Two Ways of Seeing a River PDF

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Summary

Two Ways of Seeing a River - Mark Twain...

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An excerpt called, “Two Ways of Seeing a River” from Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi written in 1883 discusses the changing perspective he has once more knowledge is gained. The passage is an account from Twain’s youth about learning how to be a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi River. As Twain learns more about being a pilot his attitude towards the once “opal tinted, tumbling rings..sparkling upon the water” changed. The narrative reveals the danger Twain later discovers amid the mesmerizing beauty that he once admired. An experience that could only be discovered by taking to the river itself. The breathtaking illustration Twain provides the audience combined with contrast and cause and effect brings to light that one would have a differing opinion on something that seems seemingly beautiful once they experience that thing for themself. Twain first introduces the Mississippi River as something “covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately traced.” This perspective is from when Twain is first captivated by the “speechless rapture” of the river. Once Twain begins to learn the patterns of the river and atmosphere that surrounds it, he begins to take note of the darker aspects of the river. He sees the river as more dangerous and “troublesome...the romance and the beauty...all gone from the river” once he takes to the river himself. After seeing this other side of the river Twain notes that it cannot be unseen. His two ways of seeing the river are vastly different from how he first saw it to how he views it at the end of the passage. The passage was very descriptive and painted a clear image of what the river looked like. Twain’s thoughts were clear and easy for the reader to follow. The cause and effect led to the tone at the beginning and the end of the passage to be completely different. This was a skillful technique in showing the reader the same perspective change that Twain himself went though. The beauty of the river is gone after a while and more of its faults are noticeable. I interpreted this to be similar to a relationship, whether that be a romantic or platonic relationship. In the romantic sense, it’s like you are in a relationship with someone and the

longer you spend with them the more you realize the two of you are not compatible. After that it is hard to ignore the things you find you dislike about that person. Another way you can think of it is if you see someone who looks smart, artistic, etc. and then later when you talk to them or meet them they turn out to be completely different than how you imagined them to be. Twain’s description of the Mississippi River transports the reader back in time to when Mark Twain was learning to pilot a steamboat. The beauty of the river is illustrated in the beginning of the passage then towards the end it is contrasted with Twain’s new perspective. Twain’s narrative takes us through each cause and effect of what happens during his time on the Mississippi River; how that has led to his perspective shifting while causing the reader to think back to a similar time in their own life....