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At the beginning of "Pudd'nhead Wilson" a young slave woman, fearing for her infant's son's life, exchanges her light-skinned child with her master's. From this rather simple premise Mark Twain fashioned one of his most entertaining, funny, yet biting novels. On its surface, "Pudd'nhead Wilson" possesses all the elements of an engrossing nineteenth-century mystery: reversed identities, a horrible crime, an eccentric detective, a suspenseful courtroom drama, and a surprising, unusual solution. Yet it is not a mystery novel. Seething with the undercurrents of antebellum southern culture, the book is a savage indictment in which the real criminal is society, and racial prejudice and slavery are the crimes. Written in 1894, "Pudd'nhead Wilson" glistens with characteristic Twain humor, with suspense, and with pointed irony: a gem among the author's later works.… (more)
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Twain
What is fascinating is Twain’s use of the beginnings of forensic evidence in murder trials. The polite interest that turns into overt mocking that then switches to apt fascination is spot on in society’s acceptance of any new scientific methodology. While presenting this new, objective methodology, Twain also continues his biting commentary on the subjectivity of a jury that is hampered by close-mindedness and social stigmas. The crowd’s reaction when they understand that a “white” man of privilege could commit such a horrible crime is humorous in true Twain fashion while simultaneously horrifying at their ignorance.
Puddn'head Wilson is a fascinating look at a society long past. In fact, modern readers can appreciate Twain’s message more than his contemporaries could because we have the benefit of hundreds of years of ingrained social messaging about the equality of races. It begs the question of what Twain’s contemporaries thought about this social commentary. Would they have appreciated what Twain was mocking? No matter what era in which this novel is being read, Puddn'head Wilson provides plenty of fodder for discussion and contemplation, as befits a true classic.
After the first reading of this book several years ago, I felt that this book (amongst others)should be required reading for Junior High School. and now after re-reading it again this December I find that I still feel this way. Twains grip of this era is wonderful, he eaves
52-1999
This is such a neat little story as far as plot goes. He lays everything out for the reader from the beginning, all in plain sight, and then proceeds to tell a nicely interwoven complex tale, and you're not entirely certain where it's going until it actually gets there. My favorite part is the whole use of fingerprints in the story, a fairly novel thing in the time and culture this was written. Twain also manages to delve into the topics of race and circumstances of blood and upbringing, and what makes a man who he is.
A short and enjoyable tale I would recommend to anyone, and one I would reread (and have).
The reason this novel is so entertaining is because of what the innocent slave woman Roxy does in the beginning, and the fact that the conflict is solved because of Pudd’nhead’s thought to be irrelevant fingerprinting. I personally enjoyed watching this whole plot unfold infront of me and the fact that had Roxy not done what she did to help her own child, maybe things could have turned out better. Roxy’s son, Chambers, or “Tom,” ended up being spoiled and vicious. Perhaps not that much better of an outcome over a slave. “Tom,” must ask for money to buy Roxy back from her owner down the river, otherwise Roxy will tell everyone who he really is. I admire Roxy for holding this over his head because it is the one really big thing she has on him. Chambers gets into the judge’s house who is asleep at his desk with money strewn about. Chambers accidentally drops his knife sheath and wakes the judge, whom Chambers then kills. Had Chambers not of killed the judge at this moment Tom would have likely never known who he really was.
Mark Twain is an amazing author, and gets really in depth with his books and writes extremely well in a way that is not too confusing. At face value this book seems as though it would be confusing but Mark Twain successfully pulls off the book. The setting Twain uses is fitting for time, early-mid 1800s, is a small little frontier town in Missouri named Dawson’s Landing. Dawson’s landing is just off the Mississippi River, which is the river specified when referencing “down the river.” The Mississippi was a great way to transport slaves quickly and cheaply to the South, and to much harder labor.
I enjoyed this book so much because of the amazing plot twists and turns that happened so often in the novel. Whether a white slave was giving her child a chance at a free life, or that same white slave is holding over her child’s head who he really is, this novel is full of suprises. Especially since Pudd’nhead’s baby fingerprints that the public frowned upon so badly ended up saving the day. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Mark Twain, or really anyone who wants to read an awesome book. Overall I would give this book 5 of 5 stars and may have to read it again sometime in the future.
It tells the story of Roxy, a slave who, in a moment of desperation, exchanges her infant son with the identical boy of her Master. Hence her child, now called Tom
That's about as much of the plot as one needs to know. It started as a farce about a different set of twins, but as he wrote it Twain was distracted by the secondary characters; so he re-wrote his novel as a tragedy without completely doing away with the old trappings.
Consequently, Pudd'nhead Wilson is many things. It is quite unpredictable. The plot leaps from one thing to another without settling. Some parts of it are very tragic, full of cruel irony. At other points, the farce elements still come through (such as during the brief cameo from the Fire Department). Though stylistically inconsistent, the hodgepodge of moods and plot threads did keep me turning the pages.
The writing herein is quite good, and Twain's wit is legendary. The cast is a fine set that interacts well, and he does an excellent job at crafting the community of Dawson's Landing.
And yet all these elements never mesh into something more. I liked this novel, but perhaps my hopes were a little too high. I was certainly not expecting it to be this messy. Characters are used; they do not live, or if they do, Twain ignores them until he has a use for them. Luigi and Angelo are introduced as if they mean something, yet are given precious little to do. Rowena's view is given for two whole chapters, then she vanishes completely. Most surprisingly, the titular character is given little to do. He emerges only when needed, and cannot be described as the main character.
The focus is placed heavily on Roxy and Tom, yet they aren't the main characters either. The true protagonist is the omniscient narrator (the author) who tells this odd little tale.
Well, I did like this. It was engrossing, I smiled at the witticisms and was even moved from time to time, as Twain had a marvelous grasp of humanity. My favorite quote from the book was this:
"When the forenoon was nearly gone, she recognized with a pang that this most splendid episode of her life was almost over, that nothing could prolong it, that nothing quite its equal could ever fall to her fortune again."
It's a pity that this book, with all its sundry elements of greatness, was a rush job that switched horses in midstream. But nevertheless, I still found it very enjoyable.
The characters are certainly well-drawn,
Apart from the vague discussions about theme, I went into this novel fresh and really enjoyed it. I've always loved Twain's writing. Huckleberry Finn is one of my favorite all time books. In Pudd'nhead Wilson there is a lot of similar tone, setting, dialog and feel that made Huck Finn seem so real.
This book is set in a Missouri town (Dawson's Landing) in the early 1800s and (although I'm not an expert on the 19th century South), it felt very authentic. Once again, Twain captures great elements of dialog and mannerism and does a great job of creating vivid environments and characters.
The story is intriguing and feels at times like a Shakespearean "mistaken identity" play writ large. In the first few pages we're introduced to the townsfolk and shortly after introduction we watch a slave do the ol' switcher with two babies…her 'black' baby (1/32 black, and thus very easily confused as 'white') and her master's white baby. We stick with the worried mother Roxy for a few months and then fast forward through the childhood and adolescent lives of the switched boys. The story picks up with them in their early 20s and really kicks into overdrive as two twins arrive from Italy, vices of the switched "black" boy come to light, and murder is committed in the town. The story ends with the title character, Pudd'nhead, working to solve the crime and act as defense lawyer for the accused.
There are many themes present throughout this book. They are all presented in Twain's subtle, ironic, humorous tones. Moreso even than in some of his other books, Twain keeps the various "morales" very subtly in the background. He never seems to overtly or explicitly condemn anyone for any of their crimes, prejudices or vices. Instead, he presents a variety of situations ranging from tragic to humorous to ridiculous and lets the reader make his/her own judgment call.
So even though Roxy commits a crime in switching her black baby for her master's white baby, Twain never condemns her. He never makes any commentary on what he presents as the absolutely ridiculous practice that even a drop of "black blood" can make a person "black" and thus a slave, no matter how "white" that person really is. He doesn't even really speak out against slavery (even in the subtle way he did in Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer) though he does make is somewhat evident that he's not a fan just through the way the various interactions take place.
The closest he comes to condemnation is through Roxy's dialog later in the book as she talks with her son and reveals his true heritage to him. Through Roxy, he condemns "Tom's" behavior…his despicable treatment of blacks, his many vices, his horrific act of selling "down the river" and more and more.
Pudd'nhead acts almost as a counterpoint to Roxy's scathing comments. He seems sometimes to be the voice of reason or at least of calm, pensive thinking. Through his logical reasoning and his instinctive insight, we have a character who, although thought by his peers to be a dunce, is actually quite bright and has great wit and wisdom.
As the full title (The TRAGEDY of Pudd'nhead Wilson) suggests, this book doesn't have a 'happy' ending per se. In the end, all the crimes are resolved and the innocent parties are restored to their freedom while the guilty parties are punished. However, the tragedy seems to be in how "matter of fact" the state of affairs is presented. After the trial is complete, the wrap up is somewhat disheartening. The white boy ('Chambers') who lived his life as black is now caught between worlds, not fitting into any place. The boy's uncle (Judge Driscoll) is dead and his estate now belongs to an out of place nephew newly restored to 'whiteness.' Roxy's punishment is almost a reward. And 'Tom', who should receive one major punishment is instead set "free" in terms of 'justice' but left a "slave" because of the value of a black man.
This book is a very thoughtful and intriguing piece. It had in its underlying tone, much of the humor and irony that I really love about Twain's work. I really like the characters and the general story. I loved the presentation of the work and had a lot of fun reading this book. If I had to choose only one Twain, I'd still choose Huck, but this is another one that I'd recommend reading if you have any interest in Mark Twain, 19th century south, slavery, or American Literature in general. It's a great read.
****
4.5 out of 5 stars
Pudd'nhead Wilson is a local attorney, whose hobby is studying fingerprints, a relatively new and untested forensic service at the time.
What happens as these boys grow up, and how Pudd'nhead saves the day, is a fun story, with a good moral. The dialect was a little difficult to read, but still, a good book.
Roxy is
The other major theme of the book is a very early look at the use of forensic evidence in detective work. It feels like common knowledge to us now, but at the time fingerprinting was a completely foreign concept. Throw in some twins from another country, a gambling problem and some bad choices and you’ve got a novel.
It’s a strange book, one that doesn’t quite feel like Twain. It has some of his trademarks elements; a sharp wit, commentary on race relations, etc., but it’s unique in some other respects. It feels disjointed and a bit thrown together. I read a bit from Twain after I finished the book and he talked about how he set out to write one book and found himself in the midst of another. I think the plot reflects that and in the end it’s not one of his best.
BOTTOM LINE: If you really like Twain, definitely check it out. If you’re new to his work I would check out Huck Finn or Tom Sawyer before this one.
“When angry count four, when very angry swear.”
Twain's commentary on race relations, as always, is top notch. His understanding of human nature shines out, and the taste of what life is like in a
The story is not a mystery, but rather character study that is resolved in the way that a mystery novel is often resolved. Do not enter into the book expecting a modern mystery story, because those elements do not enter until the last few chapters.
If you're a fan of Twain, read it. If you haven't explored him before, you should start with his better known works first, and move on from there.
Would I recommend this to my fellow book lovers? Yes
Would I recommend this to my teen daughter? Yes
4.5 of 5 stars
SPOILER ALERT
Although the changeling angle makes up most of the story Twain also brings up the subject of fingerprinting. Although the science of fingerprinting has been around for centuries, it was not used as a criminal forensic tool until 1892, when it was used to solve a murder in Argentina. Twain may well have read of this and incorporated into Pudd’nHead Wilson, which was first published one year later, in 1893.
Bottom line: This is not a perfect story so I can’t give it five stars but it is entertaining and it was also written by Mark Twain, who is one of those writers whose shopping list I would happily read. I definitely recommend this book.
I had a friend recently say that Twain was just being honest, even though he'd never read the book. And I'd get that if it were part of the natural tapestry of the greater narrative. But for its first half, the dialogue is so absolutely clogged with racial epithets that it actually seemed to throw off the story instead of lend it realism; a bent toward obsession versus faithful narration. And I think this speaks to Twain's tendency to radicalism in his later writing, which I greatly appreciate and one reason for which I have an affinity for his writing. However, overuse is overuse.
The point of literature, fiction in particular, I believe, is to suspend disbelief--to willingly immerse yourself into the created world. If you've done that, then you've achieved something outside yourself. Whether in novels or movies or relating an incident to a friend, if you've lost the audience in rant or artifice, then you've lost it all. And all literature is artifice. Dialogue is a very particular artifice within that artifice. It's all faked. (If you don't believe me, record a conversation of any length and faithfully transcribe every word, pause, misstep, burp, overlap and twang and you'll find it's damn near unreadable. You don't have to read Alexander Block's poetry to realize this.) So, whenever the sheet is pulled back and you notice that artifice for what it is--namely, cold naked fakery--you've blown it, gone too far, led the reader down an alley with a flashlight bereft of batteries. For me, Twain did this in "Pudd'nhead Wilson".
When I was a young man, I went through an exploitation movie phase: sexploitation, blaxploitation, Nazisploitation, nunsploitation, Giallo films, you name it. Maybe to right the balance of all the foreign and Hollywood films I'd seen up until then. In any case, sometimes a film would go one beat too far and momentarily lose me. But that's the point of exploitation in art--it's supposed to shock you outside of ordinary narration. But even when that went too far, I couldn't help but exclaim: "Jesus Christ, enough already." "Fight for Your Life" was one such example. A racist criminal breaks into the home of a black minister and his family, takes them hostage, throws out every racist barb he can stick, threats and violence, until the minister unleashes unholy Hell upon the redneck bigot. It was hard to watch--not so much for its physical brutality as much as the pervasiveness of its brutal language. Twain didn't go that far, but it felt closer to this than what he'd written in "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" where the racism and language were a natural part of the story--part of its flow--not merely an insertion to get a rise (or faithfully record the era, whatever that means). Kind of like when Quentin Tarantino played the Australian miner in "Django Unchained" three-quarters of the way in. I mean, he couldn't get some other actor to play the role and give his mouth an N-bomb break?
Not to say that I didn't enjoy "Pudd'nhead Wilson" at times. On the contrary, parts of it were whimsical and delightful (especially the scenes with the much underused title character). But there was a lot of wincing to be had. Next Black History Month I'll be sure to select a book written by an author who isn't white. Sometimes, we know how to fuck up a perfectly good story all too well.