I loved Wes' piece.

A quick--and hopefully apropos story:

Eons ago, as an undergraduate, I took a Hemingway course taught by
Carlos Baker, perhaps the most famous of the Hemingway "experts."

One day, Carlos entered ceremoniously, removed a packet from his jacket
pocket, and said, "I just got this letter from Papa this morning, and
I'd like to share it with you." We gasped appreciatively as he unfolded
it and began to read (I paraphase here):

Dear Carlos,
        I received your recent letter full of bullshit about my
psychological
state and the "hidden meanings" throughout my work.

He continued through several pages--as I remember--to lambaste Baker for
making the stuff up and couching it in all sorts of pseudo-technical
terms...Carlos finished the letter, folded it and inserted it back in
his pocket, then launched his lecture on Hidden Meanings in Hemingway!
Water off a duck's back...

Some of these terms are necessary--alliteration, and that one where the
weather reflects the mood (I haven't been in a classroom in 30 years)
come to mind--but much seems to me to be, to quote Hemingway in context,
bullshit.

But this forum is open to all seriously interested in Twain, so we
should at least hear all sides.

Aloha from "the lovliest fleet of islands anchored in any ocean"

Mac Simpson