Mark Twain had an extreme love for the Mississippi River. His dreams were of
becoming a steamboat pilot. Twain inspired others as they looked to him with great
knowledge. He wanted to come home in glory as a pilot more than anything. Events in
Mark Twain's life come out in his writings and they are displayed in Life on the
Mark Twain was the first American that appeared west of the Mississippi River.
He was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on November 30, 1835. Twain lived along the
Mississippi River in the town of Hannibal until the age of eighteen. After his father's
death in 1847, Twain became an apprentice at two Hannibal printers. Most of Twain's
childhood is displayed throughout his work. He recalled his past in The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (De Veto 51). Twain's career
began when he was only eleven years old. He worked by editing copies. In 1861
Clemens served briefly as a volunteer soldier in the Confederate cavalry. Later that year
he accompanied his brother to the newly created Nevada Territory, where he tried his
hand at silver mining. After moving to San Francisco, California, in 1864, Twain met
American writers Artemus Ward and Bret Harte, who encouraged him in his work. Later
he found a job as a reporter at Territorial Interprise (52).
Mark Twain had a life full of writing and full of dreaming. Twain had always
dreamed of becoming a steamboat captain and he knew that one day he would
accomplish that goal. He viewed the sight of the mighty Mississippi River as steamboats
passed with all aspects of humanity. Twain's dream of becoming a pilot never faded,
although many other dreams did. Twain had a passion for the steamboats on the
Mississippi River. A pilot was an important and popular way of living. Others thought
that it was the best road to take for a career. Mark Twain was determined to become...