“Do I know you? I know you clear through. I was born and raised in the south, and I’ve lived in the north; so I know the average all around. The average man’s a coward…Why don’t your juries hang murderers? Because they’re afraid the man’s friends will shoot them in the back, in the dark – and it’s just what they would do.”(190)
Sherburn gives this powerful speech to the angry mob that wants to kill him after Sherburn kills Boggs. He is infuriated by the fact that these people are trying to act tough and angry when they are scared to do anything by themselves. This passage not only develops the idea of the cowardice of men but also satirizes the self preserving decisions of society. Literally Sherburn is exclaiming that all men are cowards, from north to south, and that is why an entire group of people can get robbed without one brave person to stand up to the robber. On a larger level however, Sherburn is revealing how men will make decisions that are wrong and unjust so that their own situation will stay safe. He exemplifies this idea by talking about juries. The juries, he feels, are so cowardice, selfish, and self interested people that they will not even put a murderer to death. Doing the right thing comes after one’s own health. In this passage Twain satirizes the cowardice of all men and how everyone thinks only of themselves.
Sherburn gives this powerful speech to the angry mob that wants to kill him after Sherburn kills Boggs. He is infuriated by the fact that these people are trying to act tough and angry when they are scared to do anything by themselves. This passage not only develops the idea of the cowardice of men but also satirizes the self preserving decisions of society. Literally Sherburn is exclaiming that all men are cowards, from north to south, and that is why an entire group of people can get robbed without one brave person to stand up to the robber. On a larger level however, Sherburn is revealing how men will make decisions that are wrong and unjust so that their own situation will stay safe. He exemplifies this idea by talking about juries. The juries, he feels, are so cowardice, selfish, and self interested people that they will not even put a murderer to death. Doing the right thing comes after one’s own health. In this passage Twain satirizes the cowardice of all men and how everyone thinks only of themselves.
posted by Warren Taylor at 10:58 AM
3 Comments:
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Your commentary is very easy to agree with. In satirizing human cowardice Twain allows this "episode" in the chronicles on the river, to portray a rather grim view of man, and the power of mob mentality, versus that of the individual. I think that there is a deeper meaning involved here though, not merely just to elude a group mentalities ill will. Twain is also commenting on the unseparationalist ways of man's fear and violence.
Nicely done Warren.
You are right in saying how the passage "satairizes the self preserving decisions of society." It does this very much, telling the men that they are cowards as he stands in front of a crowd wanting to lynch them. The essay over all has very good points. Good job in using the correct format.
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