This PowerPoint presentation summarizes the characters and plot of Mark Twain's novel Pudd'nhead Wilson. It shows that Roxana, a slave, switched her newborn son with her master's son. Years later, when the boys' identities are revealed, Thomas Driscoll (who is actually Valet de Chambre) is arrested for murdering his uncle. Pudd'nhead Wilson is able to prove his innocence using palm print analysis, revealing that Valet de Chambre and Thomas Driscoll had been switched as infants.
1. MARK TWAIN’S PUDD’N’HEAD WILSON: A GRAPHIC PRESENTATION OF THE CHARACTERS A POWERPOINT PROGAM DESIGNED BY CHARLES HENDERSON 2005
2. PUDD’N’HEAD WILSON PERCY DRISCOLL ROXANNA, DRISCOLL’S SLAVE 1 1 SON SON ROXIE SWITCHES THE BOYS THOMAS B. DRISCOLL CHAMBRE x 2 2 THOMAS B. DRISCOLL CHAMBRE (continued)
3. x (Boys are swapped) 2 2 CHAMBRE THOMAS B. DRISCOLL 4 PERCY DRISCOLL DIES. 5 ROXIE IS FREED AT PERCY DRISCOLL’S DEATH AND LEAVES 3 THOMAS DRISCOLL (CHAMBRE) IS RAISED BY “UNCLE” JUDGE DRISCOLL 3 THOMAS IS RAISED AS A SLAVE
4. 4 5 THOMAS IS RAISED AS A SLAVE THOMAS (CHAMBERS) INCURRS A SMALL FORTUNE IN GAMBLING DEBT 5A ROXIE COMES BACK AND SELLS HERSELF AS A SLAVE TO HELP “THOMAS” PAY HIS DEBT 5 “THOMAS” BETRAYS ROXIE AND SELLS HER “DOWNTHE RIVER” 6 6A ROXIE ESCAPES, COMES BACK AND REVEALS TO “THOMAS” THAT HE IS A NEGRO AND THAT HE MUST GET THE MONEY TO BUY HER FREEDOM WHILE STEALING FROM HIS UNCLE TO GET THE MONEY, “THOMAS” KILLS HIM WITH LUIGI’S KNIFE; AND LUIGI GOES ON TRIAL FOR THE MURDER 6
5. PUDD’N’HEAD WILSON PREPARES TO DEFEND LUIGI BUT FINDS SOME INTERESTING FACTS WHILE EXAMINING THE KNIFE FOR PALM PRINTS
6. WILSON DEFENDS LUIGI WITH AN “ACE IN THE HOLE” 1 2 Wilson reminds the court that he has, for years and for fun, dabbled in palm prints to tell fortunes He demonstrates palm prints as being unique to each person
7. 4 His startling revelation is that the prints belong to the Negro slave, Valet de Chambre (Chambers). 3 Next, he advises the court that he knows whose prints are on the knife
8. 5 When they begin to arrest “Chambers,” Wilson informs them that the man they know as Chambers is not him. 6 He reveals that two palm prints, one of the man as a boy and the one on the knife belong to Thomas Driscol as a boy when he was actually Chambers.
9. 1. Roxana confesses what she did. 2. Thomas (Chambers) is arrested. 3. Chambers (Thomas) is restored to his inheritance). 4. Chambers is sold, not hung, because he is worth $500. 5. Thomas is unable to live a full life as a white man 7