1867 to 65438+ 10, Mark Twain came to new york from San Francisco and began his writing career. With the help of Charles Webb, editor of California newspaper, his first collection of short stories, The Famous Jumping Frog and Other Essays in Calaverus County, was officially published by American News Company. Then, he set sail with a "qualified city tour". After returning home, he signed a publishing contract with an American publishing company, and wrote a book "Fools Travel Abroad" based on the description of that trip. 1869 In August, the book "Fools Traveling Abroad" written in accordance with the tradition of western humorous works was officially published, which caused certain repercussions in the society, and many publishing companies offered him favorable conditions one after another.
From 65438 to 0874, Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner collaborated to write a typical humorous story's The Gilded Age. This novel provides us with a vivid picture of American social life by exposing the corruption of American government agencies and the meanness of bourgeois entrepreneurs. 1876, Mark Twain wrote a children's thriller The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The novel satirizes the vulgar, hypocritical and reactionary education system in American society through the process that orphans without education and discrimination become rich. Mark Twain's works during this period not only satirized the political life of American capitalism, but also criticized feudal autocracy and the church. His novel The Prince and the Poor Child (188 1) is set in England and Connecticut during the Arthur Dynasty (1889) in the 6th century, which is his masterpiece. Mark Twain's best work is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn published by 1884. This work is a peak of his realistic creation. Through the story of Jim's escape, the novel denounces the cruelty of slave owners' racial discrimination and indirectly praises the struggle of blacks against racial discrimination and for freedom. This work is considered to be the most thoughtful and artistic among Mark Twain's works. Hemingway, a famous American novelist, once praised this novel as the "first" real "American literature".
1893, the United States experienced another economic crisis. Many factories closed down, banks closed down, and working people in urban and rural areas were dismissed by capitalists in large numbers. Mark Twain's Webster Publishing Company is also facing bankruptcy due to losses. Creditors forced Mark Twain to start a global lecture tour on July 1895+05 to pay off his debts. During his trip, Mark Twain wrote A Journey to the Equator (1897). During his travels, he heard and witnessed the evil acts of imperialism in the Asian-African colonies and the painful life of the local people, so his anti-imperialist stance became more firm after returning home. He publicly declared himself an "anti-imperialist". During this period, his public talks, speeches and short stories include: Wilway the Fool (1893) aimed at criticizing racial discrimination in American society, The Man Who Ruined Fort hedley (1900) against bourgeois fallacies and hypocrisy, and the anti-imperialist political essay "To Sitting in Black" published with his accusations of imperialism and colonialism. The lynching in America (190 1) and other works have touched the essence of social life more deeply, showing the protest and will of the American people. Therefore, it is called "the mirror of American society".