Nature vs. Nurture

Puddin’head Wilson presents an age-old question: which is more affective to child rearing, nature or nurture?

The advocates of the nature argument say that the child is what he is because of his heritage and circumstances. A child becomes a thief because of his heritage or ethnicity or because he was driven to do so by circumstance. The child’s attributes are inherent. In Twain’s day, slaves were characterized as troublesome and mischievous because of their heritage and because of their circumstantial environment of being a slave (nevermind that they had no opportunity to change their circumstances due to the slave system).

The advocates of the nurture argument propose that a child is what he is because of how he is treated. The nurturing hand of his mother (father, grandmother, or guardian) determine the characteristic outcome of the child. The child’s attributes are learned. In complete contrast to their assumptions of slaves, the Whites of the 19^th Century believed that the good and bad attributes of “free men” (generally middle to upper-class Whites) were learned from a variety of influences. If a man became a drunk it was because he learned to do so. If he became a good, compassionate master, it was because his father was one.

Twain challenges the reader’s stance concerning nature and nurture when Roxy “saves” her son by switching him with her master’s son. Which argument is Twain defending? Does he support nature or nurture?

In my own humble opinion, he supports neither—and yet he supports both.

The outcome of the lives of ‘Tom’ and ‘Chambers’ can be defended by both parties. According to the era’s assumptions of nature, ‘Tom’ behaves like a thieving, mischievous slave and ‘Chambers’ embodies the  . . . uh . . . humility of his aristocratic ancestors. And yet, the boys’ nurture must receive some credit—would ‘Tom’ have become a drunken gambler if he had never been to Yale? Would ‘Chambers’ have been as strong had he not fought for ‘Tom’? Did the constant rebuke and reminder of his status make ‘Chambers’ humble?

While studying education, I have come to a similar conclusion. The answer is not nature OR nurture, but nature AND nurture. The two work together to create a man. One cannot be separated from the other. I am who I am because of my heritage, circumstance (environment), and the instruction and models of those authorities in my life.

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