History 371H
Devine
Fall 2010
Pudd’nhead Wilson Study Questions
Though
Mark Twain’s novella, Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894),
is set in the antebellum [pre-Civil War] South, Twain is satirizing not only
the Old South, but leveling a withering critique of his own society’s obsession
with race, racial categories, and policing racial boundaries. (Recall that
within two years of the book’s publication, the Supreme Court would endorse the
principle of “separate but equal” in Plessy v
As you read the book,
it will be useful to keep the following questions and issues in mind:
First
off, don’t ignore the quotes from Pudd’nhead’s
calendar that begin each chapter. Read them closely, since they offer some
clues as to Twain’s own world view. How
would you characterize the sentiments expressed in these quotes?
What
does Twain think of the people in
Why
do you think Twain has Puddn’head
tell the joke about the “half a dog”? One critic has argued that the “dog” is
essentially a metaphor for society itself. Why would he say this?
What
position does Twain seem to take on the age-old “nature vs
nurture” debate? How does Twain seem to explain the various characters’ behavior? Are they shaped more by their “blood” or
their environment?
How
does society and his mother view Tom? Are his character flaws a result of his
upbringing, his “black blood,” his “First Family of Virginia white blood,”
both, or neither?
Do
you think Twain the author agrees with Roxy the character that Tom is a bad
person because he has black blood in him (if only 1/32 part)?
Though
the book is obviously challenging social attitudes regarding race, the author
also mocks class pretensions and notions of “Southern honor.” In what specific episodes does Twain target “Southern honor” and those who adhere to its
“code”?
As
an author, Twain loved dualities and juxtaposing
contradictory ideas. How does he do this
in Pudd’nhead Wilson? What are some of these dualities? [Hint: “Pudd’nhead” is the smartest person in town; the Judge is shocked that Tom would
do something so dishonorable as to avoid a duel and instead take his complaint
against the Twins to a court of law.]
What
does Twain seem to think of the law and the legal
process? Are “justice” and “the law” one and the same?
The
novel ends with Tom being sent down the river. Is this a “happy ending” in the
sense that “order” has been restored – everything is put back in its proper
place? What do you make of the ending?
What
is the relationship between the law, honor, and race in Pudd’nhead Wilson? Do racial attitudes influence notions of honor and the
reality of the law?
What,
if any, lessons or messages do you believe Twain is
trying to convey in this book?
How
might an audience in 1894 respond differently to this book than a 2010
audience?
Finally,
choose a specific passage in the novel that you believe best illustrates
Twain’s abilities as a satirist.
Bookmark it and be ready to explain in class why you picked this
passage.
The quiz will be based
on the plot rather than a
critical reading of the novel. Questions might include something like “Does Pudd’nhead