Adam and Eve Rhetorical Strategies

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In “The Diary of Adam” and “The Diary of Eve,” Mark Twain writes of the lives of Adam and Eve from The Book of Genesis in a comical manner. Adam and Eve are newly conceived and are incipient to the world. Eve chases Adam in a vivacious manner while Adam continuously tries to elude her. Then, Eve makes the critical mistake of eating the forbidden fruit, and both Adam and Eve are expelled from the Garden of Eden. The couple then discovers what they think is a fish but in reality is a human baby. In both of these short stories, Twain uses humor, imagery, and stereotypes to portray a central message. That message is that although both genders are unique in their own ways, they still require each other in order to survive.

The first way that Twain expresses the central theme that men and women need one another is through humor. He uses humor of many types to relate this message. One example of the manner in which Twain uses humor can be located in “The Diary of Eve” on page 201: “I could not stand it, but now I can. It sours the milk, but it doesn’t matter; I can get used to that kind of milk.” Eve is speaking of how atrocious Adam’s singing was but that she could get used to it. This takes the reader’s comprehension deeper into the playful relationship between Adam and Eve and makes it feel as if they personally knew Adam and Eve. This quote also illustrates the message that with the assistance of time, men and women can eventually become acquainted, even with all of their conflicting differences and social barriers. This quote additionally makes the reader think more deeply of their own situation, their relationships with others, and how social barriers can be deteriorated between their selves and others. Another example of humor T...

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...it feels like to be a mother to male readers and makes mothers themselves proud. These two quotes support the statement that although the sexes are different, they rely on each other because females need a shoulder “to cry on” for support, it is a positive attribute for males to have a sensitive, tender, compassionate, sympathetic side, and that the bond between mother and child can be matched by no other.

In the both “The Diary of Adam” and “The Diary of Eve,” Mark Twain continuously portrays the message that each of the genders require one another in order to maintain a successful, happy existence and that both male and female have to get over each other’s differences. This message is illustrated by three different techniques: using humor, imagery, and stereotypes. Each of these techniques does a fantastic job in enhancing the message portrayed by Mark Twain.

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