The Dark Side of Mark Twain

As Mark Twain entered the final stage of his life, his writings became more cynical of life, religion, and the human race. He became deeply depressed after facing financial ruin and the deaths of loved ones, particularly his beloved daughter Susy. Twain buried himself in his work and found comfort only in his writings. At this time he began experimenting with such manuscripts as "The Great Dark". Although unfinished, "The Great Dark" marks an important …

…the awareness of the tragedies of Mr. Edwards, one experiences the tragedies of Twain's life. By evaluating The Great Dark, one is closer to knowing the dark side of Mark Twain. Works Cited: Kosinski, Mark. "Mark Twain's Absurd Universe and 'The Great Dark'." Studies in Short Fiction 16 (1979): 335-340. Twain, Mark. Letters from the Earth. Ed. Bernard DeVoto. New York: Harper, 1962. Ward, Geoffrey C., Dayton Duncan, and Ken Burns. Mark Twain. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2001.