Advice to Youth by Mark Twain

Advice to Youth 

by Mark Twain 

The following is a lecture Mark Twain (aka Samuel Clemens) delivered to a group of young people, though the original location, date & occasion for the lecture is now unknown. 

Being told I would be expected to talk here, I inquired what sort of talk I ought to make. They said it should be something suitable to youth-something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice. Very well. I have a few things in my mind which I have often longed to say for the instruction of the young; for it is in one’s tender early years that such things will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable. First, then. I will say to you my young friends -- and I say it beseechingly, urgently – 

Always obey your parents, when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run, because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgment. 

Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any, also to strangers, and sometimes to others. If a person offends you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. That will be sufficient. If you shall find that he had not intended any offense, come out frankly and confess yourself in the wrong when you struck him; acknowledge it like a man and say you didn’t mean to. Yes, always avoid violence; in this age of charity and kindliness, the time has gone by for such things. Leave dynamite to the low and unrefined. 

Go to bed early, get up early -- this is wise. Some authorities say get up with the sun; some say get up with one thing, others with another. But a lark is really the best thing to get up with. It gives you a splendid reputation with everybody to know that you get up with the lark; and if you get the right kind of lark, and work at him right, you can easily train him to get up at half past nine, every time -- it’s no trick at all. 

Now as to the matter of lying. You want to be very careful about lying; otherwise you are nearly sure to get caught. Once caught, you can never again be in the eyes to the good and the pure, what you were before. Many a young person has injured himself permanently through a single clumsy and ill finished lie, the result of carelessness born of incomplete training. Some authorities hold that the young out not to lie at all. That of course, is putting it rather stronger than necessary; still while I cannot go quite so far as that, I do maintain , and I believe I am right, that the young ought to be temperate in the use of this great art until practice and experience shall give them that confidence, elegance, and precision which alone can make the accomplishment graceful and profitable. Patience, diligence, painstaking attention to detail -- these are requirements; these in time, will make the student perfect; upon these only, may he rely as the sure foundation for future eminence. Think what tedious years of study, thought, practice, experience, went to the equipment of that peerless old master who was able to impose upon the whole world the lofty and sounding maxim that “Truth is mighty and will prevail” -- the most majestic compound fracture of fact which any of woman born has yet achieved. For the history of our race, and each individual’s experience, are sewn thick with evidences that a truth is not hard to kill, and that a lie well told is immortal. There is in Boston a monument of the man who discovered anesthesia; many people are aware, in these latter days, that that man didn’t discover it at all, but stole the discovery from another man. Is this truth mighty, and will it prevail? Ah no, my hearers, the monument is made of hardy material, but the lie it tells will outlast it a million years. An awkward, feeble, leaky lie is a thing which you ought to make it your unceasing study to avoid; such a lie as that has no more real permanence than an average truth. Why, you might as well tell the truth at once and be done with it. A feeble, stupid, preposterous lie will not live two years -- except it be a slander upon somebody. It is indestructible, then of course, but that is no merit of yours. A final word: begin your practice of this gracious and beautiful art early -- begin now. If I had begun earlier, I could have learned how. 

Never handle firearms carelessly. The sorrow and suffering that have been caused through the innocent but heedless handling of firearms by the young! Only four days ago, right in the next farm house to the one where I am spending the summer, a grandmother, old and gray and sweet, one of the loveliest spirits in the land, was sitting at her work, when her young grandson crept in and got down an old, battered, rusty gun which had not been touched for many years and was supposed not to be loaded, and pointed it at her, laughing and threatening to shoot. In her fright she ran screaming and pleading toward the door on the other side of the room; but as she passed him he placed the gun almost against her very breast and pulled the trigger! He had supposed it was not loaded. And he was right -- it wasn’t. So there wasn’t any harm done. It is the only case of that kind I ever heard of. Therefore, just the same, don’t you meddle with old unloaded firearms; they are the most deadly and unerring hings that have ever been created by man. You don’t have to take any pains at all with them; you don’t have to have a rest, you don’t have to have any sights on the gun, you don’t have to take aim, even. No, you just pick out a relative and bang away, and you are sure to get him. A youth who can’t hit a cathedral at thirty yards with a Gatling gun in three quarters of an hour, can take up an old empty musket and bag his grandmother every time, at a hundred. Think what Waterloo would have been if one of the armies had been boys armed with old muskets supposed not to be loaded, and the other army had been composed of their female relations. The very thought of it make one shudder. 

There are many sorts of books; but good ones are the sort for the young to read. remember that. They are a great, an inestimable, and unspeakable means of improvement. Therefore be careful in your selection, my young friends; be very careful; confine yourselves exclusively to Robertson’s Sermons, Baxter’s Saints' Rest, The Innocents Abroad, and works of that kind. 

But I have said enough. I hope you will treasure up the instructions which I have given you, and make them a guide to your feet and a light to your understanding. Build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly upon these precepts, and by and by, when you have got it built, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else’s.

“Advice to Youth” – Critical Appreciation, Summary, Themes & Style

1. Critical Appreciation / Critical Analysis

(Satire, Irony, Humour)

Mark Twain’s Advice to Youth is a brilliant satirical essay disguised as a moral lecture. Though it appears to offer guidance to young people, the piece actually mocks traditional moral instruction and exposes the hypocrisy of social values.

Twain deliberately inverts conventional wisdom. For instance, instead of advising obedience as a virtue, he suggests obeying parents only “when they are present,” humorously implying that morality is performative. This ironic twist undercuts the seriousness of parental authority and social discipline.

His discussion on lying is the most striking satire. Instead of condemning lies, Twain advises young people to practice lying carefully and skillfully, turning a moral sin into an “art.” Through this paradox, he attacks society’s acceptance of polished dishonesty over uncomfortable truth.

The firearms episode uses dark humour. Twain narrates a supposedly harmless story where a boy shoots his grandmother—only to reveal she survived because the gun was unloaded. This shocking reversal exposes human carelessness and the absurdity of false safety.

Twain also satirizes reading habits by recommending dull religious books while including his own humorous travel book, subtly mocking moral pretensions.

The closing line—that following his advice will make one resemble “everybody else”—is deeply ironic. Twain suggests society produces uniform, unthinking individuals, thereby criticizing blind conformity.

Overall, Twain uses wit, sarcasm, exaggeration, and irony to challenge false morality and social hypocrisy. 

2. Detailed Summary Advice to Youth

The essay begins with Twain explaining that he was asked to give a lecture suitable for youth. He decides to offer advice, claiming early instruction leaves lasting impressions.

Obedience

He advises young people to obey parents—but only when they are present. This mock advice suggests obedience is not moral but strategic, meant to avoid punishment.

Respect and Violence

He urges respect for superiors and strangers. If offended, he ironically advises throwing a brick at the offender—then apologizing later if mistaken. This absurd suggestion satirizes society’s casual acceptance of violence.

Early Rising

Twain humorously discusses waking early, recommending rising with a lark. He jokingly claims one can train a lark to wake up late, mocking rigid discipline.

Lying

The longest section deals with lying. Twain warns that lying badly leads to disgrace, but instead of condemning lying, he encourages mastering it. He calls lying a “great art” requiring practice and precision.

He ridicules the famous saying “Truth is mighty and will prevail,” arguing that lies last longer than truth. He cites a monument in Boston honoring a man wrongly credited with discovering anesthesia, showing how lies become permanent history.

Firearms

Twain warns against careless gun handling. He tells a shocking story of a boy who accidentally shoots his grandmother with an unloaded gun—ironically, no harm is done. He exaggerates to show how supposedly “safe” guns are more dangerous.

Reading

He advises youth to read good books, recommending religious works—but also slips in his own book, mocking moral seriousness.

Conclusion

Twain hopes young people follow his advice and build character, but ironically predicts they will end up resembling everyone else—criticizing social conformity.

3. Major Themes

(a) Satire on Morality

Twain ridicules traditional moral teaching. Obedience, honesty, discipline—all are turned upside down to show society’s false virtue. 

(b) Education & Authority 

The essay mocks adult authority and moral lectures. Twain shows how advice often lacks sincerity and practicality. 

(c) Truth vs. Falsehood 

Twain argues that society prefers beautiful lies over uncomfortable truths. Monuments and history preserve lies better than facts. 

(d) Social Hypocrisy 

People pretend to value honesty but admire clever liars. Obedience is practiced only to avoid punishment. Twain exposes this hypocrisy. 

(e) Conformity 

The final line highlights how society molds individuals into copies, discouraging independent thinking.

4. Mark Twain’s Style & Humour

(a) Irony

He says the opposite of what he means:

“Always obey your parents… when they are present.”

Advises lying instead of honesty. 

(b) Paradox

Claims lies live longer than truth.

Says unloaded guns are more dangerous than loaded ones. 

(c) Exaggeration (Hyperbole) 

A boy can shoot a grandmother easily but can’t hit a cathedral.

Imagines wars fought with unloaded muskets. 

(d) Conversational Tone 

Twain writes like a friendly speaker addressing youth, making satire more effective. 

(e) Mock-Seriousness 

He pretends to be a moral preacher but constantly undermines his own advice. 

Conclusion 

Advice to Youth is a masterpiece of satire. Beneath the humour lies sharp criticism of social values, moral hypocrisy, and blind conformity. Twain forces readers to question accepted wisdom and recognize society’s contradictions. His wit makes serious criticism entertaining and unforgettable. 

Writing Style of Mark Twain (with reference to Advice to Youth)

Mark Twain’s writing style is simple, humorous, ironic, and conversational, yet deeply critical of society.

Key Features:

Satire & Irony

He says the opposite of what he means to expose hypocrisy.

Example: Advising youth to obey parents only when they are present. 

Conversational Tone

He writes like a friendly speaker talking directly to the audience, making ideas engaging. 

Exaggeration (Hyperbole)

Twain uses overstatement for comic effect—like shooting a grandmother with an “unloaded” gun. 

Paradox

He presents shocking truths through contradictions: “A lie well told is immortal.” 

Wit & Humour

His humour is sharp, intelligent, and purposeful—not just for laughter but criticism. 

Mock-Seriousness

He pretends to be a moral teacher while secretly mocking moral preaching. 

Realism

Twain reflects real human behavior—pretence, selfishness, social pressure. 

Conclusion

Mark Twain’s style combines humour with moral criticism.

He entertains while forcing readers to question social values, making his writing both enjoyable and thought-provoking. 

1. Character of the Speaker / Narrative Voice 

The speaker in Advice to Youth is a mock moral instructor who pretends to be serious but constantly undermines his own advice through irony and exaggeration. 

Key Traits 

1. Satirical Mentor 

He poses as a preacher of morality but deliberately gives absurd advice to expose social hypocrisy. 

2. Witty & Playful 

His humour is sharp and intelligent. He mocks authority, parents, educators, and society. 

3. Realist Observer

He understands human nature deeply—how people pretend to be moral but act selfishly. 

4. Rebel Against Convention

He challenges traditional values like blind obedience, honesty, and discipline. 

5. Conversational Speaker

His tone resembles a friendly lecture, making his satire accessible. 

Narrative Voice

First-person voice (“I say to you”)

Direct address to youth

Mock-serious and ironic

Sounds sincere but means the opposite 

Conclusion: 

The speaker is not a true moral guide but a social critic in disguise, exposing the absurdity of moral preaching.

2. Model Answers

(A) 5-Mark Answer

Q: Comment on the narrative voice in “Advice to Youth.”

Mark Twain adopts a mock-serious narrative voice in Advice to Youth. He pretends to be a moral teacher addressing young people, but his advice is deliberately absurd. Through irony and humour, he exposes social hypocrisy. The first-person conversational style makes the satire effective. Thus, the speaker appears sincere but actually criticizes conventional morality. 

(B) 10-Mark Answer

Q: Discuss the character of the speaker in “Advice to Youth.”

The speaker in Advice to Youth is a satirical moralist who pretends to guide young people. He adopts a serious tone but gives ironic advice, such as obeying parents only when they are present. His discussion on lying, where he encourages mastering it as an art, exposes society’s hypocrisy.

He uses exaggeration and paradox to challenge traditional values. His conversational style makes the criticism entertaining. Through this mock mentor figure, Twain criticizes blind obedience, false morality, and social pretence. The speaker therefore functions as Twain’s mouthpiece to expose social contradictions. 

(C) 15-Mark Answer

Q: Analyse the narrative voice and its role in satire in “Advice to Youth.”

Mark Twain employs a carefully crafted narrative voice in Advice to Youth that appears serious but is deeply ironic. The speaker presents himself as a moral guide addressing young people, following the tradition of didactic lectures. However, he systematically subverts this role by offering absurd advice.

For example, he recommends obeying parents only when they are present, suggesting morality is strategic rather than sincere. His advice on lying is most revealing—he calls lying a “great art” and encourages practice, exposing society’s admiration for polished deception.

The firearms episode uses dark humour to mock carelessness, while his book recommendations satirize moral pretensions. The final remark—that youth will resemble everybody else—criticizes social conformity.

Thus, the speaker is not a genuine moral instructor but a satirical observer of human behavior. Twain uses this narrative voice to attack hypocrisy, blind obedience, and false respectability. The humour makes the criticism memorable and effective. 

3. MCQs

Twain’s advice to obey parents is ironic because he adds:

a) Always obey them

b) Only when they are right

c) Only when they are present

d) Only at home

Twain treats lying as:

a) A serious crime

b) A moral weakness

c) An art to be perfected

d) A childish habit

The monument example supports the idea that:

a) Truth always wins

b) Monuments are unreliable

c) Lies survive longer than truth

d) History is accurate

Twain’s tone throughout the essay is:

a) Angry

b) Sad

c) Mock-serious

d) Religious

The final line suggests:

a) Individuality

b) Freedom

c) Social conformity

d) Independence 

4. Assertion–Reason

Q1

Assertion (A): Twain encourages young people to lie skillfully.

Reason (R): He believes society admires clever liars more than honest people.

✔ Both A and R are true and R explains A. 

Q2

Assertion: Twain praises early rising.

Reason: He sincerely believes discipline builds character.

✘ Assertion true, Reason false

(Because he mocks rigid discipline) 

5. HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) 

Why does Twain prefer humour instead of direct criticism?

How would Twain’s advice change if written today?

Is Twain promoting immorality or exposing it? Justify.

Compare Twain’s satire with modern stand-up comedy.

How does irony strengthen social criticism?

6. Relevance to Modern Youth

Though written in 1882, the essay remains highly relevant today.

(a) Social Media & Pretence

People present fake images online—Twain’s criticism of lying fits perfectly.

(b) Blind Obedience

Students still follow rules without questioning, echoing Twain’s mockery.

(c) Fake News

His idea that lies survive longer than truth reflects today’s misinformation.

(d) Conformity

Peer pressure and trends force youth to behave alike—just as Twain predicted.

(e) Education System

Moral lectures still exist but often lack practical value.

Conclusion:

Twain’s satire reminds modern youth to think independently, question authority, and value genuine honesty over social approval.