Roughing It · Chapter
XXXI explained
The narrator describes the misery of being trapped in a flooded inn with a monotonous Swedish singer and the menacing bully Arkansas, who terrorizes the landlord until the landlord's wife confronts him with scissors and a fierce tongue-lash
What happens
The narrator describes the misery of being trapped in a flooded inn with a monotonous Swedish singer and the menacing bully Arkansas, who terrorizes the landlord until the landlord's wife confronts him with scissors and a fierce tongue-lashing, ending his reign of terror. The chapter then recounts the group's dangerous attempt to cross the swollen river in a canoe, which capsizes, and their subsequent journey through a snowstorm, where they realize they have been following their own tracks in a circle.
Themes in this chapter
Violence and Desperadoism
Arkansas's drunken bullying and threats of violence dominate the inn, culminating in a shootout and his eventual humiliation.
Humor and Exaggeration
The absurdity of Arkansas's ruses for a fight, the landlord's frantic escape, and the wife's scissors confrontation are rendered with comic exaggeration.
The Absurdity of Pretension
Ollendorff's overconfident claim of a 'beeline' instinct leads to the group circling in their own tracks, highlighting the folly of pretension.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Endures the torment of the Swedish singer and Arkansas's bullying; participates in the dangerous river crossing and snowstorm journey.
- Arkansas
The stalwart ruffian who terrorizes the inn until humiliated by the landlord's wife; thereafter sits in permanent humiliation.
- Lan'lord
The meek landlord who is repeatedly bullied by Arkansas and eventually crashes through a glass door to escape.
- Ollendorff
The Prussian who panics during the canoe crossing, causing it to capsize, and later claims his instinct can guide them but leads them in circles.
- Mr. Ballou
Paddles in the middle of the canoe during the crossing and swims to shore after it capsizes; realizes they are following their own tracks.
- Scotty Briggs
Mentioned as part of the crowd in the barroom and as the listener to the landlord's remark about his father.
Key passages
“There were two men in the company who caused me particular discomfort. One was a little Swede, about twenty-five years old, who knew only one song, and he was forever singing it.”
Two men in the group especially annoyed me: a young Swede who endlessly repeated the same song.
The narrator's irritation with the Swede's monotonous singing sets the tone for the chapter's discomfort.
“The other man was a stalwart ruffian called 'Arkansas,' who carried two revolvers in his belt and a bowie knife projecting from his boot, and who was always drunk and always suffering for a fight.”
The other was a tough bully named Arkansas, armed with two revolvers and a knife, perpetually drunk and eager to fight.
Introduction of Arkansas as a menacing figure, establishing the central conflict of the chapter.
“Her fury was magnificent. With head erect and flashing eye she stood a moment and then advanced, with her weapon raised.”
Her anger was impressive; she stood tall with a fierce look, then moved forward, scissors in hand.
The landlord's wife's courageous confrontation is described with admiration, marking the turning point.
“The lesson was entirely sufficient. The reign of terror was over, and the Arkansas domination broken for good.”
That was enough of a lesson. Arkansas's terrorizing rule was permanently ended.
The aftermath of the wife's intervention, showing the complete reversal of power.
“Ollendorff said his instinct was as sensitive as any compass, and that he could 'strike a beeline' for Carson City and never diverge from it.”
Ollendorff claimed his instinct was as accurate as a compass and that he could go straight to Carson City without deviating.
Ollendorff's overconfidence sets up the ironic twist of following their own tracks.
“Presently he stopped his horse and said: 'Boys, these are our own tracks, and we've actually been circussing round and round in a...'”
Soon he halted and said, 'Guys, these are our own footprints—we've been going in circles.'
The realization that they have been lost, circling in the snow, underscores the theme of absurd pretension.
