Stylistic and rhetorical strategies Mark Twain uses in Corn-Pone Opinions include imagery and motif. The imagery of the hoop skirt helps the reader identify how fads cause controversy, but can easily become everyone’s sense of identity or the opposite of it. Through this imagery, a motif is created which displays how various fads and ideas, lead to the creation of corn-pone opinions and the division of people. Overall, this motif helps the reader identify how people divide based on what new ideas and inventions are present in the time period. This motif also highlights a cause and effect relationship between the fads and opinions. Furthermore, Twain’s use of logos, displays how corn-pone opinions are established, helping the audience identify the logical process in which opinions are created and used in society. These stylistic choices work together to affect the tone and meaning of the work as it displays how Twain ultimately feels no person has an original opinion, and instead holds an opinion which stems from one popular idea. This highlights a critical and satirical attitude by Twain and altogether emphasizes the unoriginal opinions many people carry. …show more content…
This can be seen when Twain states that for a man to prosper, he must “train with the majority” and “must get his opinions from other people; he must reason out none for himself; he must have no first-hand views.” This relates to Twain’s main thesis: “It is our nature to conform” as it reflects on how Twain believes that for a man to sufficiently live, he must not question the ideas being followed. This can be further seen in various imagery such as the rising popularity of hoop skirts and the number of wine glasses used during dinner, all in relation to popular public characteristics such as morals, religions, and politics which are recognized by the vast