I need to write a paper about Twain’s Puddin’ Head Wilson. I need some ideas here. I’ve looked on the internet for stuff and I’m guessing its not one of the masterpieces of literature. So any ideas or links or whatever will truly be appreciated.
come on folks! help a girl out. 
A note, blue: it’s considered bad form to pass your homework assignments onto other Dopers. ONce you have come up with your own idea, you may find people willing to discuss it with you, but you’re not likely to get your thesis supplied here.
Don’t know what to say. Read the book – it’s a good read.
Nebraska Public Television did an adaptation of it back in 1984 starring Ken Howard which was extremely well done.
UNfortunately, it’s not strictly faithful to the text,so you can’t base a report on it. Also, it’s hard to come by, unless you look it up on the 'net, or go to the Mark Twain House in Connecticut. But I gather you’re in a hurry.
Okay, so its not my homework, its my sisters. I’m trying to help her. Thanks for the tip Lissner.
Thaks for your help CalMeacham
Sorry, I’ve got nothing. Just thought I’d post to see if my long hidden sig from that cynical old bastard Twain (God love him) is still there.
Oops.
thats funny fiddle peghead. lol
Just focus on the jokes at the beginning of each chapter. I also read somewhere that it started out serious, then changed. Why?
One point of note is that it’s the first piece of literature that uses fingerprints to solve a crime. At that time, fingerprints were just being used as a tool to identify people.
Hope that helps!
Well, an obvious topic would be society’s construct of race and the fact that one character is black (by virtue of 1/64th part) but passes as white. It’s been a couple years since I read it so forgive me if I’ve muddled up the details. Has your sister read the book? It’s pretty short.
The last sentence is one of the saddest things I’ve ever read.
You all are awesome, thank you.
yeah-just remembered -was transformed from “Prince & the Pauper.”
I never read it. There is a video of it. It played on PBS.
Look at it from the perspective of neurophysiology. A female slave swaps her baby with the masters. The masters son is raised to think of himself as a slave. Even when he finds out he is not he can’t change the way he thinks after 18+ years.
This says oppression can be programmed into the brain. It is a similar message to what George Bernard Shaw was saying in Pygmalion (My Fair Lady).
Dal Timgar
Actually, Olive, the Other Reindeer, although Twain was the first person to write about fingerprinting as a method of crimesolving, Pudd’n’head Wilson is not that first appearance. A crime was solved in the same fashion in Twain’s earlier book, Life on the Mississippi.
I also have to write a paper on this obscure piece of literature. Good luck.