The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1893

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Introduction

Reading Context

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Answer Key

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Activities

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Chapters 1-3

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Reading Check

1. Where is the novel set?

2. What two related hobbies does David Wilson engage in?

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Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How does Pudd’nhead Wilson get his nickname?

2. What does Percy Driscoll threaten the people he holds in slavery with if no one confesses to the theft of his money?

3. What is Roxy’s initial plan to deal with Percy Driscoll’s threat?

Paired Resource

“Second Middle Passage”

This 3-minute video from Black History in Two Minutes (or So) discusses the pain and disruption caused by the relocation of enslaved persons from the upper to the lower South.
This resource relates to the theme of Racial Identity.
What point is Mark Twain making about Percy Driscoll by having Driscoll issue this particular threat? Why would he also give Driscoll positive characteristics? Does Roxy seem to also have a mixture of positive and negative characteristics or is she more one-dimensional? What do his characterizations of Driscoll and Roxy suggest about racial identity? How does Roxy’s choice to switch the babies support this idea?