The Fight for Freedom: Mark Twain and His Works

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and key concepts from Mark Twain's life and works, including literary styles, social issues, and historical context.

Mark Twain

Pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, the author of works like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Huckleberry Finn

A novel by Mark Twain, often considered one of the Great American Novels.

Satire

A genre of literature that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize people’s or society’s stupidity or vices.

Realism

A literary movement focusing on everyday life and ordinary people, often as a reaction to Romanticism.

Local Color

Literature that focuses on the customs, language, and features of a particular region.

Vernacular

The dialect spoken by regular people in a certain area or region.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens

Mark Twain's birth name.

Civil War

A conflict in the United States from 1861 to 1865, which deeply influenced Twain's writings.

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

A humorous short story by Mark Twain that contributed to his rise as a literary celebrity.

Mississippi River

A significant river in the United States that serves as the setting for many of Twain's stories.

Ernest Hemingway

American author who praised Huck Finn as the foundation of modern American literature.

Regionalism

A subgenre of Realism that emphasizes the characteristics of particular regions.

Jim Crow Laws

Racial segregation laws enacted in the U.S. from the 1880s to the 1960s.

Fugitive Slave Laws

Laws requiring the return of runaway slaves to their owners.

Public Response

The reaction from society regarding themes in Huck Finn, including decency and moral values.

Antebellum South

The period before the Civil War, characterized by the existence of slavery.

Missouri Compromise of 1820

An agreement that allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

Black Codes

Laws enacted in the South to restrict the rights of newly freed Black Americans.

Plessy v. Ferguson

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Halley's Comet

A comet that Twain famously predicted he would die with, having been born during its last close approach.

Humor

A literary characteristic that Twain employs to critique his society.

Irony

A rhetorical device where the intended meaning is opposite to the literal meaning, often used by Twain.

Exaggeration

A literary technique where aspects are presented as more significant than they are, commonly used in satire.

Hyperbole

Deliberate and extravagant exaggeration for effect, often found in Twain's work.

Narrative Structure

The organizational framework used by Twain to craft his stories.

Pessimism

A tendency to see the worst aspect of things, reflecting Twain's later writings after personal losses.

Legacy

The lasting impact and influence of Twain as an author and cultural figure.

Depression

A mental state that Twain faced later in life, influencing his literary output.

Whitewashing

The act of covering up or glossing over negative issues, thematically relevant in Twain's critiques.

Linguistic Diversity

Variety of dialects and vernaculars used in Huck Finn to portray characters authentically.

Mississippi Steamboats

Vessels powered by steam, significant to Twain's early career as a riverboat pilot.

Crisis of Identity

A theme Twain explores, especially in his usage of dialects and perspectives in his writings.

Cultural Critique

The analysis of social issues and injustices, a central feature of Twain’s work.

Controversy

The debate surrounding the themes and language of Huck Finn, particularly its racial context.

Enslaved People

Individuals who were forced into slavery, whose narratives influenced Twain's portrayal of society.

Conditions of Mortality

Themes reflecting human mortality and fate explored in Twain's realistic narratives.

American celebrity culture

The phenomenon of fame and public admiration that Twain experienced throughout his life.

Idiosyncratic Humor

Unique style of humor that characterizes Twain's writing, used to address serious societal issues.