A。 The use of Colloquialism, pun, irony, contrast, exaggeration, anti-climax, repetition in The Gilded Age

Colloquialism:

Mark twain is called the literal American writer for his great understanding and using of American vernacular。 Having growing up and visiting many districts of the west of America, the language used by mark twain maintains a typical style of western humor which is characterized of open, robust, enthusiastic and direct。 In The Gilded Age, Mark twain often use short sentences and simple words, especially his use of American slang, that western American are used to speak in their routine life。  In The Gilded Age, when Uncle Daniel, a servant of the Hawkins, finds that they have luckily escaped from the devil’s injure and said ” H’wsh! Well now dey’s some folks say dey ain’t no’ficiency in prah。 Dis chile would like to know whah we’d a ben now if it warn’t fo’dat prah? Dat’s it。 Dat’t it! ” (Mark Twain 6) In the sntences above, “dis chile” literally means I in black dialect。  And “dey’s”, “whah” and “dat” are all black accents。 From what kind of language he speaks, the image of a kind but ignorant black servant appears vividly before the readers’ mind。

The  funny  style of  colloquialism  can also be seen in Mark Twain’s other works like The  Adventure  of  Tom  Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi and his masterpiece --- The  adventure  of  Huckleberry  Finn。 The funny style of colloquialism has remarked Twain’s personal literary style that is not similar to any of his contemporary writers。 Moreover, the use of American slang often takes an effect on relaxing the readers and activating a serious story that weight heavily。

Exaggeration:

Exaggeration is often related to comic-styled language with overstated description that enlarges tiny characteristics of objects。 The targets of exaggeration include figure’s appearance, characteristic, act, environment, plot, etc。 Mark Twain is a master of exaggeration。 With his unconstrained imagination which Mark Twain’s works are full of, he creates dramatic effects that make people burst into laughter。   Exaggeration plays a vital role in humor for the purpose of emphasizing the essence of objects and the author’s strong feeling, arising the readers’ imagination and echo toward the story。来*自~优|尔^论:文+网www.chuibin.com +QQ752018766*

In The Gilded Age, Mark Twain uses the technique of exaggeration for a lot of times。 The most impressive and funny one should be that When Washington Hawkins who is in dilemma goes and seeks refuge with Mr Sellers, jet Mr Sellers himself also falls in deep poverty。 There is “a clock which never came within fifteen strokes of striking the right time, and whose hands always hitched together at twenty – two minutes past anything and traveled in company the rest of the way home”。 Obviously such clock, in the sense of every person with a regular mind, needs to be repaired soon。 What shocks us is that Colonel Sellers describes it as “remarkable clock”。 In addition, Colonel Sellers tells Washington that his “remarkable clock can awake the dead!”。 It’s a common sense that the sound of a clock can never awake the dead and here it’s exaggeration。 The more exaggerated Mr Sellers’ description is, the funnier the story will be, and that’s the effect of exaggeration。 

At the beginning of the story, Mr。 Hawkins’ sons and daughters are informed that their father has bought a large field of barren land in Tennessee。 In the latter part of their life, they cherish a good wish that as long as they keep waiting until some graceful moment in the future finally come。  At that moment they are able to owe millions of money by selling out their land in Tennessee left by their wise and beloved father, Mr Hawkins。 In order to exaggerate human’s greediness and ignorance, Washington Hawkins and Laura Hawkins are deeply influenced by their potential wealth when making significant decisions concerning career。 And Laura begins to get acquainted with many congressmen for the congress passing the bill that build a comprehensive college in Tennessee where their land is located。  But what is disappointing is that not only the bill is not passed by the congress but Dilworthy, the congressman who supporting them, is accused of corruption and dismissed from the congress。 All of the latter tragedies originated from a field of land that they never see and never set feet on。