Punch, Brothers, Punch! by Mark Twain

Punch in the presence of the passenjare!

Punch, Brothers, Punch! is a delightfully wacky satire that comedically critiques the way catchy marketing and brainwashing worm their way into our heads. Reading this made me want to read more works by Twain, since, he's another one of those popular American authors that I somehow managed to avoid. Much to my embarrassment, I once started Huckleberry Finn but never finished it. Maybe one of these days…

What makes this story even funnier is how eerily relevant it feels today. We live in the digital age where TikTok trends, instagram reels, YouTube influencers, viral ads, and social media take over our brains whether we like it or not. Twain was certainly ahead of his time. Here, our poor protagonist Mark reads a catchy railroad jingle in a newspaper ad, and before he knows it, the tune hijacks his entire consciousness. He can’t think straight, can’t hold a normal conversation, and ends up blurting out the words at random—leading to some great comedic moments. Ironically, the only way to free himself is to pass the ailment onto someone else, which ends up being his unsuspecting friend. Now that's what I would call a successful advertising campaign!

Twain imbues the story with just the right amount of absurdity without going completely off the rails (pun intended). The meta-fictional elements add to the fun, and Twain’s signature wit keeps the story lighthearted even as he scoffs at the way we fall victim to repetitive nonsense. It’s goofy, clever, and ridiculously enjoyable—just like good satire should be.