Have you ever seen a man who got fame even by doing stupid things? Well, this book is exactly about such a character. Luck by Mark Twain offers a fascinating overview of a plot involving a man who became famous despite his foolish acts. The book was about a retired military man who was popular because of his war bravery.
This article will provide the following information:
- Author
- Characters
- Setting
- Summary
- Analysis
- Themes
- Lessons
- Conclusion
Author
Luck was written by Mark Twain in 1891. He was a famous American writer. You will love his writings because of his unique humor and great depiction of human conditions.
Characters
- The short story offers characters for you:
Lieutenant General Arthur Scoreby
He is the main character of the book. This man received fame because of luck.
Clergyman
He was the instructor of Arthur in the military forty years ago. He is the antagonist in the book.
Setting
Well, the setting takes place at a banquet in London. There was a party arranged by a retired military officer named Arthur Scoresby.
Luck by Mark Twain Summary
So, if you start reading this book, remember it’s a short story book that will take a few minutes. The plot starts with an unknown character who arrives at a party arranged by a retired military officer named Arthur Scoresby. There was a clergyman close to the narrator. The military officer had a chest full of medals, indicating his valuable service to the nation. The narrator considered Scoresby a hero. Rest assured, the clergyman called this retired officer a stupid man.
The narrator tried to hear the full story behind such remarks. The author portrayed that the clergyman was once an instructor of Scoresby in the military examination. Scoresby was unable to answer any questions and relied on the help of a clergyman during exams. Scoresby passed hard subjects because of instructor support. The clergymen feared that one day Scoresby’s foolishness would be exposed.
The clergyman was shocked when Scoresby was given a high position in the military during the war, but he eventually became a leader. His every foolish action turned into fame because of luck. When the officials ordered them to take the right side of the battlefield, Scoresby acted the opposite and left. Once, his wrong action led to victory on the battlefield. The opposite army officer hugged him because of his bravery but in reality, it was a stupid action.
From that day on, Scoresby received immense praise from the nation. According to his instructor, Scoresby was a fool, who had always made wrong decisions but his luck changed his fate. He was triumphant every time because of his luck.
Literary Analysis
Author Scoresby was a stupid student according to the clergyman. Despite his foolishness, he received unprecedented fame. He took weak decisions but his luck favored him. I think maybe the clergyman was a little bit envious of Scoresby’s success. No doubt clergymen helped score in passing tests that prevented him from dismissal but his fate was different.
- Scoresby had a great fate. He took decisions that converted his defeat into victory and fame. Secondly, the clergyman’s perception of Scoresby may be wrong.
Themes
- The storybook shares the following themes:
Fate and Luck
Arthur Scoresby received fame because of his luck according to his instructor. Everyone considered him a fool but he showed them his true power.
Jealousy
The clergyman was senior to Scoresby but worked under him. His narration somehow shows his jealous nature.
Faith
Although many never trusted Scoresby’s abilities in the war he shocked them. He gave them victory over enemies. This gave him huge fame.
Moral Lessons
The life lessons for readers are:
- People can have different perceptions and opinions regarding you but only we can change it.
- Sometimes, fate and luck matter most in life.
- Jealousy can ruin self-respect and integrity.
- Do whatever you want despite others criticizing you.
- It’s good to think differently from the mob.
Conclusion: Luck by Mark Twain Summary-Analysis
In a nutshell, this article provided a summary and analysis of Luck by Mark Twain. The story was about a military officer who received fame despite his weak personality. His instructor narrates his story of fame that was because of luck.
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