Otázka: Mark Twain
Jazyk: Angličtina
Přidal(a): Klára Č.
MARK TWAIN
- American writer and humourist of 19th century, one of the most famous writers worldwide
- Mark Twain = pen name
- Real name: Samuel Clemens
LIFE
- Born in 1835 (Halley´s comet was close to the earth)
- When he was a child, his family moved to Hannibal, a port town on the Mississippi river
- He always admired boats on the Mississippi river, and he wanted to pilot one himself. With the help of professional pilot (Horace Bixby), he learnt how to navigate a boat and became the pilot for 4 years. He later decided to choose a pen name “Mark Twain” based on his piloting experiences because “Mark Twain” means “2 fathoms deep”, which is the save height of water for the boat.
- He also looked for silver and gold in Nevada and travelled around the world
- Later in his life he got married and had 3 kids
- He was also fascinated by new technology and was a great friend with Nicolas Tesla
- His stories were really popular in America
- Unfortunately, he suffered from depression after his wife and two daughters died which we can see in some of his works
- He died in 1910 when Halley´s comet appeared once more
- He said “I came in with Halley´s comet and I expect to go out with it.”
WORK
- Was a journalist and wrote articles
- Articles about travelling
- Tried to write fiction too
- His last work was his autobiography
- Most famous: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn
- Style: wrote with humour and wit, using American English, wasn´t afraid of social criticism, gripping storytelling
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
- Story about the life of a young boy – Tom Sawyer
- PLACE: town St. Petersburg (inspired by his hometown Hannibal) on the Mississippi river
- MAIN CHARACTERS: Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn (Tom´s friend)
- ALL CHARACTERS: Tom S, Huckleberry F., Aunt Polly, half-brother Sid, Injun Joe, Dr. Robinson, Becky, widow Douglas
THE PLOT
- Tom lives together with his aunt Polly and half-brother Sid. He skips school one day and as a punishment he has to whitewash a fence. He is grumpy at first, but he finds a way how to avoid work. He claims that whitewashing is a privilege and he let his friends do it instead of him in exchange for small treasures.
- He also falls in love with the new girl in the town – Becky. He persuades her to engage with him by kissing but after some time their relationship ends as Becky learns about the previous engagement of Tom and some other girl (Amy Lawrence). He later gains again her sympathies when he accepts a punishment instead of her (because she ripped a book)
- In the next adventure he and Huckleberry Finn go at night to the graveyard where they witness a murder. Injun Joe kills dr. Robinson. When the murder is investigated, Injun Joe pins the blame on his innocent companion. Tom decides to speak up and reveal the true murderer but Injun Joe escapes. Tom and Huck live in a constant fear from now on.
- In summer, Tom and Huck goes to the haunted house looking for the treasure. They find Injun Joe and his partner who, by coincidence, find the treasure themselves and carry the gold away.
- One day, Tom and Becky get lost in the cave. The find out that Injun Joe use the cave as a hideout. Town people are searching for Tom and Becky, but they can´t find them. At the end, Tom finds the way out and he tells town people about Injun Joe. They seal the cave so that Injun Joe will starve to death.
- Tom and Huck then go back to the cave and find the box of gold which belonged to Injun Joe
- Huck is then adopted by widow Douglas, who he saved from Injun Joe before. He doesn´t like the life in civilized home but Tom promises him that when he stays with the widow, he can join Tom´s robber band.
- (je tam ještě 1 adventure, kde se hoši vydají na ostrov a lidi z města si pak myslí, že zemřeli. Hoši se vrátí na svůj vlastní pohřeb… ale nedávala jsem to tam, protože už takhle je to dlouhé jak kráva)
SUMMARY
Tom lives with his aunt and half-brother / white washing the fence / engagement with Becky / punishment instead of Becky / T + H witness a murder at the graveyard / Tom reveals the murderer Injun Joe / Injun Joe escapes / T + H look for the treasure in haunted house / Injun Joe finds the gold / T + Becky at the cave / find Injun Joe and his hide out / Tom finds a way from the cave / sealing the cave to starve Injun Joe to death / T + H goes to the cave for gold / Huck is adopted by widow Douglas / Huck doesn´t want to stay in civilized home but Tom will make him a member of his Robber band if he stays / he agrees
