63 pages • 2 hours read
Mark Twain, Charles Dudley WarnerA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
The Gilded Age follows the intertwined lives of the Hawkins family and several other characters in post-Civil War America, focusing on their pursuit of wealth and the resulting moral and financial consequences. Silas Hawkins moves his family to Missouri, seeking fortune through land speculation and befriending the charismatic Beriah Sellers, while secondary characters, including Philip Sterling and Ruth Bolton, navigate personal and economic ambitions amidst pervasive societal corruption.
The Gilded Age by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner offers a scathing satire of post-Civil War America, highlighting rampant greed and political corruption. Critics laud its rich humor and sharp social commentary, though some find its numerous subplots convoluted. Overall, it remains a compelling and insightful portrayal of the era.
An ideal reader for Twain and Warner's The Gilded Age is someone fascinated by satire, American history, and social critique. Fans of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald or Catch-22 by Joseph Heller will appreciate the novel's incisive commentary on political corruption and economic disparity in post-Civil War America.
Recommended
American Literature
Humor
Classic Fiction
History: World
Politics / Government
Gilded Age
Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Society: Class
Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance