“Twainian Regeneration: Adaptations of the Works, Life, and Legacy of Mark Twain”

Sponsored by the Mark Twain Circle of America

Michael Torregrossa (Bristol Community College)
Carl Sell (University of Pittsburgh)

American author Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1935-1910) achieved lasting fame
as Mark Twain, an identity that served as both his pen name and the persona
he cultivated for the public. Twain’s writings and his distinctive
character have dispersed across time and space, and the resulting Twainian
tradition incorporates these elements in many ways.

Importantly, his works and iconography have long been the focus of
adaptation. This process begins with the illustrations commissioned for the
initial publication of his texts, Twain’s own attempts to rework and expand
his stories, and contemporary caricatures of his person, and it continues
with retellings of Twain’s stories, linked texts (such as prequels,
midquels, and sequels) connected to his work, recastings and restagings of
his tales, and new adventures for Twain himself. These adaptations,
appropriations, and transformations of Twain appear in diverse forms and
formats including anime series, artworks, cartoons, comics, films, games,
historical fiction texts, home video releases, graphic novels,
illustrations, memorials, musical theater productions, mysteries,
performances, plays, radio broadcasts, science fiction works, sculptures,
song lyrics, stamps, television programming, theme park attractions, and
tourist sites.

Each adaptation regenerates aspects of Twain for new audiences revealing
fresh insights into the reception of his works, life, and legacy. They also
highlight both the timelessness of Twain as well as his timeliness for the
present of each new text that his writings and his person have inspired.

Please consider submitting a proposal to this sponsored session.

Submissions can be made directly at https://cfplist.com/nemla/Home/S/21918.

The conference will be hybrid with sessions based in Pittsburgh, 5-8 March
2026.

A resource guide for the session can be accessed at
https://tinyurl.com/TwainianRegenerationRG.