Twain may be remarkable, like Huck Finn, for his easy willingness to admit
the prejudices of his youth.  (Of course, Huck was still a youth, so it was
no big deal for him).  Most of us amend that history as soon as it becomes
embarrassing.  Twain puts it out there, but often with irony.  When it comes
to the French, it's hard to find the irony, but I can't help feeling that it
is a good-natured censure.  Same with the Indians.  I'm half French, God
knows what part Indian.  And, just as I was prepared to give up looking for
the hint, any hint, that MT really loved the French and all was forgiven, I
came across his paean of praise to Emile Zola, a figure Twain ranked on a
par with that greatest of humans, Joan of Arc.  (He always contended, of
course, that Joan of Arc was his best work).  As for the Indians, wasn't
there a speech on Plymouth Rock out of which the Redskins came rather better
than the Pilgrims?   MT believed travel was fatal to prejudice, and he
traveled a great deal, perhaps enough to vanquish all prejudice.  But I'm
still looking for something nice he ever said about the Germans . . .

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cal Pritner
Sent: Friday, April 22, 2011 9:44 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: A Prejudice against Indians

I'm working from memory, but I believe Twain bows to Indians' humanity some=
where =0Ain Captain Stormfield's trip to heaven.  And, I think there's a li=
ne in a =0Aspeech, late in life, in which he acknowledges the Indians' huma=
nity.=0A=0A Cal Pritner=0A565 W. 169th St.=0AApt. 4-H=0ANew York, NY 10032=
=0A(212) 568-0109=0A=0A=0A"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in hea=
lth care is the most shocking =0Aand inhumane."=0A=E2=80=94 Martin Luther K=
ing Jr.=0A=0A=0A=0A=0A________________________________=0AFrom: Scott Holmes=
 <[log in to unmask]>=0ATo: [log in to unmask]: Thu, April 21, =
2011 8:48:10 PM=0ASubject: A Prejudice against Indians=0A=0AI've been worki=
ng my way through Roughing It (again) recently, doing=0Apublic readings.  I=
t caused me pause when I reached his description of=0Athe Goshoots Indians.=
  It's quite common for discussion of Twain to=0Acenter on assumed racism b=
ecause of his use of a particular word but=0Ararely have I seen any discuss=
ion of his prejudice against native=0AAmericans - Indians. When it does com=
e up it is generally in regard to=0AInjun Joe.  Injun Joe is an entirely di=
fferent matter, he is for the=0Amost part a product of the dominant culture=
, the "white" culture.  The=0AGoshoots are part of an entirely foreign cult=
ure to Twain and he seems=0Aunable to understand it or even recognize that =
it is a foreign culture.=0A=0ARoughing It comes from very early in Twains c=
areer so I'm wondering if,=0Aafter all his world travels, he ever came to s=
ee native Americans in a=0Abetter light.  =0A=0A---------------------------=
----------------------------------------------=0AThere are more things in h=
eaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of=0A                          in=
 your philosophy.=0A                        http://bscottholmes.com=0A-----=
--------------------------------------------------------------------=0A