Mark Twain and the Might Mississippi: How the River is Used in Twain's Writing
In Life on the Mississippi, Mark Twain uses the Mississippi
River as both the setting and an active "character" in Life on the Mississippi. Twain's entire book takes place on the Mississippi
River and he takes several chapters, including the first to describe the natural
grandeur of the river. From the first line,
Twain tells his audience that "The Mississippi is well worth reading about"
(1). From its immense size to its unpredictable
nature and beautiful sunsets, no aspect of the river is too small to go unnoticed
or unappreciated by Twain. Twain claims the
river is "remarkable" (1) and that visiting and traveling the river should
be considered "good fortune" (365). The river and the happenings upon the river are
extraordinary enough to compel Twain to spend a career writing about the river and
its inhabitants. This particular book focuses on how the river developed Twain into
the human being he is, how the river contains a nostalgic air for him, and how the
parts of his life worth writing about in a piece of personal non-fiction all revolve
around the river. Twain does not have a story
worth telling without the Mississippi River.
The Mississippi River becomes an active, personified character
throughout Life on the Mississippi. The river creates and destroys islands and villages
and the dreams of boys and men who wish to travel upon her. People live and die upon the river and along her
banks. Twain views and describes the river
as an ever present and active force in the lives of those who interact with the
Mississippi and finds an attraction and is drawn to this power throughout his life.
This attraction to the great force of the
river makes Twain put the river in the center of his text. The river is more important
to the text than Twain himself. Twain never mentions himself by name in the book
but only provides enough detail to identify himself, but the reader is clear that
the text is about the Mississippi River; No other river could be mistaken for the
Mississippi even though Twain could almost be any man who has traveled her. The Mississippi River is the life of the book,
a character within it, as well as the setting.
Throughout The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the Mississippi River stands as a symbol that represents freedom and possibility. The river carries them away from captivity (slavery and society) and towards the independence they desperately want. Huck has been confined figuratively by society and literally by his abusive father, and the river is the only route through which he can escape and seek a different future. The only time that Huck and Jim feel truly free is when they are aboard the raft. Huck describes it this way: “So in two seconds we went a-sliding down the river, and it did seem so good to be free again and all by ourselves on the big river, and nobody to bother us.” To Huck, the river is a life beyond the reaches of society and its rules.
However, the river also represents the problems of a drifting life. On the river, Huck and Jim witness many tragedies and encounter life-threatening situations, burglars, and re-confinement. As the journey continues down river, Huck learns that freedom requires responsibility and decisions.