The Gilded Age, Part 1.

"The Gilded Age, Part 1" by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a satirical novel written during the late 19th century. The story is set in a post-Civil War America and aims to critique the prevailing social and political climate, often focusing on themes of ambition, greed, and the fabrications of the American Dream. The narrative introduces us to various characters, including Squire Hawkins, a postmaster and small businessman, who becomes emblematic of the struggles and aspirations faced by individuals during this time of economic transformation. The opening of "The Gilded Age" establishes a rustic setting in Obedstown, East Tennessee, where Squire Hawkins contemplates his modest existence amidst the decay of his surroundings. As he receives a letter, which sparks thoughts of moving to Missouri for better prospects, he reveals his dreams of wealth tied to land ownership and speculation in the future. Meanwhile, he grapples with the reality of his current life, fraught with poverty and stagnation. Shortly after, the narrative introduces a dramatic event—the death of a mother which touches Hawkins and leads him to take in her orphaned son, creating a bond that highlights themes of compassion and familial ties in a challenging world, all while foreshadowing the entangled fates of the characters in their search for prosperity and belonging. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." Twain's novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." He also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894) and cowrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.