46 pages • 1 hour read
Mark TwainThe Mysterious Stranger
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1916A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
In Chapter 2, Satan tells the boys, “We [angels] cannot do wrong; neither have we any disposition to do it, for we do not know what it is” (12). Does this explain or justify any of Satan’s actions throughout the book? Why or why not?
Satan is a name that will invoke a reaction among readers. Why do you think Twain chose this name for his angel? Do you think that this ties into the book’s sociopolitical critiques?
Analyze the tone Satan uses while describing human suffering. What purpose does it serve?
Twain is primarily known for his work as a satirist. Is this background apparent in The Mysterious Stranger? Support your response with examples from the text.
Satan frequently mentions his disdain for humanity but continually maintains that he likes Theodor and his friends. Considering Satan’s perspective, what do you think sets Theodor and his friends apart from the rest?
Often, authors create unreliable characters whose words the reader should not trust. In your view, is Satan trustworthy? Why or why not?
Do you consider any themes or ideas presented in The Mysterious Stranger relevant to modern readers? Why or why not?
Analyze Theodor’s growth throughout The Mysterious Stranger. Is it positive, negative, or a mixture of both? Use examples from the text.
At the end of The Mysterious Stranger, when Satan tells Theodor that “Life itself is only a vision, a dream,” he describes feeling a hopeful. Why does Theodor have this emotional reaction?
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By Mark Twain
