TWAIN’S THE DIARIES OF ADAM AND EVE (GENESIS FROM A SATIRICAL POINT OF VIEW)

Lesson Overview:

Published in 1906, The Diaries of Adam and Eve written by Mark Twain is a collection of extracts from his Adam’s Diary (1904) and Eve’s Diary (1906). Told in his witty and humorous style, Twain’s book is a satirical account of the nominal characters’ versions of the beginning of events in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 3. Students will examine literary elements, including satire, in Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve.

Key Concepts: satire, exaggeration, incongruity, oxymoron, metaphor and irony, parody, reversal

Lesson Objective:

Students will:

 compare various literary techniques that writers use to convey ideas.

 identify the satirical technique used in an assigned work.

 explain why satire is an effective way of communicating a message.

 distinguish satirical writing from information based on facts.

 explain why it is important to recognize satire in literary works.

Expected Outcome:

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

 understand the rhetorical techniques of satire.

 identify satirical writing from information based on facts.

 to recognize satire in literary works.

 distinguish between factual and satirical writings.

Duration: 3-4 hours

Materials:

 A computer with internet access

 Paper/pen/notebook

A Literary Study of the Book of Genesis by Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, ED. S

 Article: A Guide To The Elements Of Satire: Write The Best Satirical Novel 2023 (selfpublishingresources.com)

 Novel: Eve's Diary, By Mark Twain (gutenberg.org)

Procedure:

 Review Genesis, Chapter 3)

 Read Mark Twain’s The Diaries of Adam and Eve. (Eve's Diary, By Mark Twain (gutenberg.org) (Listen to the audiobook reading of The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain - Audiobook - YouTube

 Respond to the study questions.

 Read the article: A Guide To The Elements Of Satire: Write The Best Satirical Novel 2023 (selfpublishingresources.com). (https://selfpublishingresources.com/elements-ofsatire/)

 Respond to the study questions.

 Write and post your reflection.

Study Questions (Reading Comprehension)

Are the following statements (A) Correct or (B) Incorrect about Eve’s Diary?

1. Eve feels like an experiment. (A)

2. She compares Adam to a reptile. (A)

3. Adam puzzles her at the beginning of the story. (A)

4. She and Adam are acquainted when the story opens. (B)

5. Eve seems to have a fond opinion of Adam when the narrative begins.

6. Eve is conversational. (A)

7. She ponders over the pronouns “he” and “it.” (A)

8. Adam pursues Eve. (B)

9. Adam rejects company throughout the story. (A)

10. Eve studies how to be useful to Adam. (A)

11. Adam is skillful in choosing names for the animals.

12. Eve takes over the task of naming the animals. (A)

13. Eve is indifferent toward Adam throughout the narrative. (B)

14. In the narrative, the humans have shelter. (A)

15. Adam’s emotions are unstable. (A)

16. Eve says, “It is in the heart that values lie.” (A)

17. Like, the Book of Genesis, Twain mentions apples to be the forbidden fruit.

18. Adam has a developed vocabulary. (A)

19. “That seed can be made to grow if cultivated.”

20. Eve sees her reflection is water and thinks that she has a sister. (A)

21. She finds comfort in her “sister.” (A)

22. Adam appreciates the beauty that surrounds him.

23. To be “cunning” is to be sly. (A)

24. Eve gives a name to fire. (A)

A Literary Study of the Book of Genesis by Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, ED. S

25. Adam seems to have a practical attitude about life.

26. A “maxim” is a wise saying. (A)

27. The “blue spirit” is smoke from the fire. (A)

28. Eve learns fear from playing with the fire. (A)

29. Eve perceives herself to be more intellectual than Adam. (A)

30. The “estate” is the Garden of Eden. (A)

An Extract from Adam’s Diary

31. Adam enjoys Eve’s appreciation for beauty. (B)

32. Adam begins to think of Eve as a comely creature. (A)

33. To be “indifferent” is to care deeply for something. (A)

34. A “calamity” an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster. (A)

35. To “domesticate” something is to tame and keep it as a pet. (A)

36. The be “absentminded” is to be forgetful. (A)

37. Disharmony exists in the Garden. (A)

38. Adam manages to keep Eve from hurting herself. (A)

Eve’s Diary Continues

39. Adam says, “It is better to be alone than unwelcome.” (B)

40. One’s “disposition” is a person’s inherent qualities of mind and character. (A)

41. An “excursion” is a short journey or trip. (A)

42. Eve rides the elephants. (A)

43. Eve feels that she is an experiment. (A)

44. Eve is inquisitive. (A)

45. She wonders about her purpose in life. (A)

46. Eve says, “The Garden is lost, but I have found him…” (A)

47. Eve loves Adam the same as she loves animals. (B)

48. Eve fully understands why Adam was created. (B)

49. She loves Adam because of his industry and education. (B)

50. “He told on me” refers to the incident about eating the forbidden fruit in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 3 in a dialogue with God. (A)

51. Eve says, “I love him because he is mine, and he is masculine.” (A)

Forty Years Later

52. Eve desires to love Adam forever. (A)

Extracts from Adam’s Diary

53. “Imbecility” is foolishness. (A)

54. Adam refers to Eve’s eyes as holes and to her hands as paws. (A)

55. The “estate” is the Garden of Eden. (A)

A Literary Study of the Book of Genesis by Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, ED. S

56. He compromises about naming the Garden. (A)

57. “Execrable” is another word for “bad.” (A)

58. Adam and Eve argue over trivial matters. (A)

59. “I am too much hampered here” means that one is prevented from doing something. (A)

60. Adam understands the word “death.” (A)

61. A “numbskull” is a stupid or foolish person. (A)

62. Eve becomes fascinated with a snake. (A)

63. The snake advises her to eat the fruit. (A)

64. Adam warns Eve about eating from the tree. (A)

65. The animals begin to kill each other after Eve eats the fruit. (A)

66. Adam eats the fruit because he is hungry. (A)

67. “She tittered and blushed” means that she laughed and became embarrassed. (A)

68. Eve becomes useful in helping Adam work in the Garden. (A)

69. The snake twists the truth about the fruit. (A)

70. Adam does not understand babies.

71. Eve loves her baby, Cain. (A)

72. Adam thinks that the baby is a fish. (A)

73. “She doesn’t work Sundays” alludes to the Sabbath. (A)

74. Adam and Eve have only one child. (B)

75. Eve dies before Adam does. (A)

Assignment a. irony b. parody c. satire d. exaggeration e. metaphor f. reversal g. incongruity h. oxymoron i. farce j. anachronism k. conflict

Match the terms to the correct definitions.

76. -the use of humor, irony or ridicule to expose and criticize society’s flaws or people’s behavior with the aim of alerting the public of a larger societal problem (C)

77. – a literary technique used to enlarge, increase or represent something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous, and its faults can be seen (D)

A Literary Study of the Book of Genesis by Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, ED. S

78. -a figure of speech that juxtaposes concepts with opposite meanings within a word or in a phrase that is a self-contradiction (H)

79. - a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden (E)

80. - is the juxtaposition of what on the surface appears to be the case and what is the case or to be expected (A)

81. - is typically negative in intent, and calls attention to a writer’s perceived weaknesses seeks to ridicule them. (B)

82. - a sudden or unexpected reversal of circumstances or situation especially in a literary work (F)

83. - a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated (I)

84. -a chronological inconsistency in some arrangement (J)

85. - a struggle and a clash of interest, opinion, or even principles (K)

Study Questions (The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain)

Are the following statements (A) CORRECT or (B) INCORRECT?

86. The book is a satirical retelling of retelling of Genesis, Chapter 3. (A)

87. The book show how differently characters develop throughout the narrative. (A)

88. Adam feels that Eve invades his privacy, while Eve avoids solitude. (A)

89. Eve takes the initiative to strengthen the relationship instead of depending on Adam to be the aggressive one. (A)

90. Twain portrays Eve as an intelligent and inquisitive character although Adam thinks differently. (A)

91. Both characters remain static throughout the book. (B)

92. The scar of the left side of Adam’s chest alludes to the rib that God takes from his side to make Eve in Genesis, Chapter 3. (A)

93. The mention of Niagara Falls in the story is an anachronism. (A)

94. The portrayal of Adam’s reaction to his newborn babies is a farce. (A)

95. Ironically, although Eve is younger, she passes away before Adam does. (A)

96. The main conflict in the story is man against nature. (B)

97. The main conflict in the book is man against himself. (B)

98. The main struggle is between Adam and Eve when they constantly clash over different interests, opinions, and principles. (A)

99. This novel can be classified as a parody. (A)

100. Twain satirizes the disharmony in a relationship between a male and female. (A)

A Literary Study of the Book of Genesis by Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, ED. S

For Reflection:

As a couple, how are Adam and Eve portrayed in the biblical text (Genesis, Chapter 3) compared to Twain’s satirical depiction of the couple? Use descriptive words to characterize them and give examples and reasons for your statements (eight-ten sentences). Edit your writing to correct errors. Post your work on the discussion board. Label the work: A Description of Twain’s Satirical Portrayal of Adam and Eve.

A Closing Thought:

“What would men be without women? Scarce, sir...mighty scarce.” ― Mark Twain

A Literary Study of the Book of Genesis by Wilma J. Brown-Foreman, ED. S