Quotes from Mark Twain, Master of Sarcasm

Mark Twain sure had a sharp tongue. No wonder that Mark Twain quotes are known to be some of the most sarcastic. They spare none and have no sacred cows. This makes him a quotes lover's delight. On this page, find ten of the best Mark Twain quotes.

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Education

Mark Twain And Friends — Underwood Archives/Archive Photos/Getty Images

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."

This quote originally belongs to Canadian essayist Grant Allen, who first used this quote in his book in 1894. However, this quote was attributed to Mark Twain in 1907. Whether Twain actually said the quote is not confirmed. Although Twain is widely considered as the author of this quote, you may want to be judicious while citing this quote as a Mark Twain quote.

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Courage

"There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice."

Cowardice gets you nowhere. We often shy away from challenges. We fear failure. This quote from Twain hits home the point that you can never really run away from challenges. Overcoming adversity is the only way to face your inner demons.

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Wit

"One of the striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives."

This line is found in Mark Twain's famous novel, Pudd'nhead Wilson. Twain has a quirky sense of humor. Twain tries to tell us that one can never get out of a web of lies. Lies live on forever, even longer than the nine lives of cats. Funny, but true.

Mark Twain Satire

By Simran Khurana

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Friendship

"The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money."

You have to give it to Mark Twain for playing with words with such finesse. As you read the quote, you are lead into believing that Twain has something sweet and kind to say about the enduring nature of true friendship. The turn of phrase, at the end of the quote, where Twain compares our love for wealth far greater than true friendship, hints at the commodification of relationship, something as pure as friendship is also not spared of this malaise.

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Humor

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society."

Mark Twain was a great humorist. His words were laced with humor, wit, and sarcasm. In this quote, he wishes to impress upon us the importance of dressing well. To make his point, he compares well-dressed people to stark naked ones, who probably don't have an opinion of fashion and style. The original quote was made by Shakespeare in his play, Hamlet. He wrote, "Clothes maketh the man." Twain added his own twist to Shakespeare's words.

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Success

"Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them the rest of us could not succeed."

Another classic sarcastic quote from Mark Twain. Whether you like to admit it or not, the world is not fair to all. The fools will suffer, while the smart ones move ahead. It is for you to decide what you want to be.

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Courage

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

You can use this quote to renew your inspiration. Whether you are trying to succeed in your career, score a goal, or simply achieve your personal targets, this quote will help boost your spirit.

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Education

"Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do. Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do."

This quote occurs in Mark Twain's famous novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Whitewashing the Fence. This cocky quote is a wild thought going on in the young Tom Sawyer's head. Twain makes an interesting reflection in this context that wealthy people are happy to perform tasks for which they have to pay money. However if for the same task, they were offered wages, then the wealthy people would decline the task. Because when they are paid, they are obliged to do the task, and that seems like work.

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Age

"Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been."

Look hard into the mirror. You will find that when you smile or laugh, your face gets wrinkled. Now make a worried face. Again, your face is full of wrinkles. Your smiles and frowns leave their marks on your face. Shouldn't the wrinkles indicate that you smile a lot? Why should it reveal your worries? Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of life, let us celebrate life with smiles and laughter.

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Health

"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not."

Anyone who has tried to stick to a weight loss diet would appreciate the truth in this quote. What our body needs, our taste buds don't want. Avocado juice, anyone? How about steamed chicken in broth? Hate to exercise? Whether you like it or not, you will have to workout to shed those extra pounds. Fight off your temptation for that delicious brownie, and go for the low-cal apple pies. Mark Twain sums it up well.

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Khurana, Simran. "Quotes from Mark Twain, Master of Sarcasm." ThoughtCo, Sep. 2, 2021, thoughtco.com/mark-twain-quotes-tongue-tied-2832669. Khurana, Simran. (2021, September 2). Quotes from Mark Twain, Master of Sarcasm. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/mark-twain-quotes-tongue-tied-2832669 Khurana, Simran. "Quotes from Mark Twain, Master of Sarcasm." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/mark-twain-quotes-tongue-tied-2832669 (accessed April 23, 2024).