The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain - Literature review Example

Amy Shi English 101 Stringer May 28, In most of their works of literature, make an effort to bring about their opinions on a number of issues. Mark Twain is one of them who have been involved in the nature versus nature debate. The basis of this argument is to provide an explanation on whether the character and behavior of an individual are determined by intrinsic aspects in the form of nature or genes or by extrinsic factors which can be explained in terms of the environment. This is the case in the book The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson by Mark Twain in which he exhibits his stand on the nature versus nurture debate. This debate has been one of the intriguing factors among within the scientific and cultural fields in the twentieth century. This is in the way that it plays an essential role in determining the way that human beings exhibit their behaviors in varied ways. There are a number of changes that are experienced within the environment, the society, the family values, political influences, education as well as the moral values which can be classified among other external factors (Posner 39). In this, it is argued that the characteristics and behavior of an individual are determined by two contrasting factors. An individual is either influenced by the nature, which is expressed in terms of genetics or by nurture which is dependent on the environment within which they grow. One of the proper examples of nurture is the race of the individual, which influenced the subsequent way with which they behave or relate with others (Carme & Coy 107). However, other literary analysts usually have either supportive or differing opinions about the same topic. For instance, there are some of them who argue that both the external and internal factors have to be combined to bring out the different behaviors in individuals (Posner 39). This paper will analyze the side of the nature versus nurture viewpoint as is taken by Mark Twain in his The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson book. Mark Twain tells the story of twins in the book The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson. The main aim is to show whether to boys who are switched at an early stage in their lives are able to behave in the same manner. He develops Tom who is born a slave, but raised as a master and Chambers who is a born master but raised as a slave. It is also through the use of doubles in the book by using Tom and Chambers that he is able to bring about the aspect of identity. However, in this case, he drives his point home by bringing about the case of mistaken identity through which he makes attempts to reveal the consequences of the actions that are related to this kind of mistake. Through the use of the extraordinary twins, he brings out a major point on how nature and nurture can work together to bring about the emotions and free will of individuals in extremely different ways. In this way, they have different influences in the consequent lives of the individuals (Twain 26). In this book, he brings out the aspect of the causes of human behavior more in the historical setting. It is shown by the way that he describes the switched slavery which leads to intense levels of discrimination and expresses the way that these vices are pervaded within the culture of most institutions. The book, which is written in a historical setting, is based on the condemnation to slavery which is created around the mistaken identity or the mix and match identity. However, although Mark Twain begins his story as a case of twins who because of a plan made by another person but unknowingly for them, end up living completely different lives than that which is likely to be the case had their lived their original lives. Owing to this, it leads to the greater question of the role of genetics and race, which are known to be the main determinants of a person’s character. It is in the way that most of the aspects in the book tend to point out the authors opinion on how the result would be if two individuals who are born in completely varied situations would turn out differently if they were exposed to exchange conditions. In this sense, he places Tom and Chamber who are born slave and master respectively in each other’s position without their knowledge. The switch that leads to this is performed when the boys are only seven or eight months old. This is made possible owing to the race of their mothers. It does not create a major difference which would possibly lead to a significant disparity. Discrimination is reflected earlier in the text when the mother of the slave boy is threatened by the master who forces her to trade her son’s place with that of the master’s son. With the threat to be thrown down the river, she forces the life of another child into that which is condemned to total slavery (Twain 15). Until the time that the switch takes place, there are no different characteristics exhibited by the boys. In particular, the author places an emphasis on this aspect by stating how identical they appeared when they were dressed in similar clothing. This is both in the physical appearance as well as in their personality. However, once the switch has occurred, Twain begins to show how the differences in their positions reveal their different characters. For example, Tom who was initially a slave and turned into a master consequently turned into a spoiled and demanding person who was frequently throwing tantrums and running Roxy into a rugged person as she always made attempts to take care of him and satisfy him. On the other hand, chambers who had changed his status from being a master into a slave is described to have been always, meek, humble, obedient and honest despite the fact that he was constantly abused by Tom (Twain 26). Although it may appear that Twain makes use of the personalities of the two boys to bring out some of the established stereotypes about blacks always being abusive and out of order, there are other aspects that provide contrary opinion. It is brought about by the appearance of the boys where Chambers is well built and hard working. Therefore because of his advantageous physical attributes, Tom always picks on him to perform most of the laborious activities. In this case, in the same way that Twain uses them to explain that Chambers is a great reflection of the products of his upbringing, Tom also shows that the environment in which one is raised is a great influence on how they subsequently turn out in their future behavior (Carme & Coy 107). Some readers tend to believe that the impression which Mark Twain is trying to bring out in the novel is that the behavior of the boys in their different environments is a result of the way they are within the race or nature. This is principally related to their genetics, as opposed to the nurture that reflects the way of their upbringing in relation to their socialization. However, a deeper meaning is created from the way that he develops the characters of the two boys (Van Dover & Jebb 58). From the conclusion of the novel, there is a clear indication that the characters of the two boys is a direct result of the way they are brought up around different people and hence in different environments. It can be seen when Tom is ultimately convicted and charged for murder and at the time when each of them finally is restored to their rightful position, a number of changes can be witnessed. It is in the way that Tom, without his powerful position is sold off down at the river to make it possible to pay for his wrongdoings and to enable him pay for his debts (Twain 105). One of the surprising things is that Chambers turns out to be a gentleman although his upbringing did not involve such kind of training. Twain expresses this through "His gait, his attitudes, his gestures, his bearing, his laugh--all were vulgar and uncouth; his manners were the manners of a slave. Money and fine clothes could not mend these defects or cover them up; they only made them more glaring and the more pathetic." (Twain 136) In his novel, Mark Twain makes the emphasis that what makes the character is a great and difficult dilemma. As such, in the Puddnhead Wilson and Those Extraordinary Twins he explains how individuals become who they are through his critical analysis of nature and nurture. The faltering nature of Twain through the sense of direction starts with the highlight on slavery, the decay of moral values and different kinds of realities which are naturally deceptive according to Kaplan (314). As Twain indicates, it is both the genes and the external factors that determine how a person will evolve in the future. Therefore, both factors that are comprised of nature and nurture have to be combined together with the emotions and the free will of the individuals to control the behavior of individuals in order to determine who they really are. However, as opposed to this argument and discussion by Mark Twain, there are other literary scholars who are not convinced by the fact that nurture can contribute to the difference in behavior of individuals. On the contrary, they argue that it is as a result of nature that individuals behave in the different ways that they do. This may be the result of the genetics, as well as the intrinsic nature of the individual. This is determined by the inner person and the general inner character of the individual. It is from this perspective that they argue that the example given by Mark Twain may not be valid since the two individuals would still behave in the same manner within or without their respective places. As such whether as a master or a slave, Tom and Chamber would not have any different characteristics from those that they exhibited even in their adult age. Works Cited Carme, Manuel, & Coy, Javier. Nor shall diamond die: American studies in honour of Javier Coy. Valencia: Department de Filologia Anglesa i Alemanya, Universitat de València, 2003. Print. Kaplan, Justin. Mr. Clement and Mark Twain. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1966. Print. Posner, A. Richard. Law and literature. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2009. Print. Twain Mark. Puddnhead Wilson. New York: Prestwick House Inc. 2006. http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=TKztMdJxC9gC&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=% His+gait,+his+attitudes,+his+gestures,+his+bearing,+his+laugh all+were+vulgar+and+uncouth%3B+his+manners+were+the+manners+of+a+slave.+M ney+and+fine+clothes+could+not+mend+these+defects+or+cover+them+up%3B+they only+made+them+more+glaring+and+the+more+pathetic.%22&source=bl&ots=7rIBk YEP&sig=Z68mUuaROoYEFTeYYfynmW1qooU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=IcVsU9bWFon O52qgcgL&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=%22His%20gait%2C%20his%20attitudes%2 %20his%20gestures%2C%20his%20bearing%2C%20his%20laugh all%20were%20vulgar%20and%20uncouth%3B%20his%20manners%20were%20the% 0manners%20of%20a%20slave.%20Money%20and%20fine%20clothes%20could%20n t%20mend%20these%20defects%20or%20cover%20them%20up%3B%20they%20onl %20made%20them%20more%20glaring%20and%20the%20more%20pathetic.%22&f= alse. Van Dover, J. Kenneth, & Jebb, F. John. Isnt justice always unfair? : The detective in Southern literature.Bowling Green, Ohio Bowling Green State Univ. Popular Press 1996, Print. Read More