Mark Twain's Travel Literature
Author | : Harold H. Hellwig |
Publisher | : McFarland |
Total Pages | : 228 |
Release | : 2008-03-19 |
ISBN-10 | : 9780786436514 |
ISBN-13 | : 0786436514 |
Rating | : 4/5 (14 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: This critical study analyzes major concepts in the travel literature of Mark Twain and notes how his oeuvre (including his classic works of fiction) revolves around travel as a central issue. The book focuses especially on his representations of time, place, and identity in the travel works Roughing It, A Tramp Abroad, The Innocents Abroad, Life on The Mississippi, and Following the Equator. All receive an in-depth analysis, noting Twain's strong sense of nostalgia for the disappearing American frontier, his growing concern over the assimilation of Native American cultures, and his continual search for a sense of personal and national identity. One appendix provides a complete list of the travel literature contained in Twain's personal library.