Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi River
Mark Twain is best remembered as the iconic writer of novels such as Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. But before he published these memorable novels, he spent four years working as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River.
It was there, navigating the massive river during his own apprenticeship, that he received some of the most memorable experiences that would later be a source of inspiration for his greatest works. Twain, who had worked as a printer gluer, a shepherd, a miner and a store clerk, wanted a job on a riverboat, and was accepted as an apprentice pilot by Horace E. Bixby in 1857.
Twain soon learned how essential the skills of a pilot were, due to the need for the boat to maneuver through narrow passages, low water and treacherous sandbars. This experience on the river would soon influence him significantly, profoundly affecting the way he wrote. He learned the importance of vigilance, alertness, and of being able to measure the depth of the river immediately, as well as the architecture involved in manipulating a boat through the tributaries and narrow passages.
Twain wrote about his experiences in his book Life on the Mississippi, in which he chronicles the arduous journeys he took, as navigator of a steamboat, up and down the Mississippi River. He described the details of the vessels and the people who assisted him in piloting the ship. He documents the experience of what it was like to handle a steamboat on the expansive river.
Managing The River
Life on the Mississippi captures well the nuances of the technical aspects of piloting a Mississippi River ship. But the book focuses on more than just the management of a ship. Twain also explores the implications of the decisions made to maneuver a ship along the river. He describes vividly the psychological and physiological effects of making daily choices about the management of the river.
Twain’s life on the Mississippi influenced his subsequent works that were set in similar locales — works such as Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Both these popular novels feature a riverboat steaming along the banks of the Mississippi, taking young adventurers through its waters.
Twain grew to understand the importance of the Riverside, not just as a way to manage a ship, but as a cultural milestone and a leg of the popular American National Identity. He documented in his sometimes satirical writings the colorful personalities of the era travelling along the river.
The author saw the navigation of the Mississippi as an exploration of humanity, a journey that required deep understanding of the tactile water and the contextual landscape of its inhabitants.
The Last Of The Riverboat Pilots
Twain was known to be one of the last few contemporary “Old Masters” of the rivers. The pilots of that era were highly specialized and required long training and experience involving close collaboration with their peers to master the complex technical details of piloting a vessel.
After four years of experience on the river, Twain became a fully certified steamboat pilot. He was particularly proud of this accomplishment, largely because it laid the foundation for his career as a renowned writer. However, Twain was soon forced to end his tenure as a riverboat pilot due to changes created by the Civil War – changes that made steamboat navigation more complex than ever before.
Twain left Mississippi River piloting behind and instead became a journalist, a position that enabled him to keep on traveling and writing, the two beloved activities of the writer. He wrote and worked for a number of newspapers, eventually becoming an editor of the Buffalo Express in 1871.
Confronting Slavery
Twain also confronted slavery as he traveled, gaining further inspiration for his writing. His experiences on the river, which were recounted in Life on the Mississippi, were often painful and difficult. One instance was when Twain wrote about coming across a boat crewed by slaves going South in search of new owners.
These experiences, along with his experiences managing the river, enabled Twain to reflect on the morality of the slavery system, and would eventually become key components of his classic masterpiece, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Twain’s feelings on the issue were finally expressed in the work, which, although controversial, was highly influential and praised by critics. His work also served as a historical document depicting the slave culture of the time – a position that was impossible to attain as a riverboat pilot.
Celebrating The River
Twain celebrated the Mississippi and its role in American history in his works. His writings helped bring to life the trials, tribulations, and scars associated with a river that was so deeply rooted in the American psyche.
He used his experiences as a riverboat pilot to create vivid characters and unforgettable moments intended to reveal the human spirit within. Even after his time on the Mississippi, Twain never stopped exploring the river, joining steamboat excursions, and talking and writing about his love for the river that had given him so much.
Celebrity and Politics
Although Twain stopped traveling on the Mississippi by steamboat, he became politically involved in his later life and continued to write about the river.
Whether reflecting on the contours and unexpected depths of the river’s waters or addressing the injustices and successes that were present from the nation’s earliest days, Twain consistently discussed the historical importance of the river that had given him so much.
Twain’s fame grew until he was considered one of the most renowned citizens in the country and abroad. He became a key figure in the intellectual circles of the US, a world traveler and a celebrated diplomat. Although his career no longer focused on the river, Twain’s appreciation for the water’s importance in American history was never diminished.
Exploring Twains Legacy
Due to his iconic status, when Twain passed away in 1910, he was honored with a steamboat funeral on the very Mississippi that he once navigated. Since then, Twain’s legacy has lived on in imagination and popular culture.
Today, historic steamboats still cruise the Mississippi providing passengers with a taste of Twain’s remarkable experience. Many of these boats feature Twain-inspired interiors, complete with a grand staircase, cherrywood furniture, and Victorian chandeliers.
Though much has changed since Twain’s time, the Mississippi River remains much the same. The banks Twain cruised with confidence and fear are still visible and many of the waterways remain unchanged.
Speculation About Twains Life On The Mississippi
Mark Twain’s steamboat experience on the Mississippi remains a popular topic among historians. Travelers can still find fragments of Twain’s presence in places such as Mark Twain National Park in Missouri and Mark Twain State Park in Illinois. It is clear that he took away something more than just a riverboat experience; it gave him the foundation of writing that would catapult him to fame.
Twain’s experience is immortalized in the literature he wrote and lives on in the imaginations of those who engage with his words. His days as a riverboat pilot epitomize the iconic nature of his experience on the Mississippi.
Modernization of the Mississippi
Since Twain’s time, modern technology and a simplified infrastructure on the Mississippi have made it much easier to traverse the river. However, there is still something special about the gritty, gritty pace of life on the river that resides in the popular imagination.
The modernization of the Mississippi has facilitated more recreational activities and taken away some of the more fearful aspects of life on the river, such as dangerous twists, turns and hidden sandbars. But the romance of the river still draws in travelers and adventurers who come to explore the beauty and secrets that Twain worked so hard to uncover.
Twains Subsequent Rise To Fame
The experience Twain earned on the Mississippi would soon pay off, as his literar y talent was recognized worldwide. His works stand out as respected pieces of literature to this day, and many of his thoughts and ideas are still applicable to modern life.
Although Twain may be best remembered for his writing, it was his adventurous lifestyle, his daring experiences on the Mississippi, and his willingness to explore the unknown that led to his eventual success in literature.
Twain’s childhood dream of becoming a riverboat pilot paid off in ways he could not have imagined. His long hours studying the river, spending time with the people he met, and gaining experience in navigation, inspired him to create timeless novels, and his legacy lives on through the words of his beloved books.
