Adam

The Wit and Wisdom of Mark Twain is without a doubt my favorite read so far this semester.  It is a shame that we will be spending such little time on this text.  While this book is a great compilation, I believe that Twain as a man deserves several class discussions.  When writers such as Hemmingway and Vonnegut laud a man with such praise as is seen on the book’s cover, it seems wrong to not dive in and learn more about a great comic and writer. 

You gather a sense of Twain’s wit and comedy from the very first page.  Never before have I taken the time to think about what it would be like to be Adam.  Adam was the first person to do so many things.  He must have been terribly curious and at the same time scared.  When any small thing happened, say his stomach grumbled, he had nobody to consult with.  He could not turn to his mother or father and ask if the noise was normal. 

While being the first man to do nearly everything had its challenges, it had a great upside.  Twain noted “[Adam] knew when he said a good thing, nobody has said it before.”  This is quite the interesting quote for several reasons.  First, it is so true.  Every person aspires to say and do things that are profound and original.  For Adam, originality was innate.  The second reason this quote is so interesting is because Twain scribbles this quote out to himself in his personal journal.  Obviously the aspiration of profoundness and originality was a personal vice or desire of Twain.  Why else would he enviously write this line out in his journal? 

When I graduate, I am going to work for Alvarez and Marsal Consulting.  As a future consultant, I laughed almost audibly at Twain calling Satan the first consultant.  Twain did not mean consultant in the business sense, but the line still gave me a chuckle.  I have found his quotes not only comical, but also wise and thought provoking.  The “Wit and Wisdom” aspect of the title is spot on, Twain was blessed with both.