Essay On The San Francisco Earthquake

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The 1865 San Francisco earthquake caused extreme fear in the people with it’s heavy shocks and damage and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake produced horrific fires that burnt down the city. The two stories titled;”The San Francisco Earthquake” take a diverse view on the effect of the destruction on San Francisco. Jack London and Mark Twain both wrote stories about San Francisco earthquakes; however, they portray different reactions and damage caused by the earthquakes. Twain has a more satirical story about the people, while London tells a more defeated story about the city. In London’s story about the 1906 earthquake the main point of view was the harm the city endured. London said:”Not in history has a modern city been so completely destroyed.” …show more content…
Twain said:” While I was in San Francisco I enjoyed my first earthquake.” He acts as though the occurrence could have been enjoyable and it could be a memory he looks back and only think good things about. In addition, Twain takes a satirical approach towards the experience, almost making fun of the way society reacts to surprises. Twain said:”A prominent editor flew downstairs, in the principal hotel- with nothing on but one brief undergarment- met a chambermaid, and exclaimed:’Oh, what shall I do! Where shall I go!’” As seen in the remark made by the editor most people were very frantic and had no idea what to do. Since Twain is writing this piece as a satirical story, he uses a more ironic and cynical word choice. From beginning to end Twain uses words like: “enjoyed, great, terrific, joggling, trifling, siesta, etc.” He sees the outcome of the people as a joke, making the outlook on the experience humorous. Twain’s portrayal of the earthquake and its impact on society suggests stupidity of the people and their inability to think things through in a
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