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The Autobiography of Mark Twain · Character

John Hay

Statesman and author, friend of Mark Twain.

minor

Also known as Hay

First appearance: A Memory of John Hay

John Hay shows up with force in A Memory of John Hay. The page is where that presence becomes real.

Secretary of State at the time of writing; former editorial writer for the Tribune; friend of Twain who urged him to begin his autobiography.
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In A Memory of John Hay: Secretary of State at the time of writing; former editorial writer for the Tribune; friend of Twain who urged him to begin his autobiography. Later, in Friday, February 16, 1906: Mentioned as a…

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Character Web

14 connections

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MTMark TwainLCLivy ClemensHBHorace BixbyDJDoctor JohnHGHorace GreeleyJHJohn Hay

Relationship types

  • Other

Character groups

  • Historical and Fictional Figures
  • Protagonist
  • Family and Household
  • Extended Acquaintances and Cultural Figures

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupEscalationAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak of Twain's moral out…

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In the story

John Hay appears across 3 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See John Hay in A Memory of John Hay
Who is John Hay in The Autobiography of Mark Twain?