The Five Boons Of Life By Mark Twain - 1388 Words

The Five Boons of Life by Mark Twain tells the story of a man that felt empty inside and was looking for that one thing that could bring him happiness. When he is given the chance to choose one of five gifts (only one of them being of value); fame, love, riches, pleasure, or death he eagerly chose pleasure. Upon receiving the gift and basking in the pleasures of the world, he again found himself empty and wishing he had another chance to choose a different gift. The fairy allows him to choose a remaining gift multiple times but the same scenario plays out for each gift he chooses. After having pleasure, love, fame and riches he finds himself in the same condition of depression and deep longing. When he asks for the gift of death he is†¦show more content†¦With the rise of industrialization, immigrants began flowing into America, cities were forming; bringing urban slums and changing the way of life from agricultural to metropolitan (Realism, naturalism, and regionalism, n.d.). Labor disputes became common during this time as the working class had to fight for every increase in rights, sometimes even using violence (Trumbull, January 16, 2009). â€Å"As America tried to recover and unify after the devastating Civil war it became evident that America remained heavy with inequality based on race, education, and wealth† (Realism-study guide, n.d., para. 8). With all the challenges facing America, there became a widespread desire for political, social, and economic reform (Naturalism or realism, n.d.). The work of Charles Darwin influenced the realist period as well. Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species in 1859 suggested that genetics and blind forces in the environment are what determines a person’s fate (Trumbull, January 16, 2009). This left many Americans feeling as if they had no control over their lives especially with the tumultuous times they were facing in their country. The Industrial Revolution, the Civil war, and the many changes to the way of life that once existed as well as the work of Charles Darwin and others were major factors in the rise of realism. Realism, as a literary movement, focused on providing accurate descriptionsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mark Twain s The Five Boons Of Life 1091 Words   |  5 PagesValue in Life Mark Twain was one of many great authors of his time. Twain was born November 30, 1835 (â€Å"Literary Analysis†).Twain had grown up in Missouri, one of only fifteen slave states, during the Civil War. He was one of eleven children. He spent most of his childhood ill and confined to bed (â€Å"Literary Analysis†).Twain’s father died when he was twelve, leaving him to have to search for a job to care for his family (â€Å"Literary Analysis†). During these times all were experiencing, racism, lynchRead MoreMarriage and Cohabitation13809 Words   |  56 PagesComparison of Marriage and Cohabitation CHAPTER FIVE – CONCLUSION CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION A major social trend of the last three decades is the decline in marriage and the rise in cohabitation. Over the last twenty years, the number of marriages has fallen connsiderably, while there has been a growth in the number of couples living together without marrying. In 1993, the number of marriages in the UK fell to it lowest level for fifty years and one in five unmarried men and women were cohabiting 1 Read MoreAmerican Slang Essay 115481 Words   |  62 PagesTHEORETICAL PART 1. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICs OF Slang 1.1. Definition of slang Slang is the poetry of everyday life.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -S. I. Hayakawa, Language in Action, 1941 There is no good definition of slang available in the literature. The linguist Paul Roberts said that slang