Happy Birthday, Samuel

Give 

 every

day

 the

chance

to

become

  the

most 

beautiful

of 

your

life.

--Mark Twain

I always thank Mark Twain aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens for the best class discussions ever in my teaching career. 

As my English-teaching career at Sandpoint High School was winding down, I came across a wonderful PBS documentary about Twain, his literary works and how they related to our American culture---both during his time and nearly 100 years later.

Each year, after the annual class assignment for my juniors to read Twain's American classic novel Huckleberry Finn ended, I would show the video, which focused on a number of themes from Twain's works and his characters.

My lesson plan usually called for one day of discussion.

Virtually every year, however, that one day stretched into two full class hours, where students, usually representing a wide variety of viewpoints offered their two cents or three cents and maybe even 25 cents of thoughts,  in some cases.

The discussions were spirited, passionate but always respectful.  I loved seeing all three, as I served as the occasional lighter fluid but mostly as referee. 

Oh, for settings like that where kids came out of those discussions, fired up but still friends. 

No name calling.  No insults.  Even some noticeable effort and movement toward understanding other's viewpoints.

Could we please get back to that spirit and higher level of discourse in this great nation????

   

Anyway, Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on this very day, Nov. 30 in 1835 in Florida, Missouri, about 40 miles from Mississippi River in Missouri.  

He spent his youth in the river town of Hannibal, quickly acquiring a fascination for the river and eventually training to be a river boat pilot.  

mark (measure) twain (two)

Definition:  riverboat term meaning two fathoms/12 feet deep.

Twain was an adventurer, a prospector, a world traveler, speaker and, of course, a prolific writer of novels, short stories and commentary. 

To say he was a keen observer of life in general would be an understatement, and the perspectives he offered in his literary works were timely in the 1800s and just as timely today. 

In fact, the two literary figures who dominated my teaching career seem to be speaking loudly and clearly as we watch daily events unfold in this nation.  Yup, in my experiences, Twain ranks right up there with William Shakespeare. 

Over the past few weeks, I've heard several references to Shakespearean plays and their famous characters. 

Et tu, Brute?  Heard references to that several times just yesterday. 

I also heard yesterday from a literature professor at Georgetown University that she believes literature will continue to remain the conduit that unites us and helps us understand what's going on in the life around us. 

With that in mind, I have a feeling that Twain's often very simple but spot on observations about life, along with the famous conflicts associated with Shakespearean characters will be remembered for time immemorial. 

How many ages hence

Shall this our lofty scene be acted over

In states unborn and accents yet unknown!

                        --from Julius Caesar after the death of Caesar

So, Happy Birthday, Mark Twain.  Thank you for your keen powers of observation and your gift of language which often proves to be helpful when we just can't find the words ourselves. 

In honor of the birthday boy, I'll leave you with a few Twain thoughts.  

How many are timely today?

Happy Friday. 

My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it.

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

It’s better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.

Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience:  this is the ideal life.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started.