Question

Part A How does the narrator of “A Cub Pilot” initially feel about his own abilities? He feels that he needs more supervision than he receives. He is very confident in his overall ability to pilot a steamboat. He is sometimes worried that he will misjudge the river’s depth. He thinks that he knows the river better than any of the pilots do.

Answer 1

The narrator in Mark Twain's 'Life on the Mississippi' initially exhibits overconfidence in his steamboat piloting abilities, feeling that he can navigate any part of the Mississippi River without assistance.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Mark Twain's memoir Life on the Mississippi, the narrator, who is a younger Twain, reflects on his experience as a cub pilot—a trainee steamboat pilot—under the mentorship of Mr. Bixby. The narrator initially exhibits a sense of overconfidence in his abilities to pilot the steamboat, as evidenced by Twain's use of phrases like 'brimful of self-conceit' and carrying his nose 'as high as a giraffe's.' Twain writes in the first person, which allows readers to closely engage with his personal feelings and experiences. The narrator regards himself highly, believing that he can navigate any part of the river without assistance, which sets the stage for the anecdote and the evolving relationship between the narrator and Mr. Bixby.

Answer 2

He is very confident in his overall ability to pilot a steamboat.

Step-by-step explanation:

If there is a part 2, Part 2: "If anybody had questioned my ability to run any crossing between Cairo and New Orleans without help or instruction, I should have felt irreparably hurt."