The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson

Interesting Facts

• The book explores the theme of dual identity and social status through the story of switched children, which was quite a bold move for literature at the time.
• In the work, Mark Twain uses satire to critique social norms and prejudices, making it relevant in contemporary society.
• One of the central elements of the plot is the use of fingerprints to solve a crime, which was innovative for the time of writing and foreshadowed the use of fingerprinting in forensics.
• The book combines elements of detective fiction and social drama, making it unique in Twain's oeuvre.
• The work also explores the theme of slavery and racial prejudice, which was an important and delicate topic for American literature in the late 19th century.