MarkTwain,themirrorofAmerican,borninthesmallvillageofFlorida,Missouriin1835,anddiedinHartfordin1910.His75yearsofsufferinglifehasexperiencedthemostlypartofhistoryofAmericanlikeindustrialeconomicdevelopment,CivilWar,goldrushandwesternexpansionandsoon.
ThereisnodoubtthatTwainwitnessedtheriseanddeclineofcountryofAmerica.ThemostimportantperiodofTwain’slifemaybeginat1857.Hebecameacubpilotonasteamboat,thatfourandahalfyearsinthesteamboatmarkedtherealbeginningofhiseducation.Afterdeclineofsteamboatcommerce,helefttherivercountrytojointheCivilWarfortwoweeks.Then,hewentwestandsuccumbedtotheepidemicofgoldrushinNevada.Eightmonthslater,brokeanddiscouraged,heacceptedajobasreportedwiththeVirginiaCityTerritorialEnterprise.Intheyearof1864,heboardedthestagecoachforSanFrancisco.Oneyearslater,hisfirstfamousworkCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCountywaspublished.Thenin1876,theopportunitycameforhimtotakeadistinctlyAmericantolookattheworld.Uponhisreturntostates,theversionoftravels,TheInnocentsAbroad,becameaninstantbest-seller.Attheageof36TwainsettledinHartford.Hisbestbooks,TheAdventuresofTomSawyerandTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,werepublishedwhilehelivedthere.
Althoughbitternessfedontheman,hewasalwaysstrugglingagainstdifficultyinhiswholelife.Andmostimportant,hebroughtuslotsofspiritualenlightenmentinrevelation.