Pudd’nhead Wilson and the Question of Identity
Pudd’nhead Wilson and the Question of Identity
1. Introduction
"The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself."
- Thales
The role of identity and is related to various other themes in Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson” and therefore functions as the main focus in this paper. Basically every major theme in the book somewhat emerges from the question of identity. The first part of the paper deals with the switching of identities and can be considered as a starting point for the development of the novel. Secondly, it leads to the question of nature and nurture and tries to examine the impact of values and upbringing as well as skin color in the formation of character. Another aspect dealing with the issue of identity is honor and reputation because personal standing is a big concern to the characters in the book.
The purpose of this paper is not to come up with a definite answer to all the questions dealt with. The main idea is to investigate how Twain describes the importance of identity for the characters and for the society in general. One can make a lot of assumptions about the characters, their looks, their heritage and their actions but there is one thing that has to be told: Nothing is as it appears to be.
2. Thesis Statement
Identity is a constantly occurring aspect in this paper. By giving examples of several passages in the book I try to find out in what ways identity is depicted and how it relates to the main characters.
3. The Switching of Identities
The switching of identities is the central aspect around which the whole story of this novel evolves. Roxy, the female and probably most memorable main character in “Pudd’nhead Wilson” leads her life in slavery and once gets threatened by her master about getting “sold down the river”. In order to avoid that her son, Chambers, has to meet the same fate she decides to switch her son with the child of her master, named Tom, which is about the same age as her son. Her son should be able to live the
1. Introduction
"The most difficult thing in life is to know yourself."
- Thales
The role of identity and is related to various other themes in Mark Twain’s “Pudd’nhead Wilson” and therefore functions as the main focus in this paper. Basically every major theme in the book somewhat emerges from the question of identity. The first part of the paper deals with the switching of identities and can be considered as a starting point for the development of the novel. Secondly, it leads to the question of nature and nurture and tries to examine the impact of values and upbringing as well as skin color in the formation of character. Another aspect dealing with the issue of identity is honor and reputation because personal standing is a big concern to the characters in the book.
The purpose of this paper is not to come up with a definite answer to all the questions dealt with. The main idea is to investigate how Twain describes the importance of identity for the characters and for the society in general. One can make a lot of assumptions about the characters, their looks, their heritage and their actions but there is one thing that has to be told: Nothing is as it appears to be.
2. Thesis Statement
Identity is a constantly occurring aspect in this paper. By giving examples of several passages in the book I try to find out in what ways identity is depicted and how it relates to the main characters.
3. The Switching of Identities
The switching of identities is the central aspect around which the whole story of this novel evolves. Roxy, the female and probably most memorable main character in “Pudd’nhead Wilson” leads her life in slavery and once gets threatened by her master about getting “sold down the river”. In order to avoid that her son, Chambers, has to meet the same fate she decides to switch her son with the child of her master, named Tom, which is about the same age as her son. Her son should be able to live the
Bibliography: Gair, Christopher. Whitewashed Exteriors: Mark Twain’s Imitation Whites. Journal of American Studies, 2005 Aug; 39 (2): 187-205. Hoffman, Andrew Jay. pp. 371-80. Berger, Sidney E. (ed. and preface). Pudd’nhead Wilson and the Roots of Existential Heroism. Pudd 'nhead Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins: Authoritative Texts, Textual Introduction, Tables of Variants, Criticism. New York, NY: Norton; 2005. xix, 471 pp. Morris, Linda A.. pp. 381-95. Berger, Sidney E. (ed. and preface). Beneath The Veil: Clothing, Race, and Gender in Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson. Pudd 'nhead Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins: Authoritative Texts, Textual Introduction, Tables of Variants, Criticism. New York, NY: Norton; 2005. xix, 471 pp. Royal, Derek Parker. The Clinician as Enslaver: Pudd’nhead Wilson and the Rationalization of Identity. Texas Studies in Literature and Language, 2002 Winter; 44 (4): 414-31.