Mark Twain

Discuss how Mark Twain’s personal experiences with enslavement and racism in Hannibal, Missouri, shaped his moral vision and literary treatment of race. How does Chernow’s biography illuminate the complexity of Twain’s stance against enslavement, especially given his use of racial stereotypes and dialect?

Analyze Twain’s shifting attitude toward imperialism over the course of his life. How does Chernow trace the evolution from a “red-hot imperialist” to a fierce critic of American and European colonial ventures?

Examine the role of humor as social critique in Twain’s career. How does Chernow show Twain balancing entertainment and moral seriousness? How does his use of humor evolve over the course of his career?