Twain is His Name, Even if He Was Born Samuel L. Clemens

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Many people have heard of Mark Twain, but his real name is Samuel L. Clemens. He is one of the most influential authors in writing, and he is the guy with the white suit and a cigar (Brown, Don). His career has inspired many to become authors, but he faced many challenges in his older years, which affected his ideal of becoming wealthy. Nevertheless, he has had an impact on American Literature, securing him a spot in the History Hall of Fame.
Mark Twain had a typical childhood for his time, but his older years were quite different. He was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri to Jane Clemens and John Clemens (“Mark Twain Biography”). Growing up on the Missouri River, he faced poverty, cruelty, and boredom as a child. He wanted to be relieved from his boredom so he asked Horace Bixby, a pilot, to teach him riverboat piloting. Piloting is where Twain adopted his pen name. The term twain means “two fathoms deep,” which is the depth needed for a riverboat to pass through safely. Twain served in the Civil War for a few weeks in 1861, but then dropped out. After that, he went on ...

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