A True Story by Mark Twain

 A True Story by Mark Twain


'A True Story' by Mark Twain written in African-American dialects alternatively titled as 'Repeated word for word as I Heard it.'



The story centered around Aunt Rachel and her life. Explore the theme that what we witnessed is not may be the actual reality. And being a cheerful person doesn't mean they have a Joyful life. The story captures the impact of American Civil War and How black people are forced to become slaves.


The technique used to write this story is 'Frame Narrative' which minutely captures the nuances of how Slave Narrative is different from Master Narrative within one single story. A True Story is a story within a story where protagonist Misto C provides a place to Second Narrator Aunt Rachel to narrate her own story. By creating two alternative voices the story unfolds in front of readers through two different perspectives. Where the Slave's story is totally different from what her master assumed to be real.


The only question which Misto C wanted to ask to Aunt Rachel is that..


"Aunt Rachel, how is it that you have lived sixty years and never had any trouble."


And aunt Rachel smiled and answered of course there are many struggles in my life. I have spent my whole life serving my masters and my masters and at last selling me and my whole family in one auction. How terrible it is that you have a family but you never know whether you will meet them or not? And her final statement is that..


"Oh, no, Misto C----, I hain't had no trouble. An' no joy!"


So, The story is all about Human Endurance and Tolerance can help to live a better life instead of wailing in the past. The above statement creates a kind of contradiction which may be indicating that there might be no joy in life if we had not gone through any struggle. This story shows the absurdity of life, and also comments on a hypocrite world where everyone thinks that their own life is full of problems and others are living Joyful life.

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