Pudd'n'head Wilson

Puddn'head Wilson is a novel by Mark Twain. It was published in 1893-1894 by Century Magazine in seven installments, and is a detective story with some racial terms. The "plot" of this novel, if it can be said to have one, is a detective story, in which a series of identities--the judge's murderer, "Tom," "Chambers"--must be sorted out. This structure highlights the problem of identity and one's ability to determine one's own identity. Broader issues of identity are an undeniable problem in this novel. Twain's multiple plots and thrown- together style do serve to inform a central set of issues, with the twins, Pudd'nhead, and Tom and Chambers all serving as variations on a theme.

Related Topics:
Mark Twain - Detective story - Plot

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