The Gilded Age, Part 4.

"The Gilded Age, Part 4" by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner is a humorous and critical story about a time of fast growth and big differences between the rich and poor in America. Set in the late 1800s, the book uses characters like Harry Brierly and Colonel Sellers to show how greedy, dishonest, and power-hungry people were back then, especially in business and government. In this chapter, Harry Brierly tries to fix a money problem at the Columbus River Slack-Water Navigation Company, but he finds a mess of bad management and debt. The story makes fun of how businesses acted and shows how these problems affect the characters' lives, like the Colonel's dreams and Polly and Louise's relationships. This part of the book looks at important questions about doing what's right during a time known for being excessive and unfair.