He was a humorist, a rebel and a dreamer. He became the George Washington of American literature. His name was Mark Twain and he was America's most famous literary icon, publishing 28 plays. He was born on November 30, 1835 as Samuel L. Clemens in the small town of Florida, Missouri. He was the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens (Quirk). As a child, Clemens was in poor health and stayed indoors most of the time, causing all sorts of mischief. Spending most of his time with his mother, he picked up on her sense of humor. Later in life, Clemens asked his mother about her poor health and said, "I suppose all this time you were worried about me?" “Yes, all the time,” she replied. “Afraid of not living? » "No," she said, "I was afraid you would." (Weird) His mother's sense of humor was later reflected in her writings. At the age of four, in 1839, Samuel and the rest of his family moved a few miles east to the town of Hannibal (Biography.com). A bustling port city located on the banks of the Mississippi River. Growing up in Hannibal, Clemens saw a local man shoot a cattle rancher and a slave die when his master hit him. Exposed to the inhumanity of slavery, realizing it was not acceptable, he later spoke out against it in his writings. Twain's major novel, "Huckleberry Finn," is illustrated with his personal experiences. The story takes place during the era of slavery, when black people were considered inferior. Throughout the book, Twain arguably targets racism. But not directly, but through mockery. In his book, Twain demonstrates that blacks and whites are equal by making Jim one of his main characters. Through this character, he described his attachment and appreciation for African Americans. Huck...... middle of paper ... his work‚ we can delve into the past and piece together various events of his time and their responses” (Welcome to the Mark Twain Home and Museum). Eager to speak his mind, Mark Twain embodied the best and worst of America. Works Cited “A Life Lived in a Rapidly Changing World: Samuel L. Clemens‚ 1835-1910.” Welcome to the Mark Twain Home and Museum. Np, and Web. April 20, 2014. "Hannibal.net | The Hannibal Courier-Post." Hannibal.net | The Hannibal courier. Np, and Web. April 18, 2014. "Huck Finn, The Living Adventures of Tom Sawyer in Hannibal." Chicago Tribune. Np, January 17, 2010. Web. April 20, 2014. “Samuel Langhorne Clemens.” 2014. The Biography.com website. April 21, 2014Quirk, Thomas V. "Mark Twain." History.com. A&E Television Networks, and Web. April 20, 2014. “Welcome to Hannibal, Missouri. » Hannibal, Missouri. Np, and Web. April 21. 2014.