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1 Mil Note

The document summarizes the short story "The £1,000,000 Bank Note" by Mark Twain. It describes the plot where two wealthy brothers in London conduct an experiment by loaning a penniless man, Henry Adams, a one million pound bank note for 30 days to see how it affects him. The story satirizes society's judgment of those with wealth. It also provides background on Samuel Clemens, who used the pen name Mark Twain, and highlights some of his most famous quotes.

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114 views17 pages

1 Mil Note

The document summarizes the short story "The £1,000,000 Bank Note" by Mark Twain. It describes the plot where two wealthy brothers in London conduct an experiment by loaning a penniless man, Henry Adams, a one million pound bank note for 30 days to see how it affects him. The story satirizes society's judgment of those with wealth. It also provides background on Samuel Clemens, who used the pen name Mark Twain, and highlights some of his most famous quotes.

Uploaded by

Nikki Ting
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The 1,000,000 Bank Note

by Mark Twain

Synopsis:
Two wealthy brothers of London, England, disagree over what would happen if some penniless individual were loaned a one million pound bill for thirty days. To solve their argument, they engage in an experiment with a Yankee, Henry Adams. The overall effect is cheerfully melodramatic (full of exciting events and exaggeration) and appeals to fantasies about windfalls of money; the reader can share Adams pleasure in the surprise and awe he arouses by pulling the one million pound bill from his tattered pocket to pay for his purchases. This amusing story indicts a society in which the mere show of wealth can so quickly raise ones standing.

The Authors Background


Samuel (Sam) Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835, in a small two-room cabin. With his family, he moved to Hannibal, Missouri in 1839. Young Sam often returned to Florida, Missouri, to spend summers on the farm of his uncle John Quarles farm. While there, a slave, Uncle Danl entertained Sam by telling tales. Uncle Danl would later become a character (Jim) in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Following the death of Sams father in 1847, 12 year-old Sam quit school to work on Hannibals newspaper as a printers devil (a printers assistant). He later became a travelling writer as he travelled the world. Sam loved the Mississippi River and even became a steamboat pilot. Sams pen name, Mark Twain, was derived from a river term mark twain which meant safe water.

The Authors Background


Samuel Clemens first used his pen nameMark Twainas a newspaper reporter for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise at the age of twenty-eight. In 1861, Twain travelled to Europe and the Holy Land writing and recording events all along the way. He later published a book Innocents Abroad about that trip. In 1870, he married Olivia Langdon who came from a wealthy family; they had four children: Langdon, Susy, Clara, and Jean. Throughout his life, Mark Twain knew that he had been born under Halleys Comet. He predicted that he would go out with the comet. Mark Twain died on April 21, 1910 and Halleys Comet was, indeed, in the sky.

Related Twain Quotes


Some men worship rank, some worship heroes, some worship power, some worship God; over these ideals they dispute and cannot unitebut, they all worship money. The lack of money is the root of all evil. Honest poverty is a gem that even a King might be proud to call his own, but I wish to sell out. I have sported that kind of jewellery long enough.

Personal information and character traits Name Age Henry Adams

27 City of residence San Francisco Nationality American

Occupation
Expertise Company

mining-brokers clerk
stock traffic Blake Hopkins Honest, simple, romantic, practical, enterprising, sarcastic

Character traits

Personal information and character traits Name Lloyd Hastings City of residence San Francisco Nationality Occupation Company Character traits American client of Blake Hopkins

Gould and Curry


greedy, cunning, desperate, opportunitist

Personal information and character traits Name Age Nationality Character traits Portia Langham 22 English sweet, cheerful, trustworthy

Page 1 Word accustomed (11) ventured (11) luscious (20) craved (22) flunkey (30) sumptuous (30) Meaning as used in the context used to sailed delicious to have a very strong desire for sth a uniformed servant/ a footman very expensive and looking very impressive

a bet (39)
to account for (48) unanimously (62)

a wager
to explain agreed or shared by everyone in a group

pluck to the backbone (54) very determined

Page 2 Word rash (68) be the butt of sth (69) Meaning as used in the context reckless to be the person or thing that other people often joke about or criticize to feel angry a remark or an action that insults or offends sb/sth made dizzy

resent (71)
affronts (71) made my head swim (80) petrified (83)

terrified

Page 3 and 4 Word Quench the thirst of eye (91) larks (100) Meaning as used in the context eyes fixed on sth jokes

monster (102)
abate (110) blunder (111)

the 1 million bank-note


make sth less strong a stupid or careless mistake position/job to become clear decision made in the court a hospital where people who were mentally ill could be cared for

situation (142)
crystallized (150) verdict (150) asylum (159)

Page 5 and 6 Word first-rate (173) diffidence (188) countenance (191) nettled (194) perpetuated (211) proprietor (212) Meaning as used in the context excellent lack of confidence/in a reserved manner facial expression insulted/hurt/annoyed endured owner of a shop

retorted (216)
waistcoat (231) makeshift (235) quarters (246)

quick, angry reply


vest temporary use room/lodging

Page 7 Word humble (253) be the making of (254) hand-to-mouth (257) loans (258) pauper (259) giddiness (267) Meaning as used in the context not large or special in any way make somebody a better or successful person just enough to spend what you earn money a poor person too excited, cannot behave normally

intoxication (268)
notorieties (269) metropolis (269) turned head (270)

too excited, cannot think clearly


infamous a large city too proud, others find annoying

Page 7 - 9 Word augmented (276) accolade (279) trifles (293) flag (299) unbosom (310) pretext (325) Meaning as used in the context increased praise that people admire something not important or valuable country to confide/to be open an excuse

colossal (357)
the run of (368) romance (372) fortnight (377)

huge
the way usually things happen exciting adventure two weeks

Page 10 - 14 Word yield (402) injudiciously (404) drawing-room (408) postscript (425) confront (451) flatterer (464) Meaning as used in the context give in unwisely a formal reception room extra message (PS) face up to a person who pleases others by compliments

abuzz (543)
ingenuities (551) bolstering up (565)

full of excitement or activity


inventiveness to improve sth or make it stronger

Page 15 16 Word judicious (591) incredible (594) fibbing (598) unabridged (631) sacredest (638) Meaning as used in the context careful and sensible unbelievable lying not shortened most important

Themes : Symbols of success; attitudes of wealthy toward the less fortunate; success; sarcasm/irony; power and control; rich and poor; race against time; honesty and diligence; with a little help from chance, a man "makes himself" through his own ingenuity Moral values: do not be judgmental; the importance of diligence

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