War+Prayer+q&a

Mark Twain’s “The War Prayer” Name _____________________ Lesson from the Mark Twain House & Museum Recognizing Satire and Irony in Twain Period ________

Suzanne Brady, East Hampton High School, East Hampton, CT wrote: “The War Prayer” was written in 1905 in response to the end of the Philippine- American War. Twain was very much against the war and took a strong anti-imperialist stance even though it threatened his popularity and continued success as a writer. In fact, after several attempts to sell the story to various magazines, “The War Prayer” was never published during Twain’s lifetime. The general response seemed to be that the story would not be suitable for magazine readers.

1. Read “The War Prayer.” 2. Circle words and phrases that promote patriotism in a time of war. 3. Underline any word or phrase on that sounds “church- like” or refers to God. 4. How many times are anti-war feelings mentioned before the arrival of the stranger? What do we learn about the community’s attitude toward expressing dissenting ideas?

5. How does the stranger’s physical description support his claim of who he represents?

6. Deduce which character- the preacher or the stranger- is God’s messenger. Who does the audience believe is God’s messenger? Do you agree with the audience?

7. Determine the reason behind the stranger’s offer of reflection concerning the flip side of each petition and/ or prayer.

8. Analyze the last sentence of the essay. What is Twain saying about the townspeople? What is he saying about us? What does Twain believe?

9. Is this an effective essay? Would it change anyone’s point of view on the issue at hand?

10. How does Twain use irony in this essay? Are today’s readers familiar with satire and irony used in similar ways?