Mark Twain’s Short Story, ‘Journalism in Tennessee’

The author gives a hilarious slant to how journalists write the news.
Mark Twain’s Short Story, ‘Journalism in Tennessee’
“The Farmers and the Newspaper,” 1867, by Albert Anker. Art Renewal
Kate Vidimos
Updated:

In Mark Twain’s day, a newspaper writer constructed news stories to present to the public. Whether full of the plain truth or obvious falsehoods, Twain suggested that we read the newspaper with discernment and, above all, humor.

In his very funny short story, “Journalism in Tennessee,” Mark Twain conveys the power and comedy of the press by recounting his short visit to Tennessee. Twain shows that, for all the power which the press holds, what it turns out should be read with a tongue-in-cheek attitude.
Kate Vidimos
Kate Vidimos
Author
Kate Vidimos is a 2020 graduate from the liberal arts college at the University of Dallas, where she received her bachelor’s degree in English. She plans on pursuing all forms of storytelling (specifically film) and is currently working on finishing and illustrating a children’s book.