The Invalid's Story

Mark Twain named the deceased friend “John B. Hackett” at a time when a “hack” was an inferior writer. Why might Twain have chosen this name for the character? What role does inferiority play in the frame story and/or the story within it?

Twain once wrote to his frequent editor and friend William Dean Howells that “fine literature is wine, and mine is only water; but everybody likes water” (Twain, Mark. “Letter to William D. Howells, February 15, 1887.” The Letters of Mark Twain, Volume 4, 1886-1900. Project Gutenberg). Consider this statement in light of “The Invalid’s Story.” What elements in Twain’s work might appeal to “everyone,” and why? What makes his statement ironic today?

Consider Twain’s “The Invalid’s Story” alongside another one of his humorous short stories, such as “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” What parallels exist between the characters, structures, and stylistic choices? What larger point do these similarities make?