It looks that Lu Xun, the famous Chinese writer, certainly read more into Eve's Diary as early as in 1931.
He showed an usual interest, had it translated into Chinese, liked more of Lester Ralph's illustrations than
the story proper, and asked in his preface "laughing and joking while full of sorrow and sadness, how come?"
It was impossible for the Chinese writer to have known about the role of Livy in all this.
--Xilao Li
________________________________
From: Mark Twain Forum on behalf of Kevin Mac Donnell
Sent: Sun 5/20/2012 9:05 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Extracts from Adam and Eve's Diaries
At the risk of reading more than intended into this work, I think I see
Twain working through some aspects of his grief in Eve's Diary --Eve's
explicit wish to die first because Adam was stronger, his wonderment that
she found him worthy of her love, etc.
What's more interesting (to me) is that Twain's other "Adamic" writings (the
specific titles escape me) were written before Livy's death (in Germany or
London ca 1898-1900?) and are not so light-hearted or gently amusing. They
take some satirical bites at Christianity that are absent (so far as I
recall) from Eve's Diary.
Even the oft-quoted last line of Eve's Diary may take on a somewhat
different meaning if you closely examine exactly how Eden is depicted in all
of these works.
If you really want to take a fast slide (hands over your head) down the
slippery slope of English 101 explication you can compare (or contrast)
Twain's courtship of Livy, her "innocence" before they met, his influence on
her religious views, etc., and the relationship of Adam and Eve in all these
works.
Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
Member: ABAA, ILAB
*************************
You may browse our books at
www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harold Bush" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 8:08 AM
Subject: Re: Extracts from Adam and Eve's Diaries
> Sue, I agree it's a fond tribute; and it also seems marked by latency, or
> belatedness, to Twain's loss of Livy. i.e., it seems like with profound
> grief it often takes a very long time to "bottom out" into a darker a
> depressed reality. With loss of a spouse it may be a year or 2 or more to
> process fully or "realize" the death, during which time humor and good
> feelings may well prevail. A very quick response, to be sure, but this
> model makes sense to me, re: Eve's Diary, which is filled with light and
> love, I think.
>
> Hal B.
>
>
>
> On Sat, May 19, 2012 at 10:31 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell <
> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Adam's Diary was first published in 1893. Eve's diary, first published a
>> year and a half after Livy's death, is in some ways a tribute to Livy.
>>
>> Kevin
>> @
>> Mac Donnell Rare Books
>> 9307 Glenlake Drive
>> Austin TX 78730
>> 512-345-4139
>> Member: ABAA, ILAB
>> *************************
>> You may browse our books at
>> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Harris, Susan Kumin" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2012 9:16 PM
>> Subject: Fwd: Extracts from Adam and Eve's Diaries
>>
>>
>> > From: "Harris, Susan Kumin" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
>> > Date: May 19, 2012 6:17:59 PM CDT
>> > To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>"
>> > <[log in to unmask]<mailto:TWAIN=
>> > [log in to unmask]>>
>> > Subject: Extracts from Adam and Eve's Diaries
>> >
>> > Hi, all. A friend has just contacted me with a question I can't
>> > answer.
>> > H=
>> > e's teaching the Diaries in a Bible & Lit class, and is surprised that
>> > they=
>> > are so lighthearted and funny, given that Livy died that year. He asks
>> > wha=
>> > t the story is. I'm on the road and can't do any research. What IS the
>> > sto=
>> > ry, does anyone know?
>> >
>> > Thank you! - Susan Harris
>> >
>> > Sent from my iPad
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > -----
>> > No virus found in this message.
>> > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> > Version: 2012.0.2176 / Virus Database: 2425/5009 - Release Date:
>> > 05/19/12
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> -----
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 2012.0.2176 / Virus Database: 2425/5009 - Release Date: 05/19/12
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Harold K. Bush, Ph.D
> Professor of English
> Saint Louis University
> St. Louis, MO 63108
> 314-977-3616 (w); 314-771-6795 (h)
> <www.slu.edu/x23809.xml>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.2176 / Virus Database: 2425/5011 - Release Date: 05/20/12
>
-----
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Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2176 / Virus Database: 2425/5011 - Release Date: 05/20/12
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