Pudd'nhead Wilson Lesson Plan

As we are introduced to some of the main characters of Dawson’s Landing in the first chapter, we are also introduced to some of the townspeople. How does Twain use language to present the townspeople? What kind of power do the townspeople have? How do they exercise that power and what does it say about the nature of justice in America?

The group of citizens that David Wilson meets don’t have names; they are literally just numbers—No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6. Twain presents the townspeople as a single being that has tremendous power over the lives of individuals, such as David Wilson, who sees his reputation destroyed in an instant. The “mob” doesn’t use its power wisely—it...