The Petrified Man by Mark Twain
The narrative begins with a local editor in a mining town who decides to satirize the craze surrounding petrified objects and natural wonders. He concocts a story about the discovery of a petrified man, detailing the absurdity of the situation with exaggerated seriousness. The editor aims to ridicule the local coroner and the gullibility of the public, believing that his satire will be evident through the ridiculousness of the tale. He describes the petrified man as having been in a state of petrification for over three hundred years, with a jury summoned to investigate his death. The jury, comprised of miners, absurdly attempts to give the petrified man a Christian burial, only to find him cemented to the rock beneath him. The editor's intention is to highlight the ludicrousness of the petrification mania, but instead, the public takes the story at face value, leading to widespread belief in the existence of the petrified man. As the story circulates, the editor is initially frustrated by the failure of his satire, but he eventually finds satisfaction in the absurdity of the situation. The tale of the petrified man gains traction, appearing in newspapers across the country and even reaching international publications. The editor's disdain for the coroner grows as he witnesses the continued glorification of his fabricated story, which he had intended as a critique. The narrative explores themes of gullibility, the nature of truth in journalism, and the unintended consequences of satire. The editor's experience serves as a commentary on the public's willingness to believe in sensational stories, regardless of their veracity. Ultimately, the tale becomes a reflection on the absurdity of human nature and the power of storytelling, regardless of intent.
By Mark Twain · First published 1884 · Genre: Satire, Humor, Fiction · 1,291 words
First lines
Now, to show how really hard it is to foist a moral or a truth upon an unsuspecting public through a burlesque without entirely and absurdly missing one's mark, I will here set down two experiences of my own in this thing. In the fall of 1862, in Nevada and California, the people got to running wild about extraordinary petrifactions and other natural marvels. One could scarcely pick up a paper without finding in it one or two glorified discoveries of this kind. The mania was becoming a little ridiculous. I was a brand-new local editor in Virginia City, and I felt called upon to destroy this growing evil; we all have our benignant, fatherly moods at one time or another, I suppose. I chose to kill the petrifaction mania with a delicate, a very delicate satire. But maybe it was altogether too delicate, for nobody ever perceived the satire part of it at all. I put my scheme in the shape of the discovery of a remarkably petrified man.
What this Textopian page supports
The Petrified Man is listed on Textopian as a short story by Mark Twain, dated 1884 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Mark Twain
- Date: 1884 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Humor, Fiction, Social Commentary, Short Story
- Length: 1,291 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Petrified Man?
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- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Satire — The work critiques the absurdity of the petrifaction craze through exaggerated humor and irony.
- Humor — The narrative employs comedic elements and absurd situations to entertain and provoke thought.
- Fiction — The story is a fictional account that uses imaginative storytelling to convey its themes.
- Social Commentary — It reflects on societal gullibility and the nature of belief in sensationalism.
Tags
American Literature · Short Story · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Racism · Prejudice · Supremacy · Colonialism · Imperialism · Cultural Critique · Folklore