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Mark Twain is "first and last and all the time, so far as he is anythi
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31 Jul 2025, 23:17
31 Jul 2025, 23:17
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Mark Twain is "first and last and all the time, so far as he is anything, a humourist and nothing more." So writes Harry Thurston Peck, a book critic and contemporary of Twain, in rejecting the possibility that Twain's darker works of fiction and non-fictive social commentary will maintain any lasting presence in the canon of American literature. Twain's early body of work is certainly a splendid monument to the 19th-century American sense of humor, and Peck cites The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, Roughing It, and Innocents Abroad as examples of Twain's finest-meaning, funniest efforts. Similarly, as Peck points out, Twain built his reputation as a lecturer on his humorous descriptions of travels abroad and in the Western Territories.
Of course, a century of literary criticism has proven Peck's cavalier pigeonholing far too limiting. Even Peck himself lauds Huckleberry Finn, whose strengths include an unfailing eye for hypocrisy and a deadly serious moral judgment, as a definitively American character who leaps real from the printed page. Twain certainly uses humor throughout all his works, but not as an end in itself. Twain's humor sweetens the sterner medicine that his unparalleled commentaries on life deliver.
Of course, a century of literary criticism has proven Peck's cavalier pigeonholing far too limiting. Even Peck himself lauds Huckleberry Finn, whose strengths include an unfailing eye for hypocrisy and a deadly serious moral judgment, as a definitively American character who leaps real from the printed page. Twain certainly uses humor throughout all his works, but not as an end in itself. Twain's humor sweetens the sterner medicine that his unparalleled commentaries on life deliver.
The author mentions Huckleberry Finn in order to illustrate
(A) Twain's reputation for writing humorous novels.
(B) Twain's skill in creating hypocritical characters.
(C) Peck's error in considering Twain to be a humorist at all.
(D) Twain's ability to craft characters of multiple dimensions.
(E) Peck's insight into Twain's moral judgment.
The author of the passage is chiefly concerned with
(A) demonstrating that Twain was not a humorist.
(B) arguing that Peck's judgment of Twain is too limited.
(C) documenting Peck's contribution to literary criticism.
(D) concluding that Twain was better as a serious writer than as a humorist.
(E) pointing out the importance of serious themes in good writing.
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Re: Mark Twain is "first and last and all the time, so far as he is anythi
[#permalink]
03 Aug 2025, 09:16
03 Aug 2025, 09:16
Expert Reply
Question 1:
The author mentions Huckleberry Finn in order to illustrate
Let's recall the relevant sentence:
*"Even Peck himself lauds Huckleberry Finn, whose strengths include an unfailing eye for hypocrisy and a deadly serious moral judgment, as a definitively American character who leaps real from the printed page. Twain certainly uses humor throughout all his works, but not as an end in itself."*
What does this show?
- Peck views Huckleberry Finn as more than humor - it has serious moral qualities and realistic characters.
- Twain's characters are multidimensional, not just humorous caricatures.
Now evaluate the options:
- (A) Twain's reputation for writing humorous novels.
Partially true but not the main point about Huckleberry Finn here.
- (B) Twain's skill in creating hypocritical characters.
No - mentions "an eye for hypocrisy," but not creating hypocritical characters per se.
- (C) Peck's error in considering Twain to be a humorist at all.
Too strong - the passage notes Peck is too limiting but doesn't say Peck denies Twain is a humorist.
- (D) Twain's ability to craft characters of multiple dimensions.
Fits well: Huckleberry Finn is a serious, complex character, not just humorous.
- (E) Peck's insight into Twain's moral judgment.
Peck praises the moral judgment in Huckleberry Finn, but the passage emphasizes Twain's complexity more broadly.
Best answer:
(D) Twain's ability to craft characters of multiple dimensions.
Question 2:
The author of the passage is chiefly concerned with
Recall the main idea:
- Peck pigeonholed Twain strictly as a humorist, focusing on his funny works.
- The author argues that Peck's view is too narrow and that Twain's works have serious, lasting depth.
- The passage nuances Twain's humor and moral seriousness.
Evaluate options:
- (A) demonstrating that Twain was not a humorist.
No - the passage acknowledges Twain is a humorist too, but not only that.
- (B) arguing that Peck's judgment of Twain is too limited.
Perfectly summarizes the passage.
- (C) documenting Peck's contribution to literary criticism.
Not the main concern-the passage uses Peck as a foil rather than focusing on his contributions.
- (D) concluding that Twain was better as a serious writer than as a humorist.
The passage doesn't clearly rank such a hierarchy.
- (E) pointing out the importance of serious themes in good writing.
A bit too general; the focus is on Twain and Peck's views rather than general writing.
Best answer:
(B) arguing that Peck's judgment of Twain is too limited.
Summary of answers:
- Question 1: (D)
- Question 2: (B)
The author mentions Huckleberry Finn in order to illustrate
Let's recall the relevant sentence:
*"Even Peck himself lauds Huckleberry Finn, whose strengths include an unfailing eye for hypocrisy and a deadly serious moral judgment, as a definitively American character who leaps real from the printed page. Twain certainly uses humor throughout all his works, but not as an end in itself."*
What does this show?
- Peck views Huckleberry Finn as more than humor - it has serious moral qualities and realistic characters.
- Twain's characters are multidimensional, not just humorous caricatures.
Now evaluate the options:
- (A) Twain's reputation for writing humorous novels.
Partially true but not the main point about Huckleberry Finn here.
- (B) Twain's skill in creating hypocritical characters.
No - mentions "an eye for hypocrisy," but not creating hypocritical characters per se.
- (C) Peck's error in considering Twain to be a humorist at all.
Too strong - the passage notes Peck is too limiting but doesn't say Peck denies Twain is a humorist.
- (D) Twain's ability to craft characters of multiple dimensions.
Fits well: Huckleberry Finn is a serious, complex character, not just humorous.
- (E) Peck's insight into Twain's moral judgment.
Peck praises the moral judgment in Huckleberry Finn, but the passage emphasizes Twain's complexity more broadly.
Best answer:
(D) Twain's ability to craft characters of multiple dimensions.
Question 2:
The author of the passage is chiefly concerned with
Recall the main idea:
- Peck pigeonholed Twain strictly as a humorist, focusing on his funny works.
- The author argues that Peck's view is too narrow and that Twain's works have serious, lasting depth.
- The passage nuances Twain's humor and moral seriousness.
Evaluate options:
- (A) demonstrating that Twain was not a humorist.
No - the passage acknowledges Twain is a humorist too, but not only that.
- (B) arguing that Peck's judgment of Twain is too limited.
Perfectly summarizes the passage.
- (C) documenting Peck's contribution to literary criticism.
Not the main concern-the passage uses Peck as a foil rather than focusing on his contributions.
- (D) concluding that Twain was better as a serious writer than as a humorist.
The passage doesn't clearly rank such a hierarchy.
- (E) pointing out the importance of serious themes in good writing.
A bit too general; the focus is on Twain and Peck's views rather than general writing.
Best answer:
(B) arguing that Peck's judgment of Twain is too limited.
Summary of answers:
- Question 1: (D)
- Question 2: (B)
gmatclubot
Re: Mark Twain is "first and last and all the time, so far as he is anythi [#permalink]
03 Aug 2025, 09:16
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