Analysis of "Luck" by Mark Twain

Mark Twain's short story "Luck" is analyzed in detail, highlighting key elements such as characters, plot, setting, and point of view. The story revolves around the theme of luck and its impact on perception and success. Through a banquet hall setting during the Crimean War, Twain weaves a tale of mistaken genius, luck, and societal perception. The characters of the Reverend and Scoresby are explored, showcasing contrasting traits of trustworthiness, luck, incompetence, and guilelessness. The narrative perspective offers insights into the concept of luck through contrasting viewpoints, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions.

• Mark Twain
• Short story
• Analysis
• Luck
• Characters

svant Follow

Uploaded on Feb 16, 2025 | 0 Views

Download Presentation

Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.

The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.

Presentation Transcript

1. ORAL REPRODUCTION OF STORIES (2) Analyzing of short story LUCK By Mark Twain Presented By: Dessere Megerdichian Master: Mrs. Farzaneh

2. Author: Mark Twain (1835-1910) Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835- April 21, 1910) better knownby his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He was born in Florida. He spent some years of his youth as a journey man printer, wondering from town to town. He later became a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River. In Nevada he began to write for the newspapers. In 1869 he achieved his first great success with innocent abroad, based on his experiences in Europe. He is best- known for two novels of boyhood life on the Mississippi River in the mid-19 s century: Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. He was lauded as the "greatest American humorist of his age, and William Faulkner called him "The father of American literature".

3. Plot: Exposition: The exposition of our story is at a banquet hall in London, during the Crimean War, in honor of Scoresby, one of the two or three conspicuously illustrious military names of the generation. RisingAction: The rising action is when everyone mistakes Scoresby's blunders as genius. Climax: The climax is when Scoresby mistakes his right for his left and in a stoke luck, secures victory. Falling Action: The falling action is when Scoresby becomes very reputable amongst society after the event which he secured victory. Resolution: The resolution is when the reverend realizes that some people are just born lucky and don't have to really work hard like himself.

4. Setting: The setting of this story takes place at a banquet in London in honor of one of the two or three conspicuously illustrious English military names of the generation. Military academy at Woolwich Battlefield during Crimean War

5. Characters: Reverend: Dynamic character, Trustworthy, Helpful The Reverend was a man of strict veracity and that his judgment of men was good. Scoresby: Static character, Lucky, Ignorant, Incompetent, Good, Foolish He was evidently good, and sweet, and loveable, and guileless; and so it was exceedingly painful to see him stand there The Narrator: Flat character; don t know much about the narrator, the story was being told by the Reverend. Point of View: In Luck, we are given a first person limited point of view by the author. The short story is told by an unnamed narrator who recounts the story of Scoresby s success that had been told to him by Scoresby s mentor himself, the Reverend. It gives you an unbiased view from the narrator and a very jealous and exasperated view from the Reverend, who had originally told the story, allowing you to draw, from the two contrasting outlooks, your own conclusions and feelings about the concept of luck.

6. Significance of the Title: The title is quite significant to the story considering that it is the main focus. The title may be short but it s simple and gets the point across that this is a short story that will focus on the concept of luck. The topic of the story is about one man s luck, so the title is perfectly suitable. Irony: Mark Twain s short story definitely had situational irony. It was ironic that Scoresby, who was incompetent and not hardworking, became very successful because of luck when it was expected of him to fail. It was ironic that Scoresby had made his way to a higher rank than the reverend in such a short time and the reverend had worked hard for most of his life to be in the position he was currently in. It was also ironic that the reverend helped Scoresby pass his examination test perfectly and then Scoresby got all the credit and moves up the ladder a lot faster than what he would have without the reverend.

7. Symbolism: In the story, Scoresby s luck symbolized that nothing is completely and truly impossible. Also it symbolized that sometimes you don t have to work hard or be talented because one might have a little luck. Theme: The overall theme of the story is that sometimes you don t need to work hard or have talent to be successful; you just need a bit of luck. Also that the best thing a man can be is lucky, as quoted by the Reverend why, he is just clothed in domestic and foreign decorations. Well, sir, every one of them is a record of some shouting stupidity or other; and taken together, they are proof that the very best thing in this entire world that can befall a man is to be born lucky.

8. Conflict: Internal: How his teacher feels about his role in the man's success. External: Types of conflict in Mark Twain's "Luck" include Lieutenant-General Lord Arthur Scoresby's inability to succeed at a military academy on his own, and the military decisions he made during the Crimean War. Notes on the footnote: The story is said by some to be based on a real person; Twain himself writes in a footnote to the story that it was "not a fancy sketch"; i.e., not a work of fancy or imagination. Twain had heard the story from his old friend and confidante Joseph Twitchily (who appears in A Tramp Abroad as "Harris"), who was visited by a British chaplain who told him the tale of a famous general whose victories were entirely due to luck. However, Twain's footnote states that the story was related to him by an instructor at Woolwich Academy. One candidate for the famous soldier is Sir Garnet Wellesley.

9. Proverbs: Better an ounce of luck than a pound of gold . - Yiddish Proverb. Throw a lucky man in the sea, and he will come up with a fish in his mouth . -Arab Proverb Luck sometimes visits a fool, but it never sits down with him . - German Proverb. No gulls, no luck . - French Proverb. Luck never made a man wise . - Seneca An ounce of luck is better than a pound of knowledge . -Belgium When luck offers a finger one must take the whole hand .

10. Summary of the Story: The story concerns a decorated English military hero, Lord Arthur Scoresby, a total idiot who triumphs in life through good luck. At the time of the Crimean War Scoresby is a captain. Despite his complete incompetence, everyone misinterprets his performance, taking his blunders for military genius, and his reputation is enhanced with every false step he makes. At the climax of the story, Scoresby mistakes his right hand for his left and leads a charge in the wrong direction, surprising a Russian force which panics and causes a retreat of the Russian army, thus securing anAllied victory. Another interpretation of the story is that the Reverend is simply jealous of the successes Scoresby has achieved. The Reverend, in the past, was an instructor at a military academy, where he taught a young Scoresby. According to the Reverend, Scoresby was a poor student, and "blundered" his way through promotions. When the war began, the Reverend joined the conflict, but with a lower rank of his ex-student. Throughout the story one can see that the Reverend is bitter, and his apparent distaste for the lord seems at odds with his role as a clergyman. The "absolute fool" in the story is not Scoresby, who ascended the ranks of the military through action, but rather the Reverend, who cannot accomplish anything in his lifetime.

11. For Discussion: Part 1 1- Why doesn t the author want to mention the general s name? Because he thinks that a foolish man couldn t have a real name, and it doesn t important to emerge out him. 2- How does the narrator fell about him? At the first time during examination he feels sorrow and pity about the hero, but then he recognizes that the boy was an absolute fool. 3- Why does the clergyman s expression about the hero sound so surprising? Because he knows that such an absolute fool one couldn t get victory and receive people admiration. 4- From the narrator s point of view, does the man deserve the rank of capacity? If not, why? No, because Scorsby without any effort gets highest position especially by chance.

12. 5- Why does the narrator feel so responsible? Because his conscience tortured him for helping the boy and get such preposterous result. 6- Why is the commander called the immortal fool ? Because every time Scorsby by stupidity go ahead and his good luck indulge him from disastrous situations. 7- What is the consequence of his blunder? His mistake was a big win for their army, and Marshal Canrobert gives him a medal. By each blunder he received a medal at his breast. Part 2 1- What is the narrator s attitude toward Scorsby when he is a student in the military academy? He was evidently good, and sweet, and loveable, and guileless; and so it was exceedingly painful to see him stand there

13. 2- What is the setting of the story? List some details. The setting of this story takes place at a banquet in London in honor of one of the two or three conspicuously illustrious English military names of the generation. Military academy at Woolwich Battlefield during Crimean War

14. Questions: Choose the correct answers 1- The story of Luck was written by a- Mark Twain b- Martin Luther c- Leo Tolstoy d- Charles Dickens 2- The main character in the story is a- The clergyman b- Scoresby c- Aclever man d- Wool witch

15. 3- The clergy man a- Hates Scoresby b- Disrespects Scoresby c- Feels pity for Scoresby d- Is annoyed by Scoresby s success 4- The clergyman helped Scoresby because he a- Wanted to make him a general b- Wanted him to be expelled c- Wanted to make a fool out of him. d- Wanted him to be expelled with less pain 5- In the military academy Scoresby a- Was found not qualified b- Was extremely praised c- Failed in the exam d- Was directly nominated as a colonel

16. 6- In his battle with the Russians, Scoresby a- Was shamefully defeated b- Was captured by the enemy c- Won the battle due to his intelligent strategies d- Won by luck 7- Scoresby a- Got many medals b- Lost all battles c- Was released d- Left the army dishonorably 8- The story reveals the strength of in our destiny. a- Love b- Luck c- Stupidity d- Cleverness

17. 9- The clergyman was by Scoresbys success. a- Annoyed b- Surprised c- Humiliated d- Ruined 10- The dominant theme in the story is that human success a- Is always a reflection of what we do. b- Is solely determined by luck c- Always matches our mental abilities d- Is sometimes effected by luck

18. . . . " . . . . . . . . " . . . . : . : . . .

19. . " . . " . ! . . ! . . . ... : . " . . . ! . " . . . " . . " . . . .

20. ! ! . . . ! . . . ... . . . . . . . . . ! . . . .

21. . . . . . . " . . . . . . " . . . . . .