... was unable to live up to its own egalitarian rhetoric. The land of the free (except for slaves) and the home of the brave (and extremely violent and repressive) inculcated racial myths within Clemens during his antebellum childhood on the Mississippi that were slowly fractured, but never ... pernicious person who takes particular delight in treating Roxana with open contempt. In short, she becomes "the dupe of her own deceptions."" (Brodwin, pp. 336-337) The argument between nature and nurture becomes academic in a world where a character like Roxy can justify her sins based on the sin...

• Word Count: 3141
• Approx Pages: 13
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate