1 / 14

A trip down the Mississippi

A trip down the Mississippi. By: Daniel Dunham N. Design. "The Mississippi River." Raft The Mississippi River . Word Press. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. How Mark Twain became a steamboat pilot. He was tutored by a man named Horace Bixby

adsila
Download Presentation

A trip down the Mississippi

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. A trip down the Mississippi By: Daniel Dunham N. Design. "The Mississippi River." Raft The Mississippi River. Word Press. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.

  2. How Mark Twain became a steamboat pilot • He was tutored by a man named Horace Bixby • Adventure towards Brazil at 22 years old on February 16th in 1857 • He said aside Amazon dreams to become a pilot • Received his pilots license on April 9th 1857 • Learned on the 1,200 miles of Mississippi Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  3. Horace Bixby • Was hired for 500$ with down payment of 100$ • Was very strict which is needed since there is no room for error • He was a decent pilot, not the best, but new the Mississippi well and had never been in a crash • Continued teaching Sam until he reached mastery • Described as highly courageous and having much willpower • Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005 • Northern Illinois University Libraries. "Video Listing." Mark Twain's Mississippi. Northern Illinois • University Libraries, 2005. Web. 4 Apr. 2011.

  4. Horus Bixby • Twainquotes. "Horace Bixby." MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT MEN IN MARK TWAIN'S WRITINGS. Twainquotes. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.

  5. Steam Boats During this Time • Referred to as “floating palaces”(79) or “moving momentum of light and flame” (79) • An amazing to those cut off from most society such as villagers or farmers • Reshaped America economically and structurally • Had a strong rival during this time which was the train • First non-manned powered way of trail (tools) • Very dangerous: snagged, burn, explode, or collisions • Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  6. Steamboat in 1850’s • Wet Set Publications, Inc. "The Steamboat Madison." Florida Scuba News. Wet Set Publications, Inc., 2009-2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.

  7. What drew Sam to the river/what he liked about it • It offered adventure, pay and prestige (for a boy born in Missouri mostly in poverty) • Enjoyed the independence aspect of it • Pilot is in complete control • Piloting doesn’t have anyone you are trying to please, just yourself • Don’t have to listen to anyone, not even captain can tell you how to steer • Northern Illinois University Libraries. "Video Listing." Mark Twain's Mississippi. Northern Illinois University Libraries, 2005. Web. 4 Apr. 2011.

  8. Meeting Laura • Laura Wright: “A girl with plaited tails and white frock”( 82) • She was 14 years old and the daughter of a Warsaw, Missouri judge • Sam met her first on a spring night in 1858 • Sam never mentioned much that happened between them but said that they were very close often • Only together for 3 days • Tried to keep romance alive but eventually stopped after Laura lost interest Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  9. Pastimes on Steamboat • He filled his notebooks with many notes describing the Mississippi • He would talk with many off duty pilots about “ inspecting the river” • On the boat he read books, practiced his French, and played the guitar • Read Suetonius, Pepys, Malory, Carlyle, Cervantes, Plutarch, Darwin, Macaulay, and Shakespeare along with the bible • Was very interested in history, science, music, language, biography, astronomy, and geology • Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  10. Times on river with Henry • Gave his brother a job as a Mud clerk on the Pennsylvania mainly to occupy him • Henry wasn’t going anywhere with his life • Henry was 19 • Sam really loved/cared for Henry • Really wanted to show Henry his lifestyle • The two together took 6 trips on the boat • Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  11. Henry’s “Incident” • On may 30th, Brown, Sam, and Henry were all on the boat traveling • William Brown: pilot of the boat along with Sam • Ended in a huge fight between Brown and Henry • The captain ended up not pressing charges at all • This then ended in the captain not liking Brown at all • Henry and Brown had to be separated witch also lead to the separation of Henry and Sam • Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  12. Death of Henry • Henry went on Pennsylvania, and Sam went on Lancey • Soon after Sam departs he hears new “ The Pennsylvania is blown up at Ship Island, and a hundred fifty lost” • Destroyed by boiler explosion around 6 am Sunday June 13th • On boat was Henry who was actually sleeping on the boilers and was hit by explosion but then crawler to the shore • Sam went to see Henry one last time at the Memphis Exchange (hospital). • Henry’s skin was covered in a white medical paint under white cotton making him look like a ghost Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  13. Henry’s death on Sam • Ended up writing many things about Sam • Changed his belief toward the Catholic church • Death was also linked somehow in his writing not specifically to Henry • Linked his dream he had before to this • Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005

  14. Works Cited N. Design. "The Mississippi River." Raft The Mississippi River. Word Press. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. Northern Illinois University Libraries. "Video Listing." Mark Twain's Mississippi. Northern Illinois University Libraries, 2005. Web. 4 Apr. 2011. Powers, Ron. Mark Twain: A Life. New York: Free Press, 2005 Twainquotes. "Horace Bixby." MISSISSIPPI STEAMBOAT MEN IN MARK TWAIN'S WRITINGS. Twainquotes. Web. 11 Apr. 2011. Wet Set Publications, Inc. "The Steamboat Madison." Florida Scuba News. Wet Set Publications, Inc., 2009-2010. Web. 11 Apr. 2011

More Related