Mark Twain's Social Commentary in "The £1,000,000 Bank-Note"

What social commentary does Mark Twain make in “The £1,000,000 Bank-Note”? Include examples from the text to support your answer.

Final answer: Mark Twain's 'The £1,000,000 Bank-Note' provides social commentary on the superficiality of wealth and the arbitrary nature of its distribution. He critiques society's tendency to value appearances and money rather than character. The story also underscores the role of luck in determining one's life circumstances.

Social Commentary on Superficiality of Wealth

In Mark Twain's 'The £1,000,000 Bank-Note', the author employs social commentary to critique both American and British societies. One of the main social commentaries Twain makes in the story is about the superficiality of wealth and the role it plays in shaping perceptions in society. For example, the protagonist of the story, Henry Adams, is mistakenly given a one million pound bank note, which he uses without actually spending it. Despite not having any real wealth, he is treated with high regard simply because people think he is wealthy. This suggests Twain's critique of a society that places high value on appearances and money, rather than on a person's character or abilities.

Social Commentary on Role of Luck

Another social commentary Twain makes in the story is about the power of chance or luck in determining one's circumstances. The plot of Adams receiving the bank note purely by chance, and this chance occurrence radically changing his life, could be read as Twain pointing out the often arbitrary and unfair distribution of wealth in society.