Twain wrote this essay as a satirical critique of imperialism. And in case there’s any question about it, Twain’s use of the phrase is dripping with irony. Mark Twain’s essay, "To the Person Sitting in Darkness", was published in the North American Review in 1901. His real targets are those proponents of … This video is unavailable. With an Introduction by Brook Thomas, and narrated by Richard Henzel. via YouTube Capture. This dark satire exposes the imperialism behind the Chinese Boxer Uprising, the Boer War, and the Philippine-American War. He likens the world of empires to a game of sorts. “To the Person Sitting in Darkness,” which Mark Twain published in the North American Review in 1901, attacks Western imperialism as it was manifesting itself in South Africa, China, Cuba, and the Philippines. This is the gist of Mark Twain's essay, "To the Person Sitting in Darkness." Watch Queue Queue The “person sitting in darkness” in Twain’s blistering essay is one of those poor, benighted souls in Africa and Asia who haven’t experienced the blessings of European civilization.