The Innocents Abroad

Twain devotes a good deal of attention in the book to the Catholic Church. How would you characterize his attitude toward the institution of the Church? Does his view change or moderate throughout the book? How might Americans, at the time the book was written, received these views toward Catholicism?

What is Twain’s overall view of Islam and Muslims? Is his dismay at the pilgrims’ disrespectful entry of the mosque in Nain (in Chapter 51) consistent with these views?

Although Twain fills his book with irreverent satire, he also writes seriously and reverently about Christian holy sites and takes for granted the Christian identity of Western society. Based on these passages, how would you characterize his own religious beliefs? 

The Innocents Abroad was compiled from newspaper articles Twain wrote and sent to San Francisco and New York throughout the course of the journey. Do you find that this piecemeal origin affects the style, pace, and length of the book? Why or why not?

What is Twain’s assessment of his fellow passengers? Think about such aspects as their social class and behavior at the tourist sites they visit. Does Twain share in any of their traits, or does he seek to distinguish himself from them?

Twain interrupts the narrative several times with parodies such as the “Legend of the Seven Sleepers” and the fake “playbill” from the Coliseum. What is the purpose and function of these pieces?

Twain does not discuss his individual traveling companions in detail, nor does he discuss female passengers at all. What might have been his reasons for this? 

Twain paints himself as a rough-hewn, plain-speaking Western American, yet at the same time, he shows considerable cultural and literary erudition. Do you find these two images inconsistent? Why or why not?