The pen name of which American writer means “two fathoms deep”?
Mark Twain
O. Henry
George Orwell
Richard Bachman
Like many of history’s literary greats, Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens used several pen names during his illustrious writing career. He experimented with various aliases, such as Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass, Sergeant Fathom, and “Josh,” before ultimately embracing the maritime term “Mark Twain” which signifies a depth of precisely two fathoms or 12 feet. This term held significance as a call used by riverboat pilots to indicate safe navigational waters, and it is widely believed that Twain chose this pseudonym as a nod to his experiences working on the Mississippi River.
The correct answer is Mark Twain.