# XVI explained — Roughing It

> Chapter companion for Roughing It by Mark Twain.

## What happens

The narrator critiques the Book of Mormon, describing it as a tedious and pretentious work that plagiarizes the Bible, and recounts its absurd historical claims, including the epic battles of Coriantumr and Shiz.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Exaggeration

The narrator mocks the Book of Mormon's style and content, calling it 'chloroform in print' and ridiculing its repetitive phrases and implausible battle statistics.

### The Absurdity of Pretension

The narrator highlights the pretentiousness of the Book of Mormon's language and claims, such as its imitation of biblical phrasing and its grandiose but dull narrative.

## Character check-ins

### The Narrator

Provides a critical and humorous analysis of the Book of Mormon.

### Joseph Smith

Mentioned as the purported author/translator of the Book of Mormon.

### Coriantumr

King in the Book of Ether who engages in a series of devastating battles.

### Shiz

Opponent of Coriantumr in the final battles described in the Book of Mormon.

## Key lines

> The book is a curiosity to me, it is such a pretentious affair, and yet so 'slow,' so sleepy; such an insipid mess of inspiration. It is chloroform in print.

The narrator finds the Book of Mormon both pompous and boring, comparing it to a sedative.

_Expresses the narrator's disdain for the book's dullness and self-importance._

> And it came to pass was his pet. If he had left that out, his Bible would have been only a pamphlet.

The narrator jokes that the phrase 'and it came to pass' is overused, and without it the book would be very short.

_Highlights the repetitive style of the Book of Mormon._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/roughing_it_se/chapters/xvi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/roughing_it_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/roughing_it_se/chapters