Pudd Nhead Wilson Essay, Research Paper

A Character Analysis of Tom Driscoll

In Pudd nhead Wilson by Mark Twain, the narrative of two male childs, who were switched at early childhood, is told. One of these male childs, Tom Driscoll, displays many features in the novel. Tom shows how he is ill-mannered and a prevaricator, but he besides exhibits his ability to alter his ways.

From his childhood to his ulterior old ages, it was apparent that Tom Driscoll was a ill-mannered character. For illustration, during his childhood, Tom and Chambers ( the male child with whom Tom was switched with and who was besides Tom s slave ) ever went an played together. On such case was when they went swimming with Tom s friends and were plunging off of canoes. Chambers was an first-class frogman, nevertheless, Tom could non plunge for it gave him dividing concerns. And for this ground ( Chambers could make something that Tom could non make ) , Tom pushed the canoe under Chambers as he was in a mid-air honkytonk. The consequence was that Chambers was unconscious and Tom s spirit was gratified. Later on, when they were approximately 15, the male childs were swimming in the river as usual, Tom fell badly to a spasm in the H2O and Chambers saved his life. Alternatively of being thankful to Chambers and thanking him, Tom said that anybody but a boneheaded nigga would hold known he was funning and left him [ Tom ] entirely ( 23 ) . Furthermore, after Tom had gone to college ( Yale ) and returned back to Dawson s Landing, he still carried this trait. This was apparent when he was holding a conversation with Pudd nhead Wilson. At the clip, Mr. Wilson was hosting invitees, two of which were from out-of-town. Regardless of the obvious company, Tom kept his rude manor and made merriment of Wilson s jurisprudence calling. Although it was true that Pudd nhead Wilson s jurisprudence calling was all but successful, Tom had no right to abash him so, particularly in forepart of invitees.

Not merely was Tom Driscoll rude in the manner he carried himself, but he was besides a prevaricator. This characteristic manifested itself when Tom tried to acquire people on his side. Such an insta

nce was when there was intelligence of multiple larcenies go oning in Dawson s Landing, specifically, a knife that belonged to the twins from out-of-town. The existent stealer was Driscoll, but he convinced the town constable Jim Blake that the knife did non be, and even if it did be, the twins were concealing it in order to have attending. In deriving Blake on his side, Driscoll was besides able to do Pudd nhead Wilson inquiry his trust in the twins. Furthermore, Tom Driscoll lied to his uncle in order to win his congratulations. He told his uncle that one of the twins, Count Luigi, was a confessed bravo ( 97 ) . By making so, Tom was now a good adult male in hi uncle s eyes ( for Tom had been considered a coward for non dueling with Luigi ) , nevertheless, this put Luigi s life in hazard.

Although Tom Driscoll had many evil traits, he was able to alter his positions and actions. However, this was limited merely to the stimulation that he deemed of import or that touched him profoundly. A major event that changed his position on Afro-american slaves was when Roxana ( his biological female parent ) told him that she was his female parent. This was evident when Tom stated And why is this atrocious difference made between white and black? How difficult the nigga s destiny seems, this forenoon! -yet until last dark such a idea ne’er entered my caput. ( 53 ) . This besides affected his day-to-day actions. For illustration, when recognizing a individual, his arm hung hitch alternatively of involuntarily widening the manus for a shingle for it was the nigga in him that caused him to make so ( 54 ) . Furthermore, Tom Driscoll was able to set his chancing wont on clasp until he deemed fit. This was necessary because he was in debt and his uncle disinherited him from his will. Tom Driscoll stated I ll ne’er touch another card once more. Anyway, I won t while he [ his uncle ] lives, I make an curse to that. ( 75 ) .

Tom Driscoll lived a life of wickedness, from lying to stealing. However, one can see that he is able to alter, but it takes rather an inducement or something so strong as to wake up a kind of reverberation in his scruples in order to make so ( 45 ) .