Themes


 * __THEMES__**


 * Racism/Prejudice-**In Mark Twain’s novel, Pudd’nhead Wilson, racism is a significant theme. From the very beginning, we see a slave-owner automatically blaming his slaves for lost money, and threatening them by saying that he will sell them down the river if the thief doesn’t reveal himself or herself. It is at this time that we meet Roxy, a slave-woman who is only 1/16 black. From a superficial standpoint, Roxy is a pretty white woman, however she talks the way that you would expect a black woman to talk. In the next chapter, Roxy decides that she wants her newborn son, Chambers, to have a better life than she did, so she switches him with Tom, the slave-owner’s son. Nobody notices because Chambers is only 1/32 black. From this point on, we see the prominence of racial stereotypes in the 1800s, as well as the ridiculousness of the way that white men thought during that time. If you think about it, it is absurd that people even condoned slavery, let alone the fact that somebody who appeared just as white as the next person was a slave because a small fraction of them was black. As the novel progresses, “Tom” goes on to live a life where people respect him for being a white male, and “Chambers” lives the life of a slave. Twain’s novel displays the many advantages that a white person gets over a black person. “Tom” goes to Yale, he is eventually granted much of his uncle’s property in his will, and living a good life on the surface. Meanwhile, “Chambers” is living as “Tom’s” slave, and being treated as nothing more than an object. These circumstances are an example of racism and prejudice because they show us how unequal things were, and how black people were treated as objects during the time of slavery. Black people were offered absolutely no shot at an equal life, and white people got to trample all over them. Another example of racism in the novel is when "Tom" finds out his real identity from Roxy, and he starts to freak out about it. He yells that he has knelt to a "n* wench" and he starts to have dreams about his black heritage. This can also be classified under the theme society. In their southern community during the 1800s, kneeling or succumbing to a black person by a 'superior' white person was unheard of. If you did it, then you were seen as less that and mocked. During these dreams, "Tom" is also having thoughts about race and if it even exists, and why we separate black and white. "What crime did the uncreated first N***** commit that the curse of birth was decreed for him?" These are thoughts he has never had before, and they begin to wierd him out. Those thoughts are a possible reflection of what Twain was trying to get across with this book.


 * Society-**Society is another big theme in Mark Twain’s, Pudd’nhead Wilson. The way that society plays a role in each of the character’s lives goes to show just how much of an influence other people have in the way that we live our lives. Pudd’nhead for example, makes a dumb remark at the beginning of the novel, and his life is never the same. While he is one of the more laidback characters in the novel, his life still is affected by the society in which he lives. His law firm never sees a case because society has him labeled as a, well…Pudd’nhead. Another prominent character in the book is “Tom,” the real Chambers. When he is older, he gets himself into a major gambling problem, and eventually goes broke. Of course he would never admit to this because he is supposed to be high-class and sophisticated, not a gambler. Instead he resorts to stealing in the disguise of a woman. If “Tom” had admitted to his being broke and asked for help, he wouldn’t have gotten himself in such a mess, but he couldn’t because he would have been exiled by his uncle. He twins, Luigi and Angelo, come into Dawson’s landing, and are immediately the most popular sideshow in town. The society in Dawson’s Landing makes them out to be extravagant and different, so they start to fill the part. Some scholars are in debate about whether or not the twins are lying about their journeys, however there is no proof. Regardless, they tell their story in such a way that they start to become what the people around them want them to be-exciting. Society, as well as racism, is the whole reason that Roxy did what she did. She knew that the place where she lived was not going to give her son a chance, so she was influenced by this, and switched the boys.


 * Family-**Family is another prominent theme throughout the novel. We’ve talked a lot about the switch, and another one of Roxy’s reasons for doing it was that she wanted what was best for her son. Out of love for her family, Roxy wanted her son to have a better life than she did, so she switched the boys. She made a sacrifice when she did this, because she lost the respect of her very own son, because he thought that he was her owner. This seems to be a big sacrifice, but Roxy was willing to do so because she thought it was what was best. A small example of family arises when Pudd'nhead is reading Luigi's palms. He finds that Luigi killed a man. According to the story, Luigi killed the man because he was going to kill Angelo. While this is a small example of family as a theme, it just goes to show what some people will do to protect the ones that they love.


 * Selfishness**-Selfishness plays a role in why "Tom" does the things that he does. Throughout the entire novel, he did things for himself and no one else. After "Tom's" gambling problems turn his life upside down, the decisions he makes are all about him finding money no matter who he hurts in the process. It is around Chapter 8 that Pudd'nhead starts to see the young 'lady' in "Tom's" room, what he doesn't know is that this lady is actually "Tom" in disguise while he is stealing goods. In the beginning of the chapter, Roxy comes back to see "Tom" and ask him for a dollar. His response, as you could guess, is no. "A dollar!-Give you a dollar! I've a notion to strangle you!" This is a prime example of "Tom's" selfish and self-centered nature. While it is unusual for a master to give a slave anything, this is just the beginning of his long line of insensitive behavior. Late in Chapter 10, "Tom" is thinking about how his stealing-spree has gone better than he expected, bringing in more money than he thought. "Tom" heads to St. Louis to visit Roxy, and can't fight his gambling tempatation, losing a large sum of money that he immediatley tries to get back through another "theft-raid" on his town. These actions are an example of "Tom's" carelessness for other people's feelings. He attends Patsy Cooper's reception, which she was nice enough to invite him to, and then steals from her. Later in the novel, "Tom" steals Luigi's knife, which he intends to sell to help pay back his gambling debts. When he gets in a fight with Luigi, and then takes him to trial for assault and battery, he brings shame to Judge Driscoll, who is distraught. However, instead of being upset that his uncle is dissappointed in him for not challenging Luigi to a duel, he is upset that his uncle has removed "Tom's" name from his will. "Tom's" concern is that he will not recieve his uncle's fortune when he dies. The next few chapters focus on "Tom" trying to win back his uncle's favor, which he eventually does and is put back in the will. He does so by making his uncle believe that Luigi killed the man out of cold-blood not our of protection for his brother. Eventually "Tom" kills his uncle to get the money from the will, and leads the town to believe that it was the twins. This is a pure example of selfishness. "Tom's" self-centered behavior caused the trial, and caused him to be found guilty by Pudd'nhead. Usually selfishness isn't a theme in a book so much as a character trait. However, "Tom" proved that when one's character is based off of it, you can get nowhere in life. You must think of yourself, but not only yourself.