Life on the Mississippi

Life on the Mississippi is a powerful narrative concerning the past, present, and future of the Mississippi River, including its towns, peoples, and ways of life. The narrative is written by Mark Twain, whose real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Twain explains in the narrative how he “stole” this nickname from an old steamboat captain who was also a writer. Mark Twain is a nautical term and a pilot’s phrase that means “two fathoms.” Two fathoms is when the water level is just deep enough for river navigation. As Mark Twain, he provides a comical take on life in general. With this novel, Twain addresses the life and times of piloting steamboats along the Mississippi River, making sure to mix his trademark humor into the narrative.

Before addressing the river and his personal relationship to it, Twain provides a brief history of the Mississippi River. He comments in the first few chapters on the river’s historic standing as a wonder that surpasses many rivers around the world. Twain also provides a history of explorers in the region, including DeSoto, who first saw the river, and how the Mississippi transitioned from being just another body of water to become a conduit for transportation that many eventually found worth exploring and building industry upon.