![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
![](/assets/images/bg-loading.gif)
还剩5页未读,继续阅读
文本内容:
MostAmericansrememberMarkTwainasthefatherofHuckFinnsidylliccruisethrougheternalboyhoodandTomSawyersendlesssummeroffreedomandadventure.Indeedthisnationsbest-lovedauthorwaseverybitasadventurouspatrioticromanticandhumorousasanyonehaseverimagined.IfoundanotherTwainaswell-onewhogrewcynicalbittersaddenedbytheprofoundpersonaltragedieslifedealthimamanwhobecameobsessedwiththefrailtiesofthehumanracewhosawclearlyaheadablackwallofnight.TrampprinterriverpilotConfederateguerrillaprospectorstarry-eyedoptimistacid-tonguedcynic:ThemanwhobecameMarkTwainwasbornSamuelLanghorneClemensandherangedacrossthenationformorethanathirdofhislifedigestingthenewAmericanexperiencebeforesharingitwiththeworldaswriterandlecturer.Headoptedhispennamefromthecryheardinhissteamboatdayssignalingtwofathomsofwater-anavigabledepth.Hispopularityisattestedbythefactthatmorethanascoreofhisbooksremaininprintandtranslationsarestillreadaroundtheworld.ThegeographiccoreinTwainsearlyyearswasthegreatvalleyoftheMississippiRivermainarteryoftransportationintheyoungnationsheart.Keelboatsflatboatsandlargeraftscarriedthefirstmajorcommerce.Lumbercorntobaccowheatandfursmoveddownstreamtothedeltacountry;sugarmolassescottonandwhiskeytravelednorth.Inthe1850sbeforetheclimaxofwestwardexpansionthevastbasindrainedthree-quartersofthesettledUnitedStates.YoungMarkTwainenteredthatworldin1857asacubpilotonasteamboat.Thecastofcharacterssetbeforehiminhisnewprofessionwasrichandvaried-acosmos.Heparticipatedabundantlyinthislifelisteningtopilothousetalkoffeudspiracieslynchingsmedicineshowsandsavagewatersideslums.Allwouldresurfaceinhisbookstogetherwiththecolorfullanguagethathesoakedupwithamemorythatseemedphonographic.Steamboatdecksteemednotonlywiththemaincurrentofpioneeringhumanitybutitsflotsamofhustlersgamblersandthugsaswell.FromthemallMarkTwaingainedakeenperceptionofthehumanraceofthedifferencebetweenwhatpeopleclaimsteamboattrademarkedtherealbeginningofhiseducationandthemostlastingpartofit.InlaterlifeTwainacknowledgedthattheriverhadacquaintedhimwitheverypossibletypeofhumannature.Thoseacquaintanceshipsstrengthenedallhiswritingbutheneverwrotebetterthanwhenhewroteofthepeoplealongthegreatstream.WhenrailroadbegandrivingupthedemandforsteamboatpilotsandtheCivilWarhaltedcommerceMarkTwainlefttherivercountry.Hetriedsoldieringfortwoweekswithamotleybandenemy.Twainquitafterdeciding…Iknewmoreaboutretreatingthanthemanthatinventedretreating.”HewentwestbystagecoachandsuccumbedtotheepidemicofgoldandsilverfeverinNevadasWashoeregion.Foreightmonthsheflirtedwiththecolossalwealthavailabletotheluckyandthepersistentandwasrebuffed.BrokeanddiscouragedheacceptedajobasreporterwiththeVirginiaCityTerritorialEnterprisetoliterature^senduringgratitude.FromthediscouragementofhisminingfailuresMarkTwainbegandigginghiswaytoregionalfameasanewspaperreporterandinthereportingtradebutformakingmoneyhispenwouldprovemightierthanhispickax.Inthespringof1864lessthantwoyearsafterjoiningtheTerritorialEnterpriseheboardedthestagecoachforSanFranciscothenandnowahotbedofhopefulyoungwriters.MarkTwainhonedandexperimentedwithhisnewwritingmusclesbuthehadtoleavethecityforawhilebecauseofsomescathingcolumnshewrote.AttacksonthecitygovernmentconcerningsuchissuesasmistreatmentofChinesesoangeredofficialsthathefledtothegoldfieldsintheSacramentoValley.Hisdescriptionoftherough-countrysettlersthereringfamiliarlyinmodernworldaccustomedtotrendsettingontheWestCoast.Itwasasplendidpopulation-foralltheslowsleepysluggish-brainedslothsstayedathome…ItwasthatpopulationthatgavetoCaliforniaanameforgettingupastoundingenterprisesandrushingthemthroughwithamagnificentdashanddaringandarecklessnessofcostorconsequenceswhichshebearsuntothisday-andwhensheprojectsanewsurprisethegraveworldsmilesasusualandsays“WellthatisCaliforniaallover.”Inthedrearywinterof1864-65inAngelsCamphekeptanotebook.Scatteredamongnotationsabouttheweatherandthetediousmining-campmealsliesanentrynothingastoryhehadheardthatday-anentrythatwoulddeterminehiscourseforever:uColemanwithhisjumpingforg-betstranger$50-strangerhadnofrogandC.gothimone-inthemeantimestrangerfilledC.’sfrogfullofshotandhecouldntjump.Thestrangersfrogwon.”RetoldwithhisdescriptivegeniusthestorywasprintedinnewspapersacrosstheUnitedStatesandbecameknownas“TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty.MarkTwainsnationalreputationwasnowwellestablishedas“thewildhumoristofthePacificslop.”TwoyearslatertheopportunitycameforhimtotakeadistinctlyAmericanlookattheOldWorld.InNewYorkCitythesteamshipQuakerCitypreparedtosailonapleasurecruisetoEuropeandtheHoldLand.ForthefirsttimeasizablegroupofUnitedStatescitizensplannedtojurneyastourists-milestoneofsortsinacountrysdevelopment.TwainwasassignedtoaccompanythemascorrespondentforaCalifornianewspaper.Ifreadersexpectedtheusualglowingtraveloguetheyweresorelysurprised.UnimpressedbytheSultanofTurkeyforexamplehereported“…onecouldsetatrapanywhereandcatchaozenablermeninanight.CasuallyhedebunkedreveredartistsandarttreasuresandtookunholyverbalshotsattheHolyLand.Backhomemorenewspapersbeganprintinghisarticles.Americalaughedwithhim.UponhisreturntotheStatesthebookversionofhistravelsTheInnocentAbroadbecameaninstantbest-seller.Attheageof36TwainsettledinHartfordConnecticut.Hisbestbookswerepublishedwhilehelivedthere.Asearlyas1870TwainhadexperimentedwithastoryabouttheboyhoodadventuresofaladhenamedBillyRogers.TwoyearslaterhechangedthenametoTomandbeganshapinghisadverturesintoastageplay.Notuntil1874didthestorybegindevelopinginearnest.Afterpublicationin1876TomSawyerquicklybecameaclassictaleofAmericanboyhood.TomsmischievousdaringingenuityandthesweetinnocenceofhisaffectionforBeckyThatcherarealmostassuretobestudiedinAmericanschoolstodayasistheDeclarationofIndependence.MarkTwainsowndeclarationofindependencecameformanothercharacter.SixchaptersintoTomSawyerhedragsin“thedrunkard.FleeingarespectablelifewiththepuritanicalWidowDounglasHuckproteststohisfriendTomSawyer:Ivetrieditanditdontwork;itdontworkTom.Itaintforme…Thewidereatsbyabell;shegoestobedbyabell;shegitsupbyabell-everythingssoawfulrelarabodycantstandit.”NineyearsafterTomSawyersweptthenationHuckwasgivenalifeofhisown\inabookoftenconsideredthebesteverwrittenaboutAmericans.HisraftflightdowntheMississippiwitharunawayslavepresentsamovingpanoramaforexplorationofAmericansociety.OntheriverandespeciallywithHuckFinnTwainfoundtheultimateexpressionofescapefromthepacehelivedbyandoftendeploredfromlifesregularitiesandtheenergy-sappingclamorforsuccess.MarkTwainsuggestedthataningredientwasmissingintheAmericanambitionwhenhesaid:Whatarobustpeoplewhatanationofthinkerswemightbeifwewouldonlylayourselvesontheshelfoccasionallyandrenewouredges.Personaltragedyhauntedhisentirelifeinthedeathsoflovedones:hisfatherdyingofpneumoniawhenSamwas12;hisbrotherHenrykilledbyasteamboatexplosion;thedeathofhissonLangdonat19months.HiseldestdaughterSusydiedofspinalmeningitisMrs.ClemenssuccumbedtoaheartattackinFlorenceandyoungestdaughterJeananepilepticdrownedinanupstairsbathtub.Bitternessfedonthemanwhohadmadetheworldlaugh.Themoralizingofhisearlierwritinghadbeedwellpaddedwithhumor.Nowtheglovescameoffwithbitingsatire.HepretenedtopraisetheU.S.militaryforthemassacreof600PhilippineMorosinthebowlofavolcaniccrater.InTheMysteriousStrangerheinsistedthatmandrophisreligiousillusionanddependuponhimselfnotProvidencetomakeabetterworld.Thelastofhisownillusionsseemedtohavecrumbledneartheend.Dictatinghisautobiggraphylateinlifehecommentedwithacrushingsenseofdespaironmensfinalreleasefromearthlystruggles:v•••.theyvanishfromaworldwheretheywereofnoconsequence;wheretheyachievednothing;wheretheywereamistakeandafailureandafoolishness;wheretheyhaveleftnosighthattheyhadexisted-aworldwhichwilllamentthemadayandforgetthemforever.”。
![贤阅信息](/assets/images/honor-2.png)
![贤阅信息](/assets/images/honor-3.png)
![贤阅信息](/assets/images/honor-4.png)