Final answer:
Mark Twain portrays America with skepticism in 'To the Person Sitting in Darkness', critiquing imperialistic attitudes and hypocrisy. 'The Dervish and the Offensive Stranger' mocks the concept of 'The White Man's Burden,' exposing its arrogance and condescension.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Mark Twain's satirical essay To the Person Sitting in Darkness, Twain portrays America with a critical eye, highlighting the hypocrisy of the nation's imperialistic ventures under the guise of bringing civilization to the rest of the world. He employs irony and sardonic humor to dissect the actions and motives of Western powers, including America, in their quests to 'enlighten' those they deemed in the darkness of barbarity and ignorance. Twain's portrayal suggests a denunciation of imperialism and an America that is more self-serving than altruistic.
The short piece The Dervish and the Offensive Stranger by Twain is a direct commentary on Rudyard Kipling's famous poem The White Man's Burden. Twain's story illustrates the arrogance and condescension inherent in the concept of the white man's burden, narrating how a Westerner's attempt to impart wisdom to a dervish is met with wry, insightful resistance that ultimately exposes the stranger's ignorance. This work serves as Twain's satirical take on Western imperialism and the paternalistic attitude encapsulated in Kipling's poem.