The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson begins with the act of a young slave girl exchanging her light-skinned child fearing for its safety for that of her masters. From this reversal of identities evolves a suspenseful murder mystery and courtroom drama. The Tragedy of Puddnhead Wilson is everything one would expect from a novel by Mark Twain. On the surface it is a witty and satirical tale but as one digs deeper a biting social commentary of racial inequality can be found.