Larry Marshburne wrote:

> Don't forget the other meaning of elect.  With Twain's Calvinistic roots, =
> he would also know the belief that the elect are chosen by God and =
> predestined for either Heaven or Hell - - seemingly arbitrary decisions =
> made before birth like the decision of who is a slave and who is free. =20
>
> And it can be impossible to tell by looking which category someone is in.  =
> Even the individual doesn't really know his own destiny until he stands =
> before a Pudd'nhead Wilson or a Jesus Christ (according to my recollection =
> of Calvinism).
>
> thanks, larry                [log in to unmask]
>

Larry,

Coming from a reformed faith (also known as Calvinism) I am led to define all of
these terms by Twain's calvinistic roots.  My impression of Twain is a sort of
pagan Calvinist in that he clearly understood and referred to the adamic nature
of man and the fall, the noetic effect of sin, sovereignty of God, Hell, Heaven,
and eternal consequences of the inherent nature of sin, and then in
autobiography categorically  states that he does not believe in all of this!
But the tone used rather makes me think of a small child who is angry with the
general principle of parental authority because he has just been punished not
because of the authority itself.  His basic philosophy seems to me to be based
on his moral code of presbyterian calvinism  that was instilled in him as a
child, and is his foundation for right and wrong.  And interestingly enough, the
reason I am such a fan of his is that after 100 years, his appraisal of people
in general is pretty much on the mark.  :).



>
> >>> Hilton Manfred Obenzinger <[log in to unmask]> 02/06/00 06:58PM >>>
> The folks in Pudd'nhead Wilson are native speakers of English, and they
> have plenty of trouble understanding jokes, particularly irony.  No, I
> don't think the referecnes are to President Wilson (it's before his time),
> but I do believe they are sly allusions to purported America democracy. . =
> . .
>   There's much more to this -- and you should look over previous
> references to "election" in the novel for the relationship of blood,
> status, and choice -- but this should be a start.