Becoming Mark Twain: Life, Death and Huck Finn on the Mississippi Virtual Program
Rescheduled from March 26. In 1935, Ernest Hemingway made a pronouncement that has become famous: “All modern American literature,” he declared, “comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.” Hemingway’s remark is widely quoted among writers and scholars, and it is rarely disputed. The Twain novel that Hemingway so admired is 138 years old this month and still selling strongly. But what are the origins of Huck Finn? That is, where did the book come from? And perhaps more to the point, where did that character Huck Finn come from? In this lecture, we’ll explore the sources Twain drew on for his novel of the Mississippi and discuss how he became a writer in the first place. It seemed so unlikely. That’s the funny thing about Mark Twain: he did not set out to be a writer at all. No, the popular and admired author initially set his sights on a very different career. As a youth, he was committed to the idea that the most exalted calling on Earth was to pilot steamboats on the broad and mighty Mississippi River. That’s where we find him at the start of this talk. Provided by the CAST Senior Center, our Virtual Programs provide an endless variety of interesting subjects. Our Virtual Programs take us across the country, experiencing and learning about places and people which we wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Scheduled every Tuesday afternoon at 1pm at the CAST Senior Center, our Virtual Programs are free and open to the public. There are no membership dues, and everyone is welcome to attend. Programming is provided by CuriousityU.com and other online providers. Check out our virtual program schedule every month and join us! We look forward to seeing you!
Date and Time
Tuesday May 21, 2024
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM CDT
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
1pm
Location
CAST Senior Center
600 North German Street
New Ulm, MN 56073
Fees/Admission
Free
Contact Information
507-354-3212
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