A True Story (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Mark Twain
- First Published: 1874
- Type of Plot: Realism
- Time of Work: About 1852-1865
- Setting: Virginia and North Carolina
- Principal Characters: Aunt Rachel, Misto C, Henry
- Genres: Short fiction, Autobiographical fiction
- Subjects: African Americans, United States or Americans, Mothers, Parents and children, Blacks, South or Southerners, Nineteenth century, Slavery or slaves, Civil War, Women
- Locales: Virginia, North Carolina
The Story
At the close of a summer day the narrator sits on a farmhouse porch atop a hill. A sixty-year-old black servant, Aunt Rachel, sits respectfully on a lower step cheerfully enduring merciless chafing. As the powerful woman roars with laughter, the narrator asks her how it is that she has never had any trouble. Taken aback, she replies, “Misto C——, is you in ’arnest?” Sobered by her manner, he explains that he has never seen her other than cheerful. Aunt Rachel becomes grave and begins her story.
Rachel tells the narrator that even though she was once a...
[The entire page is 1528 words long]
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