Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson

This chapter offers an in-depth analysis of Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson, examining its complex treatment of race, identity, and satire through a series of thematic entry points. It discusses how the novel’s ironic tone, narrative strategies, and focus on issues such as racial passing, hereditary identity, and societal hypocrisy reflect a profound scepticism about human nature and American ideals. Special attention is given to the role of fingerprints as both forensic evidence and racial markers, and to the unresolved tensions between nature and nurture. The chapter also explores African American writers’ responses to Pudd’nhead Wilson, demonstrating the novel’s enduring influence and its place within broader discussions of race and American literature.