Two Ways of Seeing
by Mark Twain
All the grace, the beauty, the poetry, had gone out of the majestic river! I still kept in mind a certain
wonderful sunset which I witnessed when steamboating was new to me. A broad expanse of the
river was turned to blood, in the middle distance the red hue brightened into gold, through which a
solitary log came floating, black and conspicuous, in one place a long, slanting mark lay sparkling
upon the water, in another the surface was broken by bolting, tumbling rings that were as many-
tinted as an opal, where the ruddy flush was faintest was a smooth spot that was covered with
graceful circles and radiating lines, ever so delicately traced, the shore on our left was densely
wooded, and the somber shadow that fell from this forest was broken in one place by a long
ruffled trail that shone like silver, and high above the forest wall a clean-stemmed dead tree
waved a single leafy bough that glowed like a flame in the unobstructed splendor that was flowing
from the sun. There were graceful curves, reflected images, woody heights, soft distances, and
over the whole scene, far and near, the dissolving lights drifted steadily, enriching it every passing
moment with new marvels of coloring
I stood like one bewitched. I drank it in, in a speechless rapture. The world was new to me and I
had never seen anything like this at home. But as I have said, a day came when I began to cease
from noting the glories and the charms which the moon and the sun and the twilight wrought upon
the river's face, another day came when I ceased altogether to note them. Then, if that sunset
scene had been repeated, I should have looked upon it without rapture and should have
commented upon it inwardly after this fashion "This sun means that we are going to have wind
tomorrow, that floating log means that the river is rising, small thanks to it, that slanting mark on
the water refers to a bluff reef which is going to kill somebody's steamboat one of these nights, if
keeps on stretching out like that, those tumbling bolts show a dissolving bar and a changing
channel there, the Ines and circles in the slick water over yonder are a warning that that
troublesome place is shoaling up dangerously, that saver streak in the shadow of the forest is the
break from a new snag and he has located himself in the very best place he could
have found
to
fish for steamboats, that tall dead tree, with a single living branch, is not going to last long, and
then how is a body ever going to get through this blind place at night without the friendly old
landmark?
No, the romance and beauty were all gone from the river All the value any feature of it had for me
now was the amount of usefulness it could furnish toward compassing the safe piloting of a
steamboat
Read Mark Twain's "Two Ways of Seeing a River" What claim does Twain make in this persuasive essay?
OA. Understanding the river currents can help you to better appreciate nature
OB. Knowledge and experience helps you understand the value of nature
Oc. Knowledge and experience changes your perspective toward life.
OD. Appreciating natural beauty enhances your perspective toward e
O E. Understanding that a river is not all about romance and beauty makes you wise
ando
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