Faith Godfrey

Professor Cunningham

ENGL 2140

24 October 2019

Annotated Bibliography

Topic: I am interested in exploring the relationship between race and individuality in Mark

Twain’s Pudd’Nhead Wilson.

Brodwin, Stanley. “Blackness and the Adamic Myth in Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson.”

Texas Studies in Literature and Language, vol. 15, no. 1, 1973, pp. 167–176. JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/40754250.

Brodwin’s work, “Blackness and the Adamic Myth in Mark Twain's Pudd'nhead

Wilson”, highlights the irony of the racial issues in Mark Twain’s novel. He talks about how the

two boys who were switched at birth seem to follow fixed paths in their lives. This is ironic due

to the fact that the “colored” boy is on a path to money and success, while his white counterpart

is condemned to a life of slavery. Brodwin also relates this to Twain’s theme of nature vs.

nurture and how the two boys exhibit this ideal. This idea is emphasized when Brodwin states

“The tragedy is not in being born black, but in being born black into a white world ” (Page 7).

Tom Driscoll, born black, only escaped his fate due to the actions of his mother. His

environment turned him into a spoiled, ungrateful man, presumably the opposite of who he

would be if he had maintained his primary identity. 

Throughout this journal, Brodwin provides detailed explanations for each of his claims.

He often refers to other scholarly works, which in turn makes his argument more credible and

reliable. He maintains an objective and analytic tone as he discusses the issues of race and
environment in Pudd’Nhead Wilson. This work relates to Gillman and Robinson’s, found later in

the paper, in the way that they each discuss the blurred boundaries regarding race and personal

identity at the time. 

This source was useful to me as it ties into my interest in the relationship between race

and individuality in Mark Twain’s Pudd’Nhead.  Brodwin’s work relates to both, as he not only

discusses the drastically different lives the two switched boys lead, but also Tom’s inner conflict

as he tries to come to terms with who he is. It helps to shape my argument that race and

individuality are not contingent on one another, as well as that race is a socially constructed

issue. In my research paper, I would use this source to describe the complexities between

individuality and racial roles in Twain’s novel. For example, one such complexity is Roxy’s

personal identity. Despite being indistinguishable from a white person, society’s rules dictated

that she is black.

Chinn, Sarah E.. Technology and the Logic of American Racism: a Cultural History of the Body

as Evidence. Continuum: Ashland, Virginia, 2000.

Chinn’s Technology and the Logic of American Racism: a Cultural History of the Body

as Evidence delves into the transition from palm reading to fingerprinting and the role these

factors play in personal identity. In chapter 2, Chinn analyzes the ways in which Twain depicts

these factors, and how the science of palmistry specifically plays into an individual’s personal

experiences and individuality. She explains that Twain wrote this book in a time when the

anatomical sciences were surging in popularity, and his depictions further increased

understanding of the subject. Chinn states “...the information one can read on a body can provide

essential and reliable information about a person’s history and character” (Page 25). She places
special emphasis on the fact that biological markers serve as an effective means of discovering

personal experience and identity.

Chinn’s work is a heavily researched, credible source regarding these themes in Twain’s

novel. She often references other authors and research to strengthen her argument. Chinn’s

knowledge of the novel and the topic of interest are clearly displayed through her detailed

explanations and analysis of Pudd’Nhead. In addition, this work by Chinn ties into the work of

Cole in my next source, and both can be used as reference on the subjects of race and identity. 

This work pertains to my topic as I am interested in exploring the intersections of race

and personal identity in Mark Twain’s Pudd’Nhead Wilson. Chinn’s work relates more to the

topic of personal identity, so it is useful to me as a credible source which closely details this

issue. It helps me to shape my argument that Twain used his novel to educate readers on the

credibility, or lack thereof, of their racial views and how science can unite us under our

biological similarities rather than differences. For example, he showed how a community of

uneducated people at Dawson’s Landing could quickly change their mind when confronted with

scientific explanations.

Cole, Simon A. “Twins, Twain, Galton, and Gilman: Fingerprinting, Individualization,

Brotherhood, and Race in Pudd’Nhead Wilson.” Configurations, vol. 15, no. 3, 2007, pp.

227–265., doi:10.1353/con.0.0036.

Cole’s work, “Twins, Twain, Galton and Gilman: Fingerprinting, Individualization,

Brotherhood and Race in Pudd’Nhead Wilson”, highlights the relationship Mark Twain was

trying to show between anatomical features, such as fingerprints, and race. Focusing on the

section titled “Black or White?”, Cole explores the perceived correlation between biological

determinants and race. The use of fingerprinting in Twain’s work is put in place to undermine
biological racism, which Cole explains has long been refuted by anthropological markers. Cole

places a special emphasis on the fact that fingerprints provide evidence of individuality that

strongly challenges the beliefs and ideals of racism as a whole. Cole, referencing Pauffley’s

fingerprint graphic, states that “The fingerprint has come to stand as the ultimate icon of

individual personhood, and individuality is the ultimate challenge to racial categorization”(Page

230). I take this to mean that Twain’s use of fingerprinting was an intentional means to call

attention to the discourse on race and individuality in the 19th century. 

Cole’s analysis of the delicate role race played in yesterday’s society allows for deeper

critical thinking regarding the subject. Race is clearly a strong theme in the novel, specifically

emphasized by the switching of the two boys at birth. It calls attention to the idea that race is

insignificant and was only treated the way it was due to societal beliefs held at the time. Cole’s

focus on fingerprinting forms a credible argument as to the points Twain was making regarding

individuality. His objective view of the situation and following analysis provides a new way to

think about what Twain was trying to achieve with the novel and which issues he was primarily

addressing. 

This work further ties into my exploration of the relationship between race and

individuality in Twain’s Pudd’Nhead Wilson. This source was helpful to me as it provides a

basis for my argument: that race and individuality are not only separate, but that individuality

overall undermines the practices of racism. This source could be used in a research paper to

detail the biological similarities we all share, and how they serve as a means of not only uniting

us in commonality but also in distinguishing us from one another. It can enforce the idea that

there are more differences within races than between them, which has served as one of the main

factors discrediting racism for years. An example of this in Twain’s novel is that the twins, the
townspeople and the switched boys were all distinguishable based on their fingerprints. The fact

that fingerprinting shows no race or discrimination shows the uniting quality of biological

factors.

Gillman, Susan Kay., and Forrest G. Robinson. Mark Twains Pudd'Nhead Wilson: Race,

Conflict, and Culture. Duke University Press, 1990.

Gillman and Robinson’s novel explores the blurred lines between races during this time

period and the ways in which they were mocked by Twain. Tom is one of the clearest examples

of the double standards which were in place regarding race in the nineteenth century. Tom, a

technically black male, was raised as a white male for years without ever being discovered. This

highlights the problematic nature of racial identity. It also provides a basis for the argument that

race is a social construct rather than biologically determined. Gillman and Robinson explore the

ways in which Twain depicted the fallacies of racial identity and provide a detailed analysis on

the issue. 

This source compares to others in my bibliography as it serves as an additional viewpoint

into Twain’s opinions on the intersection of race and personal identity. Gillman and Robinson

analyze the ways in which Twain includes the inconsistencies of race and identity, much like the

work of Cole does. Gillman and Robinson’s novel is heavily researched and each claim is

supported by a good deal of evidence, proving it to be a credible and reliable source.

This novel relates to my research as it offers a deeper explanation regarding Mark

Twain’s views on race and society as told through his novel Pudd’Nhead Wilson. I consider this

a helpful source, as it explores many of the contradictions and the unpredictability of racial

identifiers. If I were to use this source in my research paper, I would use it for the argument that

racial identifiers are a problematic source of determining personal identity or individuality. For
example, Roxy in Pudd’Nhead personally identifies as a black woman despite appearing white.

In this case, her racial identifiers don’t match her own personal identity.

McCullough, Joseph B. “‘Pudd'nhead Wilson’: A Search For Identity.” Mark Twain Journal,

vol. 18, no. 4, 1977, pp. 1–6. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41641049.

McCullough’s article details the paradox of identity and how it is included in Twain’s

novel. Specifically, McCullough discusses how the character of Tom Driscoll perfectly depicts

the issue. Tom Driscoll is born a black man but raised white, born a slave but raised upper class.

He is the definition of confused identity, and someone who is unable to find his place in the

world. Tom serves as an example of the issues of race and individuality because he is unable to

identify confidently with who he is or where he belongs. McCullough relates this to the fact that

Twain had trouble with his own personal identity, as an explanation for why the theme is so

prevalent in the novel.

McCullough’s detailed and in depth analyses regarding the issues of race and personality

identity in Twain’s novel come with an unbiased, objective point of view on the issue. He

describes the confusion and conflict felt by Tom in such detail that the reader can obtain a much

greater understanding and really see things from Tom’s point of view. This source relates to

Nichols’ work, found later in the paper, because they both offer points of view into the ironies of

racial classification and identity in Pudd’Nhead Wilson. 

I found this source helpful as it fits into my research regarding the intersectionality of

individuality and race in Twain’s novel. It shapes my argument that individuality and race are

separate factors with no bearing on each other. McCullough’s work aids in this through his

detailed account and analysis of the feelings and experiences of Tom Driscoll. His explanation of

Tom’s inner conflict supports my argument by showing the conflicting attributes of each. In
Pudd’Nhead, Tom has always considered himself a white individual despite being technically

black, for example. 

Nichols, Garrett. “‘Clo’Es Could Do De like o’ Dat’: Race, Place, and Power in Mark Twain’s

The Tragedy of Pudd’Nhead Wilson.” The Southern Literary Journal, vol. 46, no. 1,

2013, pp. 110–126., doi:10.1353/slj.2013.0021.

Nichols’ work details the problematic relationship between race and social order in

Dawson’s Landing. He explains the long standing social hierarchy of Dawson’s Landing, with

the First Families of Virginia at the top. Nichols argues that issues of race within the town were

the source of a slow, but much needed, change. Specifically, he describes the irony of the

character Roxy. She is physically beautiful and appears to be white, but her small percentage of

black blood and her heritage as a slave changes the public’s view of her. Nichols says that

“Slavery's visible uniform effectively negates Roxy's ‘majestic form and stately grace’”(Page

113). The clothing worn by slaves and the language they used separated them just as effectively

as their skin color. 

This source provides an accurate and credible point of view regarding Twain’s use of

social hierarchies and race in this time period. Nichols’ research is detailed and thorough, and he

presents it with an unbiased tone. The way he describes the identification of Roxy serves as a

basis for the arguments I can go on to make about race: that the differences between us are less

significant than we may view them to be. Twain’s novel highlights the ironies of the way race

was used, and Nichols goes on to analyze and further develop these arguments. 

Nichols’ work interests me because it relates back to the complexities of race in Twain’s

novel. This specific work ties in more to the race aspect of the novel, and gives the reader an idea

as to how the subject was approached back then. I could use this source in a research paper to
detail the societal ideals that held slavery in place for such a long time. It can be used to explain

the one drop rule, dictating that anyone with negro blood, no matter how small the amount, is

considered a negro and therefore treated as such. This is shown repeatedly in Pudd’Nhead

through the characters of Roxy and Tom Driscoll. Nichols’ analysis of Roxy’s appearance and

behavior shows the contradictory nature of society at that time and the inconsistencies regarding

race.