The citizens of Puddn'head Wilson's Dawson's Landing know foolishness when they see it—or at least they think they do. They hastily declare Pudd'nhead Wilson a town fool, pretty much sealing his fate as the town outcast. As it turns out, though, foolishness isn't at all in short supply in this place; nearly every character in the novel takes a turn at playing the fool. Luckily for us, there's a lot we can learn from fools.
Questions About Foolishness
- How do the people of Dawson's Landing define foolishness?
- What is the relationship between slavery and foolishness in the novel?
- Why does Pudd'nhead care about winning the approval of people whom the narrator hints are fools themselves?
- What are some of the benefits of being considered a fool in this novel?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Pudd'nhead Wilson shows just how foolish the institution of slavery and its participants are.
Everybody plays the fool: Pudd'nhead Wilson suggests that foolishness is a universal trait of humanity.