Mark Twain, known for the books of “Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn”, and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, writes the short detailed
essay called “Corn-pone Opinion”. In this essay he expresses his perspective on
public opinion as he defines what a “corn-pone opinion” is exactly along with display
how in society we conform, as it is an inevitable action. If people did not conform
they would “suffer damage” in “social standing”. Mark’s philosophy about
society is that “we get our notions and habits and opinions from outside
influences”, which is incredibly true. Our basic human desire is to achieve
self-approval, which we ultimately seek in society’s approval, also known as a corn-pone
opinion.
To make his argument effective he uses personification,
bringing the opinion to life, as opinions don’t always blend in. An opinion “has
been born somewhere, at sometimes or other” and then it “got away before they
could catch it and stuff it and put it in a museum”. Through the use of
personification he displays that some opinions are exuberant and go against the
socially accepted opinion, but also how we like to glorify other’s opinions.
Along with personification, Twain uses
exemplification adding emphasis to conformity in society over time. “An empress
introduced the hoop skirt, and we know the result. A nobody introduced the
bloomer, and we know the result. If Eve should come again, in her ripe renown,
and reintroduce her quaint styles—well, we know what would will happen. ” If
someone of importance were to introduce something new, it would automatically
become a fad. Why? Because that is how society works, it happens time after
time. The irony in the situation with conforming is that we are aware of the
ridiculous need to conform, but still choose to partake in it. This derives
from fear of consequence; that if we conform it allows us to avoid being a social
outcast
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