Actually calling this "Why I Hate Mark Twain" would probably just be asking for hell

[soc_puppet]

We're supposed to write a one-page essay on a modern child's hero for Culture and Technology, as inspired by Thomas De Zengotita's Mediated. Except I really hate the book, as every time I read it I feel like the author is trying to force-feed me bullshit, complete with spoon and nose-pinching. (I, in turn, spit it back in his face. Gimme back my strained carrots!) So instead, have an essay on why Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens is -not- actually my hero, and was never really my hero in the first place!


When I was a kid, I found out I had a number of things in common with Samuel Clemens - that is, with Mark Twain. I found out that, not only did we share a birthday, but astrological phenomena: we were both born in the "year of the comet," and I was, at the time, beginning to foster the notion of becoming a writer myself. After all, I loved reading, and what could be better than to give others the same joy I found by giving them books themselves?

Of course, later in life I got a chance to read some more of Twain/Clemens' work. (I say this not meaning it entirely literally. I've never technically read anything of his myself, but my family has always listened to books on tape over long car trips - and even shorter ones. So, long ago, when we went to visit "Mark Twain's Cave," we listened to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer on the way. I barely remember any of it, and probably understood even less.) Since Dad was unable to dig up any of Mr. Twain/Clemens' fiction on tape for a recent car trip, he picked up some non-fiction instead: something about being the pilot of a riverboat on the Big Muddy back when it Meant Something. Thing was, the more I listened to, the more I hated the author's self-acknowledged self-aggrandizing and self-absorbed writing style.

I'd actually begun to question America's hero-worship of the man some time before, but this sold me: no matter how much we might have "shared" (surprisingly little, now that I look back on it), I did not like Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain, and was of the opinion that his books could go hang.

The real irony here, of course, would be if it were he who first spurned me into writing, leading to my discovery of my own love for it (the control freak in me, perhaps?). Thankfully, this I can instead blame on cartoons [read: fanfiction], proving that, while reality can be stranger than fiction, it can also be more palatable.


...I think that may have come off more sourly than I intended it to. Oh, well! Gotta have fun with classwork sometimes, yanno?

I am totally blaming my mood on hormones when I feel better. I swear.

Comments

[jeva-chan.livejournal.com]

Hm... well, personally, I can't say whether or not I hate or like Twain myself. I just like his stories, because despite his own personal attitude, he did write some pretty good pieces, most filled with satire up to the gills, which is something I take way too much glee in reading.

So yeah...

Personally, I tend to ignore the Mightier-Than-Thou attitudes some authors seem to have. Because you know, sometimes I worry about people seeing me the same way, really.

[soc_puppet]

Eh; his satire's a little ...pretentious for my tastes, I guess. Or I could blame it on the voice actor, but that does nothing to credit my argument/dislike, so I think I won't.




...I appear to be feeling snarky tonight.

[jeva-chan.livejournal.com]

Just a bit, but not to worry, I adore snark.

Well, to be honest, satire IS all about being pretentious, therego...

[soc_puppet]

That's good, then ;)

Eh; I don't know that I quite agree with that (see Jon Stewart with The Daily Show), but even if it is true, I still feel like you can pretend to be all that without actually thinking you're all that. Or something.

[ytak.livejournal.com]

I would disagree with you if I could but after the adventure of reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and taking six weeks to finish it, I'm not that charitable towards him myself. Though, his house is kind of cool. I toured it once years ago. I learned a few amusing stories on the tour.

And, yes, you have to have fun with papers sometimes.

[soc_puppet]

XD Here here!

I try to do so whenever I can. Sadly, sometimes I forget that I can/should have fun with them. Which just makes remembering more of a joy in the end, I suppose ;)

[polysamachan.livejournal.com]

|D I adore Mark Twain, sorry. And that's saying something, because usually I hate self-important authors, like Gregory Maguire and Terry Pratchett, too. I mostly read his non-fiction, though. Most of his fiction bored me. His Book for Bad Boys and Girls, however, I loved. *shrugs* It's all a matter of taste, I guess.

It's good to have the courage to buck the crowd~. ♥

[soc_puppet]

Hey, nothing wrong with you liking his stuff ¦3b Just because I don't like it doesn't mean everyone else has to feel the same. ...I'm, uh, not familiar with Maguire, but I am actually a rather big fan of Mr. Pratchett. It might have more to do with message in the end, then? But yes, defaulting to the "different tastes" argument.

Mmm ^_^ I'm glad I found it somewhere.

[polysamachan.livejournal.com]

|D Oh! Also must say that I had to read that one essay of his, the river one, once for FCAT. It's not nearly as good as some of his other, more humorous stuff. If you have the stomach for more, you might want to try that. If you don't want to subject yourself to it, though, don't feel pressured to. XD Some just don't like his so-called 'acidic wit'. It's acidic all right.

Yup~! (BTW, me disliking Maguire (Wicked) and Terry Pratchett is me doing that, too. |D)

[soc_puppet]

Well, if I feel like giving him another try, that's what I'll look for then.

Viva la resistance? \o *has yet to read Wicked herself, uh* ...I'm actually not all that sure I'd like Wicked, considering I have childhood fondness for the original Oz book(s).

[polysamachan.livejournal.com]

^^ 'kay.

XD Man, I hated that so much. It was all sex and politics thinly veiled by bad characters. >.> Of course, many, many, many would disagree with me.

[soc_puppet]

X3 What, Wicked or the original? I'm guessing Wicked, but I do remember the whole silver-gold-emerald thing in the original being an allegory or something for the monetary system.


...I also feel that I should belatedly qualify my like of Pratchett works: I like his more recent stuff better than his earlier stuff. No idea if that's the norm or not, I just know that's what I like.

[polysamachan.livejournal.com]

W-Wicked. I read the originals! They kind of creeped me out, actually. Especially the porcelain people. D: do not want broken limbs.


Hmm. I just can't read his stuff. My friend keeps throwing his books at me 'coz she loves his stuff, but I literally cannot get through more than a few pages without unexplainable ire. XD'' He's the only author that does it to me. I chucked a book across the room once, and I never do that.

[soc_puppet]

I suspected as much, but thought it was good to be sure ^^a It's been a while since I've heard 'em on tape, actually, but I think I do vaguely remember them.

XD I know how you feel. I tend to get that with people sometimes; usually authority figures. I just don't like them for some reason I can't put my finger on! Someday I'll figure it out...

[polysamachan.livejournal.com]

Y-yeah. I reread them recently and was slightly disturbed at some point! They're really short, so they don't take long.

XD'' Y-yeah. Sometimes I feel that way about authority figures, if they take advantage of their authority. WE JUST CAN'T TAKE GUMPTION FROM NO ONE. :DDD