Modern Times

Historical Context

Charlie Chaplin’s movie Modern Times was set during the time of the great depression and in the context of the emerging industrialized world. With this film Charlie Chaplin effectively illustrated the conditions and difficulties that many Americans must have been subject to during those years. The film uses the Little Tramp character as a archetype of the American citizen, and shows, through comedic scenes, some of the social injustices that were occurring during the time of the great depression.

The time in which the film was set was a time of great political, economical and societal turmoil. There were many people driven from their homes as a result of the sudden downturn in the economy, who were forced to live in communities, called “Hoovervilles,” which were comprised of makeshift shacks, and that were named as a result of apparent disdain for the Herbert Hoover the President of the United States at the time. The unemployment rate reached the historical high of 25%. As a result of the difficulties the suicide rate increased on a national level. This was the bleak historical  setting of the Chaplin’s movie Modern Times. 

Critical Analysis 

With the historical context of Modern Times in mind it is easy to see that Chaplin was making a movie that was criticizing the political and economic systems. Through characters and humor Chaplin very effectively shows how difficult earning a living during the time of the great depression must have been. Chaplin also effectively portrays a distinct division between the rich and the average american citizen. 

The hero of the movie is the Little Tramp, who is meant to represent the American people. The Little Tramp is illustrated as an overworked and innocent victim of a system that doesn’t care about him. The character is likable because of the slapstick humor that he portrays, and the comedically difficult situations that he finds himself in, which makes his message more acceptable to the audience. 

     The opening scenes of the movie shows the Little Tramp working on an assembly line tightening bolts that pass him on the conveyor belt. While he is busy working away, the owner of the company is sitting comfortably in his office, periodically communicating with the foreman to increase productivity by speeding up the conveyor belt that the Little Tramp is working on. Eventually the belt goes so fast that the workers can’t keep up anymore. This scene illustrates a division between the rich and the average American citizen. The Little Tramp is worked so hard that he eventually has a mental break, and can’t stop moving his arms in the tightening motions. This illustrates the lack of care by the people with wealth and power for those that beneath them economically. The aforementioned scene illustrates that the film was a kind of Marxist propaganda. Though the Marxist ideas were generally rejected by the American people, it was easy to accept the ideas as portrayed in the film, because so many could relate to the character of the Little Tramp. 

Personal Reflection

Modern Times is a very important movie to me. I believe that the arts are the most effective way to communicate history. With this movie I believe that I gained an insight to the great depression, and the conditions of the American people during that time, that I have never had before. Chaplin taught me more with the Little Tramp than years of education, and many text books did. Even more important than the historical lessons of the movie, was the way the movie taught me that profound and poignant points can be made with humor and creativity, and that those points will be accepted and appreciate much more because of the medium in which they are delivered. I am very grateful that I was given the opportunity to view a movie that I wouldn’t have ever watched if I hadn’t been in this class. The movie made and impression that will never fade. 

A Tribute to Andy Warhol

     Andy Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to emigrant parents. He spent much of his childhood sick in bed where he listened to the radio and collected pictures of celebrities. This time shaped Andy Warhol; the things that he listened to and the photos that he collected inspired the work that he would become famous for years later as an artist. 

Warhol grew into a painter in the Pop Art movement. This particular style of art was one that took seemingly mundane things from society and presented it in a plain way to the audience. Warhol painted Coca-Cola bottles and Campbell’s Soup cans in an unembellished manner. The style was in direct contrast to the preceding Modernist movement, which attempted to communicate complex beliefs and ideas through abstract images. Warhol wouldn’t ever give a deeper explanation of his paintings other than, “Just look at the surface of my paintings... There’s nothing behind it.”

I believe that there is a deeper meaning behind Warhol’s paintings. I believe that he was trying to portray an idea that art doesn’t have to be complex and deep, with the universe’s answers found therein. I believe that he was making the point, in a very simple and strong way, that art can be whatever the artist wants it to be. A lot of people today look at Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans or Coca-Cola Bottles and think that it is just kitschy, meaningless art. The context of the art must be considered though. Warhol’s art has meaning because of the time in which it was produced. The playful and ironic nature of his art exemplified the postmodern art movement, which emerged after and rejected the modernism movement.  

       When I first saw Warhol’s art I was not very impressed with it. To me it seemed simple and unoriginal. My opinion started to change though the more I learned about Andy Warhol and the context in which he made his art. I know consider his art to be very ironic and brave. I love that he chose to reject the conventional ideas of art and move forward in his own playful way. I don’t believe that this type of art would work today because it would just be seen as pastiche, however in it’s time it was very influential and groundbreaking. 

I chose both the Coca-Cola Bottles and the Campbell’s Soup Cans to pay tribute to  in my creative project. I believed that these paintings were important for America’s art. I wanted to pay homage to a man that I didn’t understand or appreciate at first glance. Through this project I have come to learn that when I see something, and write it off after just a glance, there is probably more to it that I am not seeing in that initial glance. Andy Warhol’s art helped to change my rigid ideas about what art has to be into a more fluid way of thinking that will allow me to view new art with new eyes and an open mind. 

     My Monochrome Sprite Cans photograph is meant to pay homage to Warhol in a way that is both playful and ironic. I drew from his paintings of Coke bottles and soup cans and stacked the Sprite. Then I added the monochrome color to pay tribute to his unique images of Marilyn Monroe. The photo is my way of showing appreciation to a man who changed art in America.

3 of the Most Influential Songs of the 20th Century

The Doors: Light My Fire

As a very young child I listened to The Doors music a lot. Despite being familiar with the music, I had no knowledge about the background of, or inspiration for The Doors’ songs. Of all their recordings my favorite was Light My Fire. I can still vividly remember sitting in my bedroom listening to this song, being both fascinated and frightened by it. I was fascinated my the uniqueness of the song, but frightened because of the haunting nature of the organ. As a 7 year old boy I never thought that 20 years later I would finally learn the history of my first favorite song. 

Listening to the NPR clip gave me insights into Light My Fire that shocked me. Going into this assignment I was as ignorant as the fascinated and frightened boy that I was 20 years prior, so when I learned that Favorite Things, as performed by Coltrane, was the inspiration behind Light My Fire I nearly fell of my chair. Previous to this, I had always assumed that the driving force behind the song was psychedelic drugs not freeform jazz played on a saxophone. Though this revelation shocked me, it also added a deeper respect and understanding for the song. 

Learning that Light My Fire was inspired by, and a tribute to a jazz saxophone song helped me view the song with new eyes. I have listened to the song many songs since learning of it’s background. The new appreciation stemming from the fact that the song is jazz inspired, is most obviously illustrated through the epic keyboard and guitar solos positioned in the middle of the piece. In my opinion the solos weren’t just randomly placed to demonstrate the prowess of the artists, but rather deliberately freeform jazz in nature so that an appropriate homage could be paid to the artist and song that inspired Light My Fire.

Elvis Presley: Hound Dog & Don’t Be Cruel

The reason for selecting the Elvis Presley songs for this assignment, is that I have never liked Elvis music. I chose the songs to try and gain an appreciation for the man revered as “The King of Rock ‘n Roll.” However, when I first listened to the NPR clip my lack of appreciation was reinforced, however as I listened to it again and again, it was the king himself that changed my mind. 

My distaste for Elvis deepened when I learned that his biggest hits, Hound Dog and Don’t Be Cruel, were all written by people other than him. The artists that I have always appreciated the most have written and performed their own songs. I believed that it was shallow and insincere, that somebody would perform a song that wasn’t their own. As I learned this fact I felt vindicated for being one of the few people on the planet that didn’t at least appreciate what Elvis Presley did for music. My opinion changed though when I started to contemplate his place in musical history on a deeper level.

A very interesting fact that was brought out in the NPR recording was that Elvis was criticized for not giving credit to the styles from which he was drawing from, in particular the African American style of blues. I found this intriguing because white performers have taken black American art and marketed it as their own, multiple times in history, and so I thought that perhaps my initial disliking of Elvis now had grounds. However Elvis himself set me straight when he stated, “When I sing, I just sing from my heart. some people say it’s because I am offering folks a new kind of rhythm. I really don’t know about that though, my own kind of rhythm is really about as old as music itself.” I believe that this shows that Elvis was humble, and was aware of his place in music history. He was to be a voice of the music, a performer of songs, indeed a conduit through which the art of others could pass to the masses.

 

Nirvana: Smells Like Teen Spirit

In the early 1990s Nirvana emerged and seemingly vanquished the pop/rock of the 1980s. My taste in music exactly mirrored the American musical landscape of the late 80s and early 90s. My opinions were greatly molded by my older cousins who where 8-10 years older than me. They instilled in me a love of hair bands like Poison, Cinderella, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard. I didn’t listen to the radio much, just tapes and C.D., so I was behind the times. Finally in 1998 or so I was introduced to Nirvana. The opening riff of Smells Like Teen Spirit had the same effect on me as it did on musical America. The bands from the 80s that I had loved, and whose songs I had memorized, suddenly seemed silly and contrived. Nirvana intensity, sincerity, and originality changed my taste in music forever. 

Smells Like Teen Spirit came into my life when I was about 16 years old and it reflected the inner desire that I felt to rebel against the establishment. As the NPR recording points out, the progression of the song is a series of crescendos into eventual eruptions accompanied by lyrics that my parents couldn’t understand. It became my personal years high school anthem. What I didn’t realize when Smells Like Teen Spirit was blasting through my car speakers on the way to school was that, as NPR points out, the song was criticizing me and my generation. In an ironic way the band illustrated and sharply criticized, through it’s music, the “over-bored” and “self-assured” attitude that I possessed. When I first learned this while listening to the NPR clip I felt a little betrayed, however when the brilliance of the song began to set it, I appreciated it even more. I mean the band wrote a song that I thought defined me, but as it turns out it was insulting me. Genius. 

 

West Side Story

As I sat down to watch West Side Story, I must admit that I was very skeptical. I don’t watch musicals a lot and when I heard that a requirement for my class was to watch one that was 2 1/2 hours I groaned. My skepticism deepened as I began watching and I saw the tough guy gangs snapping, singing and dancing. This was particularly hard for me because, like most American men, I have been raised on a film diet of Braveheart, Gladiator, Jason Bourne, and 300, among others. So when I saw these gangs portrayed as nothing more than singing and dancing actors with costumes I groaned again. Loudly. 

Little did I know that by the end of the film I would be absolutely captivated by the story. As the tale unfolded, the seemingly simple things that had distracted me earlier faded away and the beautiful tragedy that is West Side Story emerged. I didn’t believe that I would be so moved by this tale, which closely resembles Romeo and Juliet, but I was. 

The core message is the musical is delivered in the vehicle, that nearly all viewers can relate to. The vehicle is a love story. In this case it happens to be a forbidden love. This adds a dimension to the film that brings deep emotions up in people as the film reaches it's dramatic and tragic end. It did so for me. Without the love story attached the deeper message wouldn't have been nearly as profound or poignant.

The aforementioned message presented in this musical was to remove hate from your life. It illustrates to it’s views to forsake ideas of revenge and it promotes beautifully the idea of forgiveness. No other message is as relevant to humanity as this. I am very grateful that I was forced to watch this movie. The message will stay with me for the rest of my life.

John Singer Sargent

John Singer Sargent is among the most talented painter of portraits in the history of art. His talent was well known and well respected, so much so that in the prime of his career, many rich patrons paid small fortunes for the privilege to have their portraits be painted by him. Despite his immense popularity, he had many critics that disagreed with his painting style and the manner of his life as a whole. The unusual station into which Sargent was born, accompanied by the reality that he lived in Europe as his artistic genius was developing, had great influence on him and his artistic style. While he is classified as an American realist, his upbringing caused him to develop a unique style that challenged the norms of the American realism movement. A prime example of this is Sargent’s Mrs. Edward Goetz, which encapsulates the unique, and some-what contrary, nature of his artistic style, and also illustrates indirectly the history of John Singer Sargent as a man.

Sargent’s upbringing is a key that one needs to look at when considering why Sargent was different than the other American artists of his time. Though Sargent was an American, he wasn’t actually born in America, but rather in Florence, Italy. He was born to expatriate parents, who left America and went to Europe after his older sister died (prior to his birth) at age two and his mother to experience significant psychological problems.1 The voyage was not meant to be permanent. His father, who desired to return home and resume his practice as a physician, eventually was forced to retire. Sargent scholar, Stanley Olson, describes the situation of Sargent’s father:

“For two and a half years he had been ready to go home; for two and ahalf years he had lived in that hope and, paradoxically, for two and a half years he had moved with certainty away from that very potentiality. [He] relinquished his ambition, his career, the society of his parents, brothers and sisters, and... retired.”2 Sargent was born into a family that had experienced the tragedy of the death of a child, as well as the later death of two younger siblings of Sargent; a family that lived as nomadic life away from their country of citizenship; and a family whose patriarch had given up everything that he had worked his entire life for. When studying Sargent, this context must be considered as a key role in the development of the man who became the artist.

Sargent inherited a life of an expatriate at birth, and as a result of this, coupled with the fact that his family’s living situation was transitory in nature, he was educated in the cultures of various countries languages and cultures of Europe. Indeed his European upbringing afforded him the opportunity to study at schools, and with people that he wouldn’t have otherwise. One example of this is also quite possibly the single most influential moment in the artistic training of John Singer Sargent, it is when when he began to study with Carolus-Duran, an immensely popular French portrait painter and teacher.3 Carolus-Duran’s style of art was one that allowed the artist to paint directly on the canvas, which allowed freedom with colors and spontaneity with brush strokes. It was Carolus-Duran that eventually convinced Sargent to pursue a career painting portraits, thereby changing Sargent’s focus and allowing for one of the greatest portrait artists ever to emerge. In fact Sargent began his career by painting a portrait of Carolus-Duran which was critically received very positively, and is widely thought to indicate the path that Sargent would take as an artist. He displayed the painting in a prominent French art exhibition as a homage to his teacher and as an display of his portrait abilities.4 The influence that Carolus- Duran had on Sargent’s art cannot be overstated. The artist that emerged from the young, nomadic, expatriate was directly a result of the tutelage of Carolus-Duran. 

The culmination of Sargent’s life and training is manifested through his work, in particular his piece entitled Mrs. Edward Goetz. In this painting Sargent painted an old woman shortly before she died. The style with which he painted this painting was a direct result of the upbringing that he received in Europe as a young expatriate. This style can be seen in the brushstrokes that compose the painting which are clearly influenced by training with Carolus- Duran. The brushstrokes have a spontaneous and almost hurried feel to them, yet with great precision Sargent captures incredible details. One particular detail that he captures is the textures of the fabrics shown in the painting. There are two fabrics in particular that illustrate his mastery with a brush: the shawl and the dress. He perfectly represented both fabrics, to the extent that they look like actual cloth on the canvas, however the fabrics are very different. The shawl is light weight and sheer and the dress is heavy and dark, yet both unique fabric types are represented on the same fabric with incredible accuracy. Sargent’s young life as an expatriate allowed him to the opportunity to study with Carolus-Duran, and without that experience Sargent may have become a very different artist.

Sargent uses color to offer a deep contrast in this portrait to greater enhance the beauty that was his subject. At the bottom of the canvas the colors are very dark, and as the picture approaches the top of the canvas they get lighter. The single greatest point of light, however, is Mrs. Edward Goetz’s face. He painted her face in a flattering and beautiful manner. Many critics believe that Sargent painted his subjects in the best light possible so that he could please his customers and be more profitable. There is an alternative explanation when evaluating Sargent’s work; one must view it in the context of Sargent’s life. He certainly did portray his subjects in a

positive and flattering light, but this could possibly be because his childhood had dark and tragic events in it, and he chose to portray the more optimistic side of reality through a persons beauty, instead of their faults. In the painting Mrs. Edward Goetz, a window is opened into Sargent’s life and training that allows us to see more accurately the man and artist he was.

Mrs. Edward Goetz’s is a unique painting by one who was considered an American Realist; the uniqueness it possesses caused him and his style to be criticized. The norms of the American Realism movement, especially with the Ashcan School, was to accurately portray America in an accurate and objective light. Most American Realists used dark, and some-what pessimistic tones, and painted woebegone subjects to illustrate their perception of America. In contrast to this Sargent focused on the lighter tones, and beautiful aspects of his subjects. He was criticized for being an American, who lived in Europe, that chose to paint flattering portraits, rather than socially conscious portrayals of America. Sargent chose to be an optimistic realist in his work, rather than go with the norms of the movement which focused on the dreary.

I was particularly impressed with Sargent’s optimistic realism approach when I saw Mrs. Edward Goetz in person. Sargent managed to make a painting look so realistic, and have such depth that I expected Mrs. Goetz to stand up and get out of the painting. Even more impressive to me was how Sargent seemed to capture the essence of her humanity and personality with his paintbrush. Though her eyes were just paint on a canvas, they had light and depth to them the illustrated the uniqueness of her as an individual. The mastery of his technique, coupled with his optimistic approach make his painting fascinating and fun to observe.

Sargent’s upbringing, formal training and his life as an expatriate molded him into the artist that became so impressive and respected. Mrs. Edward Goetz is just one example of his work that helps us understand the context of his art in a very intimate way.

Works Cited

1 Olson, Stanley. John Singer Sargent: His Portrait. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2001. p. 1. 

2 Olson, Stanley. John Singer Sargent: His Portrait. 1st ed. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2001. p. 3. 

3 Fairbrother, Trevor. John Singer Sargent. New York: Harry N Abrams, 1994. p. 13. 

4 Prettejohn, Elizabeth. Interpreting Sargent. 1st ed. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1998. p. 9.

Mark Twain

     

     Mark Twain possessed a rare ability to both entertain and make profound points simultaneously. Generally speaking, when I hear a speaker, or read an author who is profound, they are boring; the reverse is also true, if a presenter is entertaining then they generally lack depth. When Mark Twain spoke, or wrote he was never boring and there was always a point beyond the superficial surface of what he was speaking or writing. This unique gift for presenting material that was dual-natured allowed Twain to make an impact on many people, myself included, where others could not. He could keep audiences captivated with comedy and intrigued with depth. One great example of Twain's unique style is when he proposed, "Such is the human race, often it seems a pity that Noah and his party did not miss the boat." With this quip he made me laugh out loud, and at the same time solemnly and sadly consider the nature of human beings. 

     With Twain's entertaining and profound words, he was able to bridge a gap that existed between the higher and lower social classes. He was able to paint a picture of the world that the readers of his time were living in, both rich and poor. He did this by using colloquial language, irreverence, and strong satire. If you look at his character Tom Sawyer, you can see a young America personified. Tom Sawyer was raised in a very proper home, yet he was an outlaw who snuck out late at night to do things his own way, in spite of his proper origins. In this way Tom Sawyer represented, and was a hero to, all Americans, who despite roots to Europe, wanted to do things their own way, and on their own terms regardless of social class. Young Tom was, and is, an irreverent champion to Americans. Twain showed us with Tom Sawyer what it is to be free. Sawyer embodied the quote by Mark Twain, "Irreverence is the champion of liberty."

     My favorite attribute that that Mark Twain possessed was his incredible sense of humor. A wise man named Jean de La Bruyère said, "Life is a tragedy to those who feel, and a comedy to those who think." Twain was a deep thinker, and gave humanity a gift to be able to see the world through his eyes. The comedic perspective that leaps off of the page at me when I read Twain's words, has taught me to laugh at the human predicament. I don't feel I should laugh because everything is funny, but because as Mark Twain said, "Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand." 

Desire of The Heart

The following is based on Mark Twain's short story: "The War Prayer." 

Drinking root-beer and watching the game. 

     It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The entire country was thrilled with the prosperity and wealth that it was experiencing; in nearly every home there were multiple laptop computers, televisions, and countless blu-ray discs; all of which allowed people to have information and entertainment on demand; in nearly every driveway there were multiple vehicles of transportation parked which allowed people to travel great distances, with great comfort. On almost a daily basis family members and friends would get into their modern and luxurious cars or trucks and congregate at the home that had the newest, and biggest, and best television, with the most exquisite sound system, to watch the latest episode of a popular television show, or to cheer on their favorite sports team, or even to partake of the pinnacle of high definition and view the latest blu-ray movie to be released. The owners of such incredible equipment would stand quietly and proudly, with an occasional tear rolling down their cheek, as admiring and envious complements about the perfection of the entertainment centers would roll off the tongues of their guests. Inevitably the visitors would ask about the specifications of all the different components of such magnificent tools of entertainment; the proud owners, all across the country, would engage in a technical oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of the hearts of the listeners. As the audience actively partook of the information, which was effortlessly spewed forth from the host, the desires of their hearts, indeed the desires of their entire beings, were awakened with a sense of urgency, for they began to understand that they would only find happiness and contentment when they too had such impressive gadgetry. When the occasional concerned and prudent dissenter would speak up about the importance of staying out of debt, of frugality, and of the pitfalls of materialism, they would straightway get a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety’s sake they had better keep their opinions to themselves. 

     Sunday afternoon came-- the morning had been spent watching football at his closest friend’s house, and in anticipation of the coming Saturday’s boxing match, Bob was en route, in his brand new pickup truck, to the enormous electronics store to acquire his very own entertainment hub. That morning as he had listened to his friend enumerate all the wonderful blessings that had come into his friend’s life, following the purchase of all the gear required to create such an elegant home theatre, Bob knew that he not only desperately wanted, but needed his own. As he drove toward his destination, contemplating the blessings that would come into his life, Bob’s mind wandered into the realms of fantasy. He imagined his home with 30 people packed tightly together in front of his newly acquired HDTV. Their eyes were filled with  a reverent respect. His wife, from across the room, gave him a special smile that clearly told him that he had finally become the man that she had always wanted him to be. His young, twin daughters came running into the room, simultaneously shouting, “Daddy!” as they jumped into his open arms. As they lovingly hugged him little Sally whispered into his ear, “We are so proud of you!” and Lucy presented him with a homemade card with a crayon-drawn rendition of the new entertainment center. 

  Bob, who had arrived at his destination, couldn’t help but smile to himself as his fantasy drifted from his mind, and he opened the truck door and stepped out. He was at the Mecca of the home theatre world. He began walking slowly towards the entrance, he wanted to savor every wonderful moment of this day; his feet begged him to walk faster, but his mind wouldn’t allow it. As he walked through the door, however, his control evaporated and he immediately picked up his pace setting a direct course to the home theatre display room. In this particular store there was a room set up that was designed to replicate a home; it was complete with couch, fake family photos on the wall, and most importantly a complete top-of-the-line theatre system. It was in this room that the store always exhibited the latest and greatest technology, so it was with eager anticipation that Bob opened the door to the room and stepped inside. What he saw on the interior of the room convinced him immediately that he had made the right decision coming here today, for what he saw was sure to bring his earlier fantasy into reality. 

     

     Staring Bob directly in the face was the largest television that he had ever seen. Unconsciously a low whistle escaped his lips. Not only was it big, but the images displayed on the screen were so crisp, the colors so vibrant, that Bob had to force himself to begin breathing again. As Bob approached the T.V. to get a closer look a single tear rolled down his cheek, and he hurriedly wiped it away as the sales associate approached. “What do you think?” the young salesman inquired.  

“It is the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen,” Bob replied, never taking his eyes from the screen. 

The salesman smiled and said, “We just got her in this morning. It is the absolute best television that planet earth has ever seen. Sit down on the couch and let me show you what she can do.” 

Bob didn’t waste any time complying with the request. As he plopped down on the comfortable couch the salesman dimmed the lights and began his pitch (a pitch that was completely unnecessary, for Bob was sold the minute he saw the thing).  “Can I get your name?” the presenter asked. Bob only distantly heard the young man, and absentmindedly replied with his name. “Well Bobby boy let me tell you about our prized jewel here. You have heard of 1080p haven’t you?” Bob nodded distantly. “Well Bob, this right here is even better. It’s what we call 1440p, meaning it’s got nearly double the resolution of 1080p. It’s the new standard. How big do you think she is Robert?” Bob just shook his head and reverently replied, “70 inches?” The salesman chuckled and corrected him, “Well Roberto you aren’t even in the same ballpark. It is a 90” inch plasma. In the past the plasma technology has had some weaknesses compared to LCD, but they have been eradicated with...” As the young salesmen went through his explanation of the newest and best technology, and as he showed all the features of the T.V. along with the accompanying, industry leading 7.1 surround sound system, Bob couldn’t help but realize that all of is dreams were about to come true. 

As the salesman was reaching the end and the climax of his speech, he was worked up into a frenzy of waving his arms and spouting specifications about THX certified sound, frame rate, low energy-high efficiency bulbs, and anti-glare glass, an aged stranger, dressed in a long robe, noiselessly entered the room. Bob noticed the newcomer immediately and his focus was now on the stranger, and no longer on the TV. The salesman, who was giving his grand finale in concert with beautiful images being displayed on the TV and accompanying and complementary music on the sound system, didn’t even notice the strange new man. The robed man began silently walking up behind the salesman; as the rehearsed homily ended the music stopped and the screen went blank. At that very moment, when the normal routine of the salesman would have been to close the deal, the stranger touched the young man’s arm and motioned for him to step aside- which the startled salesman did- and took his place. He looked at a somewhat perplexed and spellbound Bob with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said: 

“I come from the Throne-- bearing a message from Almighty God!” Bob, despite being completely engaged, rolled his eyes (which was a conditioned response to religious talk more than it was a sign he wasn’t interested in the message that the old man bore); if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. “He has seen the true desire of your heart, and will allow that desire to be realized if it is still the desire of your heart after I, His messenger, have explained to you the lasting implications of your desire being realized. For it is like unto many of the desires of men, in that it wishes for more than he who owns the desire is aware of-- except he pause and think.”  

  “You are aware of only one half of your true desire. I am commissioned by God to put words to the other half-- the half which has never crossed the conscious part of your mind, but that is nevertheless inseparably connected to that part of you desire that you are aware of. Your wish is simple, ‘I want the nicest home theatre, so that I, and my family, and my friends may find entertainment and enjoyment.’ By wishing for this you have also wished for unmentioned results which naturally follow the acquisition of your prize. God has commanded me to put words to that part of the desire of your heart that you are unaware of. Listen! 

  “I wish for nothing more than to have a place where my family and friends can congregate with me to find enjoyment. I wish that my credit score will be sufficient so that I may purchase my home theatre and thereby incur an immense amount of debt. I do not care that this debt will hold me as a slave in it’s fetters for many years to come, for this entertainment center will be the source of many years of enjoyment for my loved ones! If by sinking into the dark hole of debt I am unable to pay for my children’s college, or for my wife’s medical bills when she becomes chronically ill, that is okay because I had no way of knowing before hand that those things would happen. I am willing to accept the risks involved, including the risk of materialism completely consuming me, even to the point that I neglect my family and ultimately lose them. I so desperately want these material possessions, that I will risk anything and everything to acquire them.” 

  After a long pause the old, robed stranger continued, “You have desired it; if you still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits.” 

  It was believed afterward by Bob that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said. 

Authors note: Some of the words and phrases contained in this satire were either copied verbatim or very close to verbatim from Mark Twain’s The War Prayer. I wanted to write a piece that closely resembled his original paper, without distracting the reader with things like foot notes and quotations. The quotations seen below are the quotations that I borrowed, or strongly paraphrased, from Mark Twain’s original work.  

Paragraph 1: 

“It was a time of great and exalting excitement.” The opening line of The War Prayer

“Oratory which stirred the deepest deeps” Within 1^st paragraph of The War Prayer

“...they would straightway get a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety’s sake...” Paraphrased from the end of the 1^st paragraph of The War Prayer

Paragraph 8:

“I come from the Throne-- bearing a message from Almighty God!” From 6^th paragraph of The War Prayer

“For it is like unto many of the desires of men, in that it wishes for more than he who owns the desire is aware of-- except he pause and think.” Paraphrased from the 6^th paragraph of The War Prayer

Paragraph 9:

“I am commissioned by God to put words to the other half--” Paraphrased from 8^th paragraph of The War Prayer

“God has commanded me to put words to that part of the desire of your heart that you are unaware of. Listen!” Paraphrased from 8^th paragraph of The War Prayer

Paragraph 11:

“After a long pause the old, robed stranger continued, ‘You have desired it; if you still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits.’” Paraphrased from 10^th paragraph of The War Prayer

Paragraph 12: 

“It was believed afterward by Bob that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.” Paraphrased from 11^th paragraph of The War Prayer