The Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper (1881) was a family favorite in the Clemens's home and beloved by the author's two daughters, to whom Samuel Clemens dedicated the work. The dedication reads, "To those good-mannered and agreeable children, Susie and Clara Clemens, this book is affectionately inscribed by their father." The subtitle of the novel is "A Tale for Young People of All Ages."

Let's consider this work as children's literature. To guide us, we can refer to the editors' opening comments at the beginning of The Norton Anthology of Children's Literature about childhood as "a time saturated with narratives" and how the customs and methods of storytelling to children have "profoundly influenced social structures and mores" (xxvii). Consider the "social structures and mores" that The Prince and the Pauper examines, attacks, and/or promotes. As you do so, think about the status of the work as a family favorite for Susie and Clara Clemens.