Mark Twain Racist Or Realist
Mark Twain, Racist or Realist? Introduction This paper examines Mark Twain's work to determine whether or not he was racist. Racism is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as the belief that one race is superior to others. Unfortunately the issue of race isn't black or white. There are many shades of gray in racism and even the most progressive thoughts of old seems conservative as progress enlightens new levels of thought. During his time, Twain was a forward thinking author who championed many causes, one of them being fair treatment of the downtrodden and oppressed. The only example of potential racism is his treatment of the Goshoot Indians in Roughing It. The main body of his work points to innovative anti-racist themes. Even if one admits that Twain fosters some derogatory stereotypes labeling his work scabrous, unassimiable, and perhaps unteachable to our own time is shortsighted and revisionist. Even if Twain was racist the process of learning is supposed to combat backwards teaching from our past through exposition and discussion (Wonham 40). I even learned from Mein Kampf and objections to Mark Twain's potential racism pale in comparison to Hitler's crimes against humanity. Mark Twa
It would've been unethical and unbecoming for Twain to make his characters talk more eloquent than they should have just for the sake of promoting the idea that blacks were intelligent. The Offensive Stranger, arguing with the Dervish, prophesies that from every impulse, whether good or evil, flows two streams; the one carried health, the other poison (Budd, Tales 547). He continued with wherever one finds an Indian tribe he has only found Goshoots more or less modified by circumstances and surroundings (Hill 168-9). Does the Race of Man Love a Lord? discusses how all of humanity are alike in many respects. Our modern concerns of public apathy was alive and well in 1901. Concerning the Jews is a long work defending the Jews and together with Newhouse's Jew Story and Randall's Jew Story there seems to have been a concerted effort on Twain's part to actively combat anti-Semitism (Tuckley 279-89). Do we dub these people as masochists? The minstrel blackface musicals consisted of mainly slapstick humor and standard jokes that are the precursor to today's standup comedy. Conclusion I believe that one must look at a wide selection of writing to even scratch the surface of Mark Twain's thoughts. I wish Twain had written a letter about what the policy should be toward the Natives, Chinese, or former slaves but his work insinuates that it would be similar in content to Concerning the Jews. Shaw can no more dispense with the free will than Mark Twain can confidently use it (Budd 70). Twain did mention in his autobiography that, if I could have the nigger show back again in its pristine quality and perfection that I should have but little further use for the opera (Neider 59, Wonham 30). He began like this: Fellow thieves and robbers! and when the roars of astonished laughter subsided, he continued, I take it that this audience consists of English people and Americans, so I commence my remarks, fellow thieves and robbers - the Americans in the Philippines and the English in South Africa. I don't remember what name I called him (Neider 7). If you read Twain's commentary on other races you will realize that without a few jokes at their expense the Indians would be left out and might be seen as superior to the other races. Although this type of speech was in vogue within the 'eastern literary establishment' of that time Twain's adoption of their terminology is unsuitable for contemporary dialog.
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