The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson

The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson

• Genre: Fiction; historical; satire
• Originally Published: 1893
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1050L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 21 chapters; approximately 202 pages; approximately 5 hours, 12 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: The novel revolves around two boys—one white, the other an enslaved person—who look identical and are switched at birth by an enslaved mother fearing for her son’s future. The story follows the consequences of this switch and the intelligent but socially misunderstood Pudd’nhead Wilson, who unravels the truth. The central conflict involves themes of racial identity, social status, and personal fate.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Racial prejudice; slavery; issues of identity; infanticide; suicidal ideation, violence, and murder

Mark Twain, Author

• Bio: Born 1835, died 1910; celebrated American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer; real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens; known for his wit and satire; one of the most influential writers in American literature and considered one of the greatest humorists of the US
• Other Works: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876); The Prince and The Pauper (1881); Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884); A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• Racial Identity
• Social Identity
• Nature or Nurture
• Honor

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Teaching Guide, students will:

• Explore background information on the novel’s historical context and Twain’s style to increase their engagement with and understanding of The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson.
• Read/study paired texts and other brief resources to deepen their understanding of themes related to Racial Identity, Social Identity, Nature or Nurture, and Honor.
• Demonstrate their understanding of the relationship of Pudd’nhead Wilson’s aphorisms to the chapters they introduce by creating their own aphorisms for several of the novel’s chapters.
• Analyze the significance of various elements of the novel, such as ambiguity, characterization, motifs, plot detail, setting, and symbolism, and construct essay responses tying these to the novel’s meaning.