Mark Twain's Influence On American Culture

Throughout the history of the United States there have been many influential voices that carried a message of American ideology and culture. Whether beloved or controversial, these influential ideas often reflect in the American mindset today. There are many idols and important people that represent our prominent and diverse American ways of life. However, some of the most significant writings and ideas were spoken from a voice not likely to be known as a powerful figure of politics and ideas: Mark Twain. Always known as a beloved novelist, whose books we are familiar with, and a talented satirist and perhaps even a figure of early American culture. What is little known, and understated, is Mark Twain’s battle for the preservation of the

“To the Persons Sitting in Darkness” uses satire to speak of the dying American ideal of freedom and democracy, and through humor Twain tells of the false facade of “civilization” the United States were representing. The truth was, America was becoming not a Republic, but an Empire forcing itself where it was, for the most part, unwanted. This essay uses Twain’s sharp sense of humor and brilliance to convey, in my opinion, the truth of the situation: America was not fighting for the noble cause of another man’s freedom but to further their power and interests across nations, whether it be by business or force. America at the time had adopted a sort of loyalty to the flag no matter what was carried out in the name of it. Speaking of the American public’s self-interest views and the flag which flies above us: “And our flag, another pride of ours, our chiefest! We have worshipped it so; and when we have seen it in far lands--glimpsing it unexpectedly in that strange sky, waving its welcome and benediction to us--we have caught our breath, and uncovered or heads, and couldn’t speak, for a moment, for the thought of what it was to us and what is stood for” (Twain, np.) With this statement and throughout the essay, Twain speaks eloquently of the imperialism which had enveloped the American