Damned Human Race, Mark Twain, pessimistic, humorous style, humankind, satire, poignancy, degenerate society, book review
Initially, Twain appears as the narrator having a serious voice which gives his age credibility. This is the false authority fallacy he uses the first. However, the instant satire appears, the satirical intentions of the author become clear. All the society represents the only stereotype in this essay, so this may be called the hasty generalization. People appear greedy, shallow and foolish. For example, when he describes how people murdered seventy-two bison for the game, then left seventy-one and a half of them to decay.
[...] Damned Human Race – Mark Twain (1905) Mark Twain's “Damned Human Race” Critical Analysis I. The narrator Initially, Twain appears as the narrator having a serious voice which gives his age credibility. This is the false authority fallacy he uses the first. However, the instant satire appears, the satirical intentions of the author become clear. All the society represents the only stereotype in this essay, so this may be called the hasty generalization. People appear greedy, shallow and foolish. For example, when he describes how people murdered seventy-two bison for the game, then left seventy-one and a half of them to decay. [...]
[...] He inferred that man is avaricious while creatures are most certainly not (Lemke 2009). This is a cliché, figurative similarity, yet the rationale of the contention is that the man is voracious in contrast with creatures is difficult to deny. II. A strong pathos Mark Twain continues through his article utilizing the strong pathos. Through his striking illustrations which he calls "tests", he pulls his perusers in a passionate level. He convinces his perusers to analyze the evil qualities of humankind and see the world through his eyes. [...]
[...] New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan Print. LeMaster, J. R., and James D. Wilson. The Routledge Encyclopedia of Mark Twain. New York: Routledge Print. Twain, Mark, Lin Salamo, Victor Fischer, and Michael B. Frank. Mark Twain's Helpful Hints for Good Living: A Handbook for the Damned Human Race. Berkeley: U of California Print. [...]
[...] By arranging individuals as having a "valueless" good sense, he sounds biased. However, his thought that humanity is all unethical, induces perusers to oppose this idea. In demonstrating him wrong they are propelled to act in ways that negate his investigation, along these lines being liberal, kind, tolerating of different religions, rehearsing absolution or not taking part in a war. He was fruitful in making individuals see the mistake of their ways, and affirmation is the initial move toward change. [...]
[...] Even though the manner is satirical, the material is very touching emotionally, because the author actually mentions every human being in the world. Twain blames people in all the misfortunes of the world, and that makes the dreaded feel unease about themselves and be even shocked with such accusation (Twain 2004). There is also logos used in the essay, but it is used in a satirical way. Even though it sounds scientific and serious, this logical and solid reasoning turns out to be the stylistic devices to mock humanity another time. Works cited Lemke, Sieglinde. The Vernacular Matters of American Literature. [...]
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