Nurturing Nature Naturally

The class discussed the topic of nature vs. nurture but there is so much that could be said about the topic. Mark Twain highlights both sides in what seems like a bipolar indecision. At some points he seems to satisfy the notion that a “drop of black blood” could make all the difference in someone’s inherent character. At other times he supports the idea that even the lowliest of street born children could become a princess. Twain supports both nature and nurture in that someone’s character is dependent upon inherited blood as well as their upbringing.
Arguments for nurture rest upon the many instances when Roxana is raising the two children, Chambers and Tom. Roxana reflects that “by the fiction created by herself, he was become her master” (Twain 41). It was Roxana’s own doing that ironically placed her son in the master role over her. The usurper Tom’s upbringing proctored by Roxana created his disposition for selfishness and cruelty. Like Wilson said, “training is everything” (Twain 46) 
 This role switch and backfire of her son is just another example of Twain’s fine irony. His writings, especially Puddn’head Wilson, are littered with beautiful examples of this type of humor. This may highlight his darkening prospect of the world around him, as can be evinced by the allusions to his family dying. He mentions the empty cradles and the dead wife on page 24 which may reflect his own family.

Another example that promotes the idea of nurture is the case with the misplaced Queen’s daughter, as retold by Roxana. The Queen’s daughter was replaced by a poor mostly-white woman’s daughter while they were looking for her. The royalty never found out and the roles were completely switched. So obviously even a poor partly black person could be taught etiquette and behave just like a “white person” should. Through this line of logic one could assume that even a black person could have the quality of character of royalty.

However, Mark Twain also makes strong comments throughout the novel regarding the importance of a person’s blood and how it may have adverse effects upon character. During the time that the novel is based there was a lot of emphasis placed on honor and lineage of families. The F.F.V was an especially distinguished family name, for example. David Wilson concedes that Roxana’s superstitious character must be because she has “the drop of black blood in her” (Twain 46). Roxana later becomes a voice for the nature argument, by continually demeaning the usurper Tom and reminding him of his black blood heritage through her. Roxana harshly states to the usurper Tom that “thirty-one parts o’ you is white, en on’y one part nigger, en dat po’ little one part is yo’ soul” (Twain 109). Roxana’s character is explicitly stating her opinion of what comprises a person. She firmly believes that that single small drop of black blood is what determines his soul. Twain creates Roxana with this stance for a reason, possibly to contrast the argument and play the devil’s advocate. Ironically her stance is most likely due to the institutional conditioning of society at that time.

There are so many other examples for each side. Twain’s unrelenting concession to each side brings into question what point he is actually trying to make and how he uses both arguments to make that point.