painted by the sun and shaded by the clouds, whereas to the trained eye these were not pictures at all, but the grimmest and most dead earnest of reading matter.

Now when I had mastered the language of this water, and had come to know every trifling feature that bordered the great river as familiarly as I knew the letters of the alphabet, I had made a valuable acquisition. But I had lost something, too. I had lost something which could never be restored to me while I lived. All the grace, the beauty, the poetry, had gone out of the majestic river! I still keep in mind a certain wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was new to me. A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, through which a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water; in another the surface was broken by boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many-tinted as an opal; where the ruddy flush was faintest, was a smooth spot that was covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately traced; the shore on our left was densely wooded, and the somber shadow that fell from this forest was broken in one place by a long, ruffled trail that shone like silver; and high above the forest wall a clean-stemmed dead tree waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the unobstructed splendor that was flowing from the sun. There were graceful curves, reflected images, woody heights, soft distances; and over the whole scene, far and near, the dissolving lights drifted steadily, enriching it every passing moment with new marvels of coloring. f

150

160

f VOICEConsider Twain’s tone and diction earlier in the selection, as he was first learning his way around the ship. Then reread lines 126–164. How does Twain’s voice change as he explains his increased knowledge of the river? Give details.

Champions of the Mississippi, Currier and Ives. Lithograph. Museum of the City of New York, New York. © Scala/Art Resource, New York.

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life on the mississippi 657

I stood like one bewitched. I drank it in, in a speechless rapture. The worldwas new to me, and I had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought upon the river’s face; another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. Then, if that sunset scene had been repeated, I should have looked upon it without rapture, and should have commented upon it, inwardly, after this fashion: “This sun means that we are going to have wind tomorrow; that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it; that slanting mark on the water refers to a bluff reef 13 which is going to kill somebody’s steamboat one of these nights, if it keeps on stretching out like that; those tumbling ‘boils’ show a dissolving bar and a changing channel there; the lines and circles in the slick water over yonder are a warning that that troublesome place is shoaling up14 dangerously; that silver streak in the shadow of the forest is the ‘break’ from a new snag, and he has located himself in the very best place he could have found to fish for steamboats; that tall dead tree, with a single living branch, is not going to last long, and then how is a body ever going to get through this blind place at night without the friendly old landmark?”

No, the romance and beauty were all gone from the river. All the value any feature of it had for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward compassing the safe piloting of a steamboat. Since those days, I have pitied doctors from my heart. What does the lovely flush in a beauty’s cheek mean to a doctor but a “break” that ripples above some deadly disease? Are not all her visible charms sown thick with what are to him the signs and symbols of hidden decay? Does he ever see her beauty at all, or doesn’t he simply view her professionally, and comment upon her unwholesome condition all to himself? And doesn’t he sometimes wonder whether he has gained most or lost most by learning his trade? � g

170

180

190

13. bluff reef: an underwater ridge of rock.

14. shoaling up: becoming too shallow for safe navigation because of a buildup of sand or siltin the riverbed.

g PARAPHRASEReread lines 184–190 and paraphrase the comments about what a doctor sees. What parallel is Twain drawing between the doctor’s plight and his own?

FL_L11PE-u04s12-Life.indd 657 1/28/08 10:01:45 AM

differentiated instruction

f voicePossible answer: Twain’s descriptions change to become more vivid and more detailed, revealing close observation. Twain also uses figurative language, whereas before he presented simple, rather plain de-scriptions. His diction is more serious than before, reflecting his new maturity.If students need help . . . Have them contrast the tone and diction in these lines with that in lines 39–50.

L I T E R A R Y A N A L Y S I S

Lines 146–164discussion promptsUse these prompts to help students appreciate Twain’s imagery:

Connect Have you ever witnessed a sunset or other scene of natural beauty? How did it affect you? Accept all thoughtful responses.Analyze How does Twain appeal to the reader’s sense of sight? Possible answer: Twain recalls colors (for example, blood reds and golden reflections in lines 152–153) and contrasts (for example, the black log against the golden-red river in lines 153–154).Evaluate Does Twain’s description con-vince readers of “the grace, the beauty, the poetry” of the river (lines 149–150)? Explain. Students may suggest that Twain’s respectful tone and vivid poetic language capture these aspects of the river.

About the Art The firm of Nathaniel Currier (1813–1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824–1895) became famous for its popular lithographs, producing more than 7,000 images that chron-icled scenes and events of the 19th century.

for less–proficient readersExplore Voice Guide students in a comparison of the professional, pragmatic language of lines 171–181 with the more poetic language of lines 146–164. Suggest that students use a Two-Column Chart, like the one shown, to match professional and poetic details in the passages. Discuss the results, helping stu-dents note how differences in tone and diction distinguish the passages in meaning and effect.

Professional Voice Poetic Voice

Lines 171–172: The sunset means that wind is coming.

Lines 150–156: The sunset bathes the river in glori-ous colors.

Line 172: The floating log means that the river is rising.

Lines 153–154: The floating log provides a striking color contrast.

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyTwo-Column Chart p. A25

656 unit 4: regionalism and naturalism

painted by the sun and shaded by the clouds, whereas to the trained eye these were not pictures at all, but the grimmest and most dead earnest of reading matter.

Now when I had mastered the language of this water, and had come to know every trifling feature that bordered the great river as familiarly as I knew the letters of the alphabet, I had made a valuable acquisition. But I had lost something, too. I had lost something which could never be restored to me while I lived. All the grace, the beauty, the poetry, had gone out of the majestic river! I still keep in mind a certain wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was new to me. A broad expanse of the river was turned to blood; in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, through which a solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous; in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling upon the water; in another the surface was broken by boiling, tumbling rings, that were as many-tinted as an opal; where the ruddy flush was faintest, was a smooth spot that was covered with graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately traced; the shore on our left was densely wooded, and the somber shadow that fell from this forest was broken in one place by a long, ruffled trail that shone like silver; and high above the forest wall a clean-stemmed dead tree waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the unobstructed splendor that was flowing from the sun. There were graceful curves, reflected images, woody heights, soft distances; and over the whole scene, far and near, the dissolving lights drifted steadily, enriching it every passing moment with new marvels of coloring. f

150

160

f VOICEConsider Twain’s tone and diction earlier in the selection, as he was first learning his way around the ship. Then reread lines 126–164. How does Twain’s voice change as he explains his increased knowledge of the river? Give details.

Champions of the Mississippi, Currier and Ives. Lithograph. Museum of the City of New York, New York. © Scala/Art Resource, New York.

656 unit 4: regionalism and naturalism

FL_L11PE-u04s12-Life.indd 656 1/28/08 10:01:38 AM

life on the mississippi 657

I stood like one bewitched. I drank it in, in a speechless rapture. The worldwas new to me, and I had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought upon the river’s face; another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. Then, if that sunset scene had been repeated, I should have looked upon it without rapture, and should have commented upon it, inwardly, after this fashion: “This sun means that we are going to have wind tomorrow; that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it; that slanting mark on the water refers to a bluff reef 13 which is going to kill somebody’s steamboat one of these nights, if it keeps on stretching out like that; those tumbling ‘boils’ show a dissolving bar and a changing channel there; the lines and circles in the slick water over yonder are a warning that that troublesome place is shoaling up14 dangerously; that silver streak in the shadow of the forest is the ‘break’ from a new snag, and he has located himself in the very best place he could have found to fish for steamboats; that tall dead tree, with a single living branch, is not going to last long, and then how is a body ever going to get through this blind place at night without the friendly old landmark?”

No, the romance and beauty were all gone from the river. All the value any feature of it had for me now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward compassing the safe piloting of a steamboat. Since those days, I have pitied doctors from my heart. What does the lovely flush in a beauty’s cheek mean to a doctor but a “break” that ripples above some deadly disease? Are not all her visible charms sown thick with what are to him the signs and symbols of hidden decay? Does he ever see her beauty at all, or doesn’t he simply view her professionally, and comment upon her unwholesome condition all to himself? And doesn’t he sometimes wonder whether he has gained most or lost most by learning his trade? � g

170

180

190

13. bluff reef: an underwater ridge of rock.

14. shoaling up: becoming too shallow for safe navigation because of a buildup of sand or siltin the riverbed.

g PARAPHRASEReread lines 184–190 and paraphrase the comments about what a doctor sees. What parallel is Twain drawing between the doctor’s plight and his own?

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g paraphrasePossible answer: Paraphrase: Since then, I have sincerely pitied doctors. To a doctor, might not a beautiful woman have pink cheeks because she is deathly ill? Are not her lovely physical traits overshadowed by possible symptoms of illness? Can the doc-tor ever recognize her beauty, or does he see her only as a patient, and speak of her to himself as such? And doesn’t he sometimes wonder whether learning his profession has been worth that cost? Twain’s parallel makes the point that professional knowl-edge stifles one’s sensitivity to beauty.

R E A D I N G S T R A T E G Y

Lines 165–169reinforce key idea: experienceDiscuss How do the young Twain’s experiences change his thoughts about the river? Possible answer: As he gains piloting experience, Twain thinks less about the river’s “charms,” until he finally loses all sense of wonder.

selection wrap–upSUMMARIZE Ask students to summarize what Twain learns during his apprenticeship.

CRITIQUE• Ask students whether they are convinced

of the young Twain’s rapid maturation from careless cub pilot to confident veteran pilot.

• After completing the After Reading questions on page 658, have students revisit their re-sponses and tell whether they have changed their opinions.

4 Targeted Passage [Lines 166–184]In this passage, the mature Twain reflects on what he lost by gaining the experience needed to pilot a steamboat.• According to Twain, what happened on a

certain day?• Before Twain became a pilot, the Missis-

sippi River seemed enchanting and peaceful. How does it seem to him now?

• Does Twain regret having learned to pilot? Explain your answer.

for advanced learners/apSynthesize In both the excerpt from The Auto-biography of Mark Twain and the excerpt from Life on the Mississippi, a mature author reflects on his younger self. The episode from the Au-tobiography comes from Twain’s adolescence; the period of apprenticeship to Mr. Bixby dates to Twain’s early 20s. Have students develop and share profiles of the three versions of Twain they encounter in these selections, drawing evidence from both texts. Urge stu-dents to respond to these questions:

• What matters most to Twain at each time of his life?

• What mistakes are the boy and young man prone to make?

• How has Twain matured between his par-ticipation in the mesmerizer’s act and his apprenticeship to Mr. Bixby?

• What characteristics have stayed with Twain from boyhood through maturity?

life on the mississippi 657

Targeted Passage4