What a delightful explosion of reactions to an entertaining attempt to
interpret Twain for us and apparently the author-impersonatorıs audience.
Itıs a fine kettle of fish what with political correctness, French
indignation, and even immorality thrown in. Good for the Forum, perhaps,
and maybe even for the initiator of this brouhaha this time around.
As for him, Clay Shannon, you really neednıt provide cover for your
subtle promotions of your impersonations of Twain. Iıd guess there are
more than a few of us on the Forum who have seen many such
impersonations, have maybe done them ourselves, and witnessed similar
episodes of self-promotion on the Forum mixed in with if not masquerading
as Twain questions and comments. You can just do your promoting of your
shows and trust that we will appreciate all good faith attempts to promote
Twain and his writings.
Best regards to all,
Bill Cosgrove
Professor Emeritus of English
North Dakota State University
6104 Tracy Ave. So.
Edina, MN 55436
952-929-1393
[log in to unmask]
Good site: www.brainpickings.org
Author: ³Sligo Town to South Saint Paul: Two Irish Families, One Irish
Family Man.² (Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1592988199)
On 1/3/17, 2:50 PM, "Mark Twain Forum on behalf of Alan Kitty"
<[log in to unmask] on behalf of [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Your passion is notable. And of course, you are correct -- from a =
>literary point of view.=20
>
>I have seen dozens of Twain performances by as many artists. And =
>although I have used the word myself, I have not heard any other Twain =
>interpreter use it. But, for the most part, I imagine the word is =
>avoided for reasons far beyond political correctness. Having said that, =
>performances of a literary work =E2=80=94 according to Twain himself
>=E2=80=
>=94 should not be read. Hence, the rendition is not the work, but a =
>memorized version of it. Even the author himself might have missed or =
>substituted words. And no two performances are exactly alike. It is =
>absurd to think otherwise.=20
>
>Alan
>
>> On Jan 3, 2017, at 3:04 PM, C=C3=A9line-Albin Faivre =
><[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>=20
>> This is totally insane and stupid!
>> Only American people can imagine such a thing!
>> You have NO right to amend his works. He wrote "nigger", you have no=20=
>
>> right to change the word or to delete it. You betray a great=20
>> anti-racist novel in the process... Mark Twain was not a racist.
>> When you are scared by the words (you are even not brave enough to =
>write=20
>> the word!!), you are beaten. Censorship has been tried throughout=20
>> history. It never works. The goal of eliminating racism from our=20
>> society will be accomplished by facing it head on, not by trying to =
>hide=20
>> it with politically correctness.=EF=BB=BF I despise politically =
>correctness.=20
>> This is a disease.
>> =E2=80=9CThe difference between the almost-right word and the right =
>word is=20
>> really a large matter=E2=80=94it's the difference between the =
>lightning bug and=20
>> the lightning=E2=80=9D (letter to George Bainton, Oct. 15, 1888)
>> Twain used the word on purpose.
>> A French reader
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> Le 03/01/2017 =C3=A0 20:17, Clay Shannon a =C3=A9crit :
>>> When reading or quoting his works, I have struggled with whether to =
>keep Tw=3D
>>> ain's words "sacrosanct" by retaining the original wording in every =
>case - =3D
>>> specifically, the "elephant in the room" - the so-called "N word" =
>(see, peo=3D
>>> ple don't even like to write it out, let alone verbalize it).
>>> I have determined to (not uniquely or originally) replace the word =
>with "sl=3D
>>> ave" when I encounter it.
>>> Here is my reasoning:
>>> When I do my Twain performance, I do not speak as slowly as Twain did =
>(alth=3D
>>> ough I do speak more slowly than my natural rate). Why? Because =
>modern audi=3D
>>> ences would not have the patience to endure that =
>"three-words-per-minute" s=3D
>>> tuff. They would tune me out quicker than a Barry Manilow song at a =
>mosh pi=3D
>>> t.
>>> I have also determined not to mimic the Twain gait on stage, again =
>because =3D
>>> the average member of the audience would be distracted, wondering =
>whether I=3D
>>> had hurt my leg or had imbibed two too many toddys prior to trodding =
>the b=3D
>>> oards. Now among a crowd of Twainians, it would be different - I =
>would prob=3D
>>> ably effect the "sailor-on-shore" weave, because they (you) would =
>"get it."
>>> So, my point is: the current milieu must be served. And that's why =
>"slave" =3D
>>> should, in my opinion, replace the "N" word when reading/quoting =
>Twain's wo=3D
>>> rks. If the original word was retained, the audience would =
>understandably b=3D
>>> e uncomfortable, distracted, and possibly even antagonistic both =
>towards me=3D
>>> and Twain, viewing him perhaps as the immoralist of the insane =
>rather than=3D
>>> the moralist of the Main.
>>> What the word meant to be people back in the 1840s (and 1880s, even) =
>and ho=3D
>>> w they responded/reacted to it in those times is different from =
>people's re=3D
>>> sponse and reaction today. It may be that "slave" is, in actuality, a =
>prett=3D
>>> y good modern equivalent for the dreaded and now decidedly derogatory =
>slur.
>>> Why Twain used the word (especially in "Huck Finn") could continue to =
>be di=3D
>>> scussed, but (alluding to Daniel Day-Lewis-as-Lincoln's advice to =
>Tommy Lee=3D
>>> Jones' character in "Lincoln"), the most effective way to get to the =
>other=3D
>>> side of the swamp is sometimes to go around it, rather than plunge =
>headlon=3D
>>> g into the muck and mire.
>>> The preservation of Twain's reputation, and to keep him on the =
>world's read=3D
>>> ings lists, may best be served by bending a little in this case.
>>> Your responses are welcomed and awaited.=3DC2=3DA0- B. Clay Shannon
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