The Five Boons Of Life

this story has a lot of meaning, though not very much humor, in which mark twain is most famous for. this is not his best work, though better than I could do.

this is a very intresting and a very true story......take this one to heart.

I think this story is depressing. Its as if nothing in life matters because death is inevitable. Why not just pick death to begin with and not have to deal with all the pain and dissapointent? I love Mark Twain but I didnt like this story.

I really loved this story. It made me think about life, in a way. Although, I think it sent the wrong message. Life is worth that pain, because its the good times that you should remember. And the love and pleasure is definitely worth the pain. But I liked it...

Indeed; all is vanity and we will leave this earth holding nothing, the same with which we came. Knowing this, Mark makes us at least reflect upon what goals we should really seek in our lifetimes, and do it with a passion, whatever it is, for we may not come this way again.

You know, I dont really think that the story was necessarily all about death. Ok... It was a BIG part of it, but its trying to tell you something. You see, hes talking about how he doesnt like old age (Twain, that is). I think the story means that no matter what you do in life, to die young is better than to die old and decrepid. Im being vague.... Sorry, but I really enjoyed this story. Its a real thought-provoker. ^^

This sounds like a story written by a very depressed man. Was he?

He was a very depressed man when he wrote this....It was towards the end of his career!

i was looking for good short stories so i could make book reports. i came acroos this story and i think its too simple yet itll make you think really hard. why such a good writer write something so simple? i guess he is trying to let us know that death is inevitable. if you do not do anything worthy in this lifetime, well then you just have to be gone. so a piece of advice friends... when you do something, make sure youre doing it with your heart. God bless everyone!

This is a touching story that will teach everyone on this earth to finally realize what life really means about. I dont agree with the Death part, because Life is not all about Pain, Grief, Shame and Poverty, but it is still a good mind pounder that Love, Fame, Riches, and Pleasure is not important. May the Lord show all the way to Life.

Very meaningful story that tells us about what is really important in life, and the outcome of certain things which project an illusion to what we want. Edwin

raps..

What I took from this story was the fairly bitter notion that the young dont have the experience to make good choices in life. Unfortunately, the old have plenty of experience but very limited options in life.
Cheery stuff.

I like what this story is trying to say, not only that love, pleasure, fame, and riches arent always good, but in the end it said that the little child was ignorant but TRUSTED the fairy and asked it to choose.
I dont believe in the death bit, but it put out the message very well.
It was simple and easy to understand.
A job well done

I didnt like this story. Its depressing. It isnt even an accurate representation of life. Would the man have been happier choosing death right away? Or would he rather have experienced all of the other choices? I think that not knowing is the worst torture of all. Theres more to live for in life than just death. Not everything ends badly, like Mark Twain says it does. That isnt the only factor here. What brought him pleasure, what brought him love? What did he do with his wealth? A lot of questions are left unanswered.

Its really funny how people agree with the whole story with the exception of the Death issue... that is the foundation and the main point of the entire story

The story tells us that death is the best choice

Obviously this story can be depressing or uplifting. Here is my take. Death is inevitable, but it is valueless because the more we appreciate death, the more we appreciate life. The gifts the man chose were temporary and insignificant because they were short-term and mostly superficial. Death is eternal, and perhaps in the afterlife, one overcomes these trivial desires. The world is painful, but pleasureful at the same time. Life is not one of the gifts because the man was already living, and he obviously did not value it because then he wouldnt of taken any of the gifts.

Sometimes authors dont try to tell a story, but simply express their internal status. The result then is a strong peace, even though there might not be a clear message. The reading was worth the shivers !

Or might want to call it Mark Twains black humor.

6 year olds would read this i fell asleep

i think he found out he had a life threatning disease when he wrote this story
i think ill need counciling after reading this story

That was one of the best short storys I have ever read. I will never get bored of it and I understood everything.

Argh. Stories dont have to "tell us" anything. Mark Twain was a great thinker, but he was also a great story teller, who sometimes just told stories for the hell of it.
This one, so apparently dripping with "meaning" is a trick. Twain hated pretentious writing. Would a Twain character ever say a line like, "each hour of happiness the treacherous trader, Love, as sold me I have paid a thousand hours of grief"? I think not. Twain characters speak English.
And could anyone be as impossibly stupid as the man in the story? Over and over again choosing when the fairy has already tricked him?
Finally, look at some of the detail. When a child (a mummys boy, no less) asks for its help, the fairy kills the child! What kind of a gift-bearing fairy is this?!
I think what Twain is really doing is taking the mickey out of such portentous fare. And I think he does a pretty good job - I laughed, at least.

how could death be the best choice? it will only be an act of cowardice if death.

I think the main point Twain was trying to get across is that Death is the only thing that will not dissapoint you.

Despite how optimistic or pessimistic you are as a person.

WHAT THE STORIE IS TRYING TO TELL US, IS THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING THAT CONTENTMENT IN OUR LIFE AS A PERSON.

IT IS THE BASIC FACT OR REALITY OF LIFE.

THAT BEING AT PEACE FOR TWAIN IS THE BEST. BUT FOR OTHERS ALL SUFFERINGS AND PAIN OR INSULT IS THE BEST EXPERIENCE IN LIFE.

very boring

To die young is better? I dont think so... Who doesnt know grief, cannot know happiness...
and what death offers? just darkness... emptiness, or HELL and just for optimists a Heaven...

Or for those who are religious:
When a child dies it goes to heaven because a child has no sins...
When an adult dies, after experiencing all 7 deadly sins, of course goes to hell...
Maybe this is the idea of this story...
Die young ang go to hell???
What do you think?
Iina

HOW COME A STORY THAT GETS HIGH RATINGS PPL SAY ITS BORING AND IT STINKS BUT LOW RATING STORYS PPL SAY IT WAS THE BEST THEY EVER READ HMMM IM PUZZLED
BESIDES THAT I GIVE THIS A THUMBS UP

This story is hilarious. It builds up like any other fable with a virtuous moral based on love, hate etc. Then it ends with the fairy giving away the only gift of escape, and sarcastically insulting the old man. How can the last phrase "what not even you have deserved: the wanton insult of Old Age," be taken seriously at all. Twain is a master of black humor.

very articulately written... i like!!! a lottt... very valuable lesson learned...

Interesting with an existential twist. Was Mark Twain bitter about existence? I sometimes feel life is unjustified in that the wiser (older) we get, the less attractive and respected we become; and that were born with an incurable instinct to survive while we face a certain eventual end. This story kind of speaks to that spiteful curiosity in me. I wonder if he felt the same?

It think that in general Mark Twain never had the intention of this story taken litteraly. He was, as stated a story teller, and sometimes a story is simply entertaing. I agree the language used is not reminisant of Mark Twain in that he was mocking or referencing fables. I think he was attempting a bit of black humor rather than some sort of life changing message. This story is about making a fool out of a foolish man.

I liked this theme! I believe that this is the correct way to view life, and the only reason I believe others do not is because they dont have anything on the other side. If this view of death intrigues you, read the book Ecclesiastes. Everyone should take this message to heart!

Reminds me of a quote i heard on the web once before...

"life sucks, and then you die"

But, I dont think that that was the main message, I believe it was telling us that things like fame or money cant give us happiness and ultimately well all die someday.

Both fame and riches can not give us happiness. Ultimately, we will die someday. It is view of life. Someone might be consider it is correct way, but I dont think that.

all other gifts can be experienced and expressed in a million words. we have minds which are with us and against us. but in death...we are 100% alone and therfore may be FREE

It is very interestig story.I like it.

Poignant.

Poignant.

very emotive
an effective commentary of lifes perils and of life itself

HMMM INTERESTING....-MIS3RY

I interpreted this story almost as the
story of a foolish man, because he
couldnt find happiness in anything.
Rather than trying to find happiness in
other aspects of life, family etc. He
chooses death, I perceived that almost as
something a suicidal person would do. I
also felt that that the evident themes
were superficial aspects of life will only
bring you temporary happiness, and that
true happiness is can be attained by the
small things of life.

really encouraging and inspiring

This story was the part of my English textbook in 1969 during my college days. I have read this story after 46 years of my life. In 1969 I was a teenager. Today I am a oldie with varied experiences of life. The story has remained in my heart like a stubborn bullet lodged in body. Though fame, pleasure, wealth and love are not permanent, they are most prime goals of our life. AS mentioned in our ancient books- Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Kirti form basic aim of life. We should try to achieve all this although Death is the eternal reality of life. I myself have tried to achieved this. It is in our own hands to take old age as "Wanton insult" or turn it into a boon. I think old age is a sixth boon of life. Let us be little positive to life. Inspite of short-comings, LIFE IS WORTH LIVING.

nice book with great lessons

Super

good