaponlaughter. Power, money,
persuasion, supplicationthese can lift a
colossal humbugpush it a littleweaken it a
little century by century but only laughter can
blow it to rags and atoms at a blast.
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is the use of language to ridicule human
weakness, vices, or stupidity, with the hope of
bringing about social change.
Satire--

1. Satire uses humor to criticize all human beings
   or a particular person or institution.
2. One of the favorite techniques of the satirist is
   hyperbole (exaggeration)an overstating something
   to make it look absurd or worse than it is.
3. Another favorite technique is ironystating the
   opposite of what is really meant.

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Twain History Though his most famous novel is
criticized for being racist, Mark Twain never
expected nor intended the controversy that arose
with the publication of Huckleberry Finn. Mark
Twain was not racist, but depicted life in his
times.
I vividly remember seeing a dozen black men
and women chained to one another, once, and lying
in a group on the pavement, awaiting shipment to
the Southern slave market. Those were the saddest
faces I have ever seen. Mark Twain
Pictures from www.pbs.org
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"I have no color prejudices nor caste prejudices
nor creed prejudices. All I care to know is that
a man is a human being, and that is enough for
me he can't be any worse."
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• By 1900 Twain had become Americas foremost
  celebrity.
• He was invited to attend ship launchings,
  anniversary gatherings, political conventions,
  and countless dinners.
• Reporters met him at every port of call, anxious
  to print a new quip from the famous humorist.
• To enhance his image, he took to wearing white
  suits and loved to stroll down the street and see
  people staring at him.

Pictures from www.pbs.org
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When he died on April 21, 1910, newspapers around
the country declared, The whole world is
mourning. By then, Sam Clemens had long since
ceased to be a private citizen. He had become
Mark Twain, a proud possession of the American
nation.
I was sorry to have my name mentioned as one
of the great authors, because they have a sad
habit of dying off. Chaucer is dead, Spencer is
dead, so is Milton, so is Shakespeare, and Im
not feeling so well myself.Mark Twain
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You can find in a text whatever you bring, if
you will stand between it and the mirror of your
imagination.
Picture from Dave Thomson collection
www.twainquotes.com
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Everyone is a moon, and has a dark side which he
never shows to anybody.
Picture from Dave Thomson collection
www.twainquotes.com
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The dog is a gentleman I hope to go to his
heaven, not man's.
Picture from Dave Thomson collection
www.twainquotes.com
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Humor is mankind's greatest blessing.
Against the assault of laughter, nothing can
stand.
The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to
cheer somebody else up.
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By trying we can easily learn to endure
adversity--another man's I mean.
Picture from Dave Thomson collection
www.twainquotes.com
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It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear
stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.