We're told that honesty is the best policy and that bad things can happen to liars (remember that Pinocchio guy?). Still, there's no denying that a lot of the deceptions that take place in Pudd'nhead Wilson are pretty fun to watch. From Roxy's switching of the babies to Tom's cross-dressing and thievery, deceptions (and the disguises that they depend upon) in this novel take place left and right. Entertaining as they are to us, though, deceptions have serious consequences both for the characters themselves and how we readers relate to them. And that's no bull.
Questions About Deception
- Why do characters deceive each other in this novel? What are the worst deceptions and why? Are all of the deceptions wrong or are some justified?
- Neither Roxy nor Tom seems to feel much guilt or remorse over their deceptions. Why not? How does this affect our view of them?
- Some of the biggest deceptions in the story depend on disguises or alterations of appearances. What is the effect of the novel's emphasis on disguise? How might the use of disguises in the novel, for instance, challenge our ideas about identity?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Characters' own stereotypes and prejudices make them vulnerable to deception in Pudd'nhead Wilson.
Tom, not Chambers, is the real victim of Roxy's baby-switching deception.