Description
Book SynopsisMark Twain, the Father of American Literature, and renowned humorist, satirist, and commentator on humanity and American life, is best known for his classic, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain's body of work, however, is expansive; from Adventures of Tom Sawyer and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court to the travelogue The Innocents Abroad and essays on human nature, religion, science, and literature, no aspect of life is left untouched by Twain. His portrayal of American life, ripe with the contradictions of America's ideals and its actual practices, as well as his characters, at once fantastical and completely human, provide a window onto humanity and social life. As the third book in the Great Authors and Philosophy series, Mark Twain and Philosophy reveals deeper issues raised by Twain's work and speaks to his continued relevance as a social commentator interrogating issues fundamental to our lives. From slavery, freedom, and human rights, to science, parapsychology, and
Trade ReviewGoldman (College of William and Mary) is a philosopher, and in this introductory study of philosophy, he uses Twain’s texts as material. The 15 essays are organized into five sections. The first and strongest, “Morality in Huckleberry Finn,” centers on Huck’s developing conscience in relation to moral principles. “Twain on Religion” examines Twain’s late writing critical of the Bible and organized religion. “Moral Issues” analyzes Twain’s views on lying and animal rights. “Literary Devices” explains his usage of humor, satire, and irony. Finally, “Comparison to Other Philosophers” looks at Twain in relation to Diogenes, the Epicureans, Nietzsche, Hume, and Edward Bullough. All the essays are thoughtful and clearly written, and the collection is ideal for nonspecialists…. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *
Table of ContentsIntroduction, Alan H. Goldman Part I: Morality in Huckleberry Finn Chapter 1: The Conscience of Huckleberry Finn, Jonathan Bennett Chapter 2: Huckleberry Finn and Moral Motivation, Alan H. Goldman Chapter 3: Sympathy, Principles, and Conscience: Getting to the Heart of Huck Finn’s Moral Praiseworthiness, Robert Fudge Chapter 4: Huckleberry Finn’s Struggle between Sympathy and Moral Principle Reconsidered, Michael Lyons Chapter 5: Twain’s Last Laugh, Kristina Gehrman Part II: Twain on Religion Chapter 6: The Gospel According to Mark (Twain), Craig Vasey Chapter 7: Mark Twain and the Problem of Evil: The Mysterious Stranger, Letters from the Earth, and The Diaries of Adam and Eve, James M. McLachlan Part III: Moral Issues Chapter 8: The Noble Art of Lying, James Edwin Mahon Chapter 9: Twain’s Critique of Human Exceptionalism: “The Descent of Man” and the Anti-Vivisection Movement, Emily E. VanDette Part IV: Literary Devices Chapter 10: Mark Twain’s Serious Humor and that Peculiar Institution: Christianity, Chris A. Kramer Chapter 11: Socratic Irony in Twain’s Skeptical Religious Jeremiads, Dale Jacquette Part V: Comparison to Other Philosophers Chapter 12: The American Diogenes: Mark Twain’s Sacred Profanity, Brian Earl Johnson Chapter 13: An Epicurean Consideration of Superstitions in Mark Twain and in the Good Life, Jennifer Baker Chapter 14: Moral Value and Moral Psychology in Twain’s “Carnival of Crime”, Frank Boardman Chapter 15: Making the Heart Grow Fonder: Twain, Psychical Distance, and Aesthetic Experience, Jeffrey Dueck Notes Index About the Editor and Contributors
