Final answer:
In Twain's 'Extracts From Adam's Diary,' it is implied that Adam may feel responsible for bringing sin into the world due to humanity's inherent nature, which he does not fullly understand, mirroring the character McTeague's confusion about hereditary sin. Twain's work suggests a critique of hereditary sin and questions the rationale behind punishing all humans for the actions of the first humans, considering God's foreknowledge of events.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Mark Twain's satirical piece "Extracts From Adam's Diary," the question of why God would punish humanity for the sins of the first humans is brought into question. The notion is examined through the lens of hereditary sin and the perpetuation of evil within human nature. Twain's expression that "But McTeague could not understand this thing. It had faced him, as sooner or later it faces every child of man; but its significance was not for him." suggests that Adam, like McTeague, may not understand the complexities of inherent sin or the reasons behind God's punishment. Twain also questions the fairness of monstrous consequences being passed down to all generations due to the actions taken by the first human beings, especially given God's omniscience and the imbalance of power between creator and created.