The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today

“Cain’t tell for sartin; some thinks he’s gwyne to be ‘long toreckly, and some thinks ‘e hain’t. Russ Mosely he tote ole Hanks he mought git to Obeds tomorrer or nex’ day he reckoned.”

The novel’s opening scene demonstrates a defining aspect of Mark Twain’s writing style: his use of dialect. He wrote during a time when American literature was constrained by traditions of formality and aristocratic sophistication. Seeking to separate their identity from that of England, American writers looked for ways to reflect distinctly American lives and experiences. Twain’s use of regional American dialects forms part of that larger project. In The Gilded Age, various dialects lend authenticity to the story’s setting and characters.

“We’ll never see the day, Nancy—never in the world—never, never, never, child. We’ve got to drag along, drag along, and eat crusts in toil and poverty, all hopeless and forlorn—but they’ll ride in coaches, Nancy! They’ll live like the princes of the earth; they’ll be courted and worshiped; their names will be known from ocean to ocean!”

Silas Hawkins’s comment shows how hyperbole is effectively used in works of satire. It dramatizes routine events and emphasizes the absurdity of human emotion. This line also characterizes Silas as a man willing to sacrifice comfort for his children’s benefit.

“A jury of inquest was impaneled, and after due deliberation and inquiry they returned the inevitable American verdict which has been so familiar to our ears all the days of our lives—‘NOBODY TO BLAME.’”

This verdict refers to the explosion of the Amaranth, which was caused by the crew’s recklessness and complete disregard for safety measures. The jury’s conclusion that nobody is to blame represents a critique of society’s rejection of accountability. Elsewhere in the novel, those in power take advantage of those without. These corporations, business tycoons, and politicians are never held accountable for their actions.