Throughout the short story, “The War Prayer,” Mark Twain depicts how one copes with the notion of war. Specifically, this community dealt with the depressing news that their country would go to war through prayer. In this case, prayer was their one defense mechanism and source of therapy during times of trouble. Throughout the short story, the reader is able to understand the harsh consequences that come with war and the thought process that one many go through prior to entering a war. Mark Twain utilizes, tone, satire and logos in order to efficiently portray the immense sense of distress that everyone was experiencing during this difficult instant in time.
One of the first literary techniques that Mark Twain employs is satire. Satire is