Title: Letters from the Earth
Description: The eponymous story, “Letters from the Earth,” is a set of eleven letters written by Satan to the archangels Gabriel and Michael about his travels. Satan finds human beliefs about themselves almost insane, pointing out that their conception of heaven leaves out everything humans find most pleasurable in life (particularly sex). He also considers God’s hypocrisies: not forgiving Adam and Eve even though humans are supposed to forgive transgressors; forbidding jealousy but then calling himself a jealous God; killing all the large animals during Noah’s flood even though they weren’t guilty of anything; allowing cruelty and misery to torment the innocent.
Subjects: Etiquette, Humor, Specimens, Miniature books, Religion, American wit and humor, American fiction (fictional works by one author), American literature, Science fiction, Humor, general, American letters, Satire, Collected works (single author, multi-form), Fiction, humorous, general, Wit and humor, Twain, mark, 1835-1910, Criticism, interpretation, Philosophy, Christianity, Theodicy, Suffering, Religious aspects, In literature, Good and evil, Bible