Persona and Humor in Mark Twains Early WritingsBetter than anybody else Florence identifies and articulates the dynamic, willful, spontaneous, and protean qualities of Twains humor. . . . Brilliantly and eloquently this book drives to the heart of Twains genius. Though directly concerned with his writing only until 1872, it helps us to understand and grasp appreciatively the Twain phenomenon at any point or text in his career.-Louis J. BuddIn Persona and Humor in Mark Twains Early Writings, Don Florence explains that Samuel Clemens did more than use the borrowed name of Mark Twain to sign his writings. He also developed a separate identity, or persona, becoming a literary personality in his own right.Challenging mainstream Twain criticism on many fronts, Florence focuses exclusively on Twains early writings. He demonstrates how Twain evolved in his early narratives into the Mark Twain we now recognize. Florence maintains that this process was evolutionary: Although Twain might have been dependent on Clemens for the initial experiences, they become Twains experiences, necessary for his development as a persona. Traditionally, critics of Twain have been preoccupied with dualities, but Florence sees this emphasis upon polarities as an oversimplification. He argues that much of Twains humor strives to shape more and more of the world, giving Twain multiple narrative voices and letting him be inclusive, not exclusive. Finally, this study asserts that there is more continuity to Mark Twains career than has been generally recognized. Many Twain scholars have argued that Twains later writings are radically different from his earlier writings because of their emphasis upon illusion and dream. Florence argues that the preoccupation with illusion and fantasy is scarcely new. Whether Twains mood is exuberant or dark, he emphasizes subjectivity over objectivity, the dominance of fantasy, the creative powers of humor, and his ability as persona to determine what we consider reality. Florence contends that Twains early writings show Mark Twain gradually evolving into a masterfully comic persona. Jargon-free and eloquently written, Persona and Humor in Mark Twains Early Writings provides a fascinating look at Mark Twains developing genius and will be a welcome addition to Twain literature.