English 11CP from The Autobiography of Mark Twain
Name: ______________________________________
Essential Question: What role do irony and voice play in a tall tale?
Thematic EQ: Have you ever put on an act?
Author Information Journal: In what ways do people pretend to be something they are not?
Literary Terms Defined
Irony:
Situational Irony:
Dramatic Irony:
Verbal Irony:
Tall Tale:
Key Vocabulary Defined
1.
unassailable
2.
multifarious
3.
minutest
4.
implacable
5.
credulity
6.
rapt
7.
nettled
8.
gullible
E.
G.
C.
Prediction
A.
Clues

Summarize the story in a sentence of less than TEN words.
Reading Guide Questions
1.
Briefly describe the historical context of this piece.
2.
What is a mesmerizer? Why were all the people in the village interested in seeing him?
3.
Why did Mark Twain want to be a “subject” in the show so badly? What did he do once he was selected?
4.
How does Twain feel that he is different from Hicks, the previous subject? How is this description both positive and negative?
5.
About how old is Twain during this particular episode? How does he think his age contributed to his behavior?
6.
How would you describe Twain’s attitude toward himself as a boy and toward the people in his hometown?
7.
Why does Twain want to convince Dr. Peake so badly? What “visions” does Twain see when he is in the audience?
8.
Why does this convince Peake? Where did Twain actually get this information?
9.
How does he feel initially when everyone in the village believes that he was hypnotized? How does he feel about it a month later?
10.
What lesson does Twain learn from this experience?
11.
How does he think it differs from someone with a similar experience but true acts of valor? Why does he think that it is different?
12.
How is the lesson that Twain learned ironic?
13.
Why does Twain decide to tell his mother what actually happened years later? How does she react? Why does this upset Twain?
14.
How is the situation with Twain’s mother an example of situational irony?
15.
How does Twain feel about hypnotists and mesmerizers at the end of the selection? Why is this ironic?
16.
Do you agree with the statements Twain makes about human nature in the story?
17.
Consider Carlyle’s statement that “a lie cannot live” and Twain’s opposing viewpoint. Give reasons for your opinion.
18.
Give an example of humor from the story. Explain how Twain uses humor to tell his story to the audience.