Samuel Clemens was born on November 30, 1835 to parents John Marshall and Jane Moffitt Clemens. In History.com’s biography of Mark Twain, we learn that his father, John Marshall was a serious man who rarely showed emotion. His family lived in poverty …show more content…
John felt it would be a better place for his family to live in. Hannibal actually did seem like a very splendid place to live in, with its steamboats, circuses, library, minstrel shows, etc. However it was not lacking on violence, poverty, loneliness and boredom. Such characteristics of the town brings to light some of the reasons why Mark Twain ended up with such a twisted humour. Mark Twain witnessed many murders, a more notable one being a slave being struck with a piece of iron when Mark was only ten. Such events leave an impression on children and affect them for years to come. His critical view on life came with these gruesome events, as well as early realizations of how difficult life can be (Biograpy.com Editors: Mark Twain