The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson

About “The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson”

A young slave woman, trying to protect her son from the cruelty of slavery, switches her light-skinned infant with the master's white son. This act of desperation becomes central to the story. The novel includes a unique element: it is the first to use fingerprinting as a method to solve a crime. The story explores themes of race, identity, and morality within the context of slavery. The author of the novel is Mark Twain.