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Mark Twain's The Story Of The Good Little Boy

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In “The Story of the Good Little Boy”, Mark Twain presents to the reader a god fearing child named Jacob Blivens. Jacob lives the perfect little Christian life until he gets blown up. Within this whole story Twain used literary devices to push out a single theme. He used symbols such as the Sunday-school books, the whipping that leads to his death, and then Jacob Blivens himself to create the theme of being perfect does not always have a perfect outcome. Throughout all of Jacob’s childhood, he wanted to be just like the characters in his Sunday-school book. In the story it is even said that “he wished to be put in a Sunday-school book” (Twain 330). Through the young boy wishing to become a character in the stories it shows that all he wants is to a good boy. However in the story it says “he knew it was more fatal than consumption to be so supernaturally good as the boys in the books were” (Twain 330). Producing a thought in the reader’s mind of is being good actually good. Although the characters in the stories were perfect children, they always ended up dying. …show more content…

The man who spanked the young boy was named Alderman McWelter. It says in the story that he “hit him with a whack in the rear with the flat of his hand; and in an instant that good little boy shot out through the roof and soared” (Twain 331). The whipping symbolized how no matter how good one may be, there is always something waiting to trigger something horrendous. This is shown through how Jacob was just sticking up for himself and his innocency but is whipped while in the act. He did not run when Mr. McWelter came to punish the kids, but stayed while all the other kids ran. Even though he did such a good thing he was whipped. The text states that in an instant he was shot into the air and found in bits all throughout the factories. Even though Jacob did the right thing he still ended up

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Jacob was sent to his room where he sat and reminisced about his past life, which was full of excitement, unlike his current life. In his younger days, he had the

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When Jacobs escapes to New York, she is employed as a nurse to a white family and often accompanies them to dinners and events. This experience teaches Jacobs that even though most people in the North considered themselves abolitionists, they were still racist toward African Americans. While at a dinner with the family she is employed by, she is asked to “seat the little girl in the chair, and stand behind it and feed her,” (page 144) when she sits the child in her lap. She emphasizes the fact that no matter where she goes, slavery and racism will always follow

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Therefore, it demonstrates Jacob’s bravery, as he fearlessly opposes his murderous boss in the name of Marlena, and anyone willing to do this is ultimately a hero. Point Two: The second, more subtle point which expresses Jacob’s fearlessness is seen in his older age; specifically towards the treatment of himself and his peers in his nursing home. Evidence: An example where this bravery is illustrated is when he openly expresses his outrage towards the nurses over the fact that himself and his peers “miss real food” (68) and that he addresses the needs of his fellow residents by asking: “doesn’t anyone else here want real food?

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But, unlike him, she had very good memories of her mistress, saying that“ she taught me to read and spell; and for this privilege, which so rarely falls to the lot of the slave, I bless her memory”. Jacobs’s mother and her mistress had gown up together since they were children and, when they became women, her mother was “a most faithful servant to her foster sister” (pg. 10). When Jacob’s mother died, the kind mistress had promised her that she would take care of her daughter and she would never let her suffer for anything. As a matter a fact, she kept her word, until her death, and although it was unlawful, she educated her slave. The mistress also taught her the precepts of God’s Word and treated her like she was one of her own daughters.

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This meant that Jacobs life as a slave was worse that style of life that anyone could have; because she was a slave the fear of being raped or abused was always in her mind. Jacobs was dealt a life with a double edge sword; meaning that she did not have to be worry about being abused because her master did not allow it but her master had plans to make her his own when she came to age. Jacobs did not know the latter of her situation, therefore she like any woman of her time began to become a good woman. This consisted of he being pure holy and domestic. Since her purity was being saved for her master, her being a house slave the same as Douglass, also the love for god came easy to her; she believed that she was a good woman.

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In her struggle and suffering, Jacob turned to God with prayer and on many occasions, she prayed for God to give her the strength to overcome the pain and misery she endured while in bondage under her master, Dr. Flint. She would not be persuaded by the likes of Mr. Pikes preaching, that she had done wrong with her master, Dr. Flint and she was a sinner. She believed that God had a reason for everything in her life that occurred, for it was God’s plan to put her through her trials and in return, God would give her the strength and wisdom to help other slave women in the

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