Styles of Henry James and

Styles of Henry James and Mark Twain have both similarities and differences. While both of these authors have an excellent mastery of the written word, their styles vary considerably in terms of the style of writing they use, the type of language they use, and the emotional connections to the words they put on paper. Regarding the style and language used, Mark Twain is considered to be a humorist. He used wry humor, irony and colloquialisms to tell simple, heartfelt stories that depicted the American landscape through literature.

His most famous works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, were written in a very down-to-earth style, using language that was germane to the characters more than it was to scholarly literary critics.

The following excerpt from chapter 5 of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn demonstrates how Twain used the "country" language of the characters to shape their personas: And after supper he talked to him about temperance and such things till the old man cried, and said he'd been a fool, and fooled away his life; but now he was a-going to turn over a new leaf and be a man nobody wouldn't be ashamed of, and he hoped the judge would help him and not look down on him.

The judge said he could hug him for them words; so he cried, and his wife she cried again; pap said he'd been a man that had always been misunderstood before, and the judge said he believed it (Twain 30) Using grammatically incorrect expressions such as "he was a-going" and "for them words" is typical of Mark Twain's writing style, as he wanted the characters to be relatable and realistic. Henry James' style was much more sophisticated and much less down to earth.

While both authors were interested in making commentaries on the state of society, Twain did so in a light hearted manner, while James seemed more interested in approaching his plots and characters from a psychological and sociological perspective. For example, in Daisy Miller, James' goal seems to be to examine the differences between Europeans and Americans by dissecting individual characters and then applying what he finds in these characters to the larger population. In the context of this endeavor, James uses language that is almost clinical in nature.

This style is in stark contrast to the writing style of Mark Twain, despite the fact that both authors are examining the broader aspects of life through their individual characters. Twain and James also differ in the level of emotionality that is attached to their work. Twain writes with a vibrant passion, seeing the world through the lenses of his wide-eyed protagonists. There is a clear emotional connection between Twain and his characters, and the stories that he is telling.

James, on the other hand, seems rather detached from his stories and his characters, almost as if he is viewing them from a distance. His description of Daisy's death is completely detached, as is the dialogue between the characters themselves. For example, even when Mrs. Costello is gossiping about the relationship between the Millers and Eugenio, she seems very reserved and staid -- not at all as if she were discussing a juicy scandal: They treat the courier like a familiar friend-like a gentleman.

I shouldn't wonder if he dines with them. Very likely they have never seen a man with such good manners, such fine clothes, so like a gentleman. He probably corresponds to the young lady's idea of a count. He sits with them in.