Some people believe that your surroundings determine your character. On the other hand, there are those that believe that "Man makes the money, Money does not make the man." Mark Twain's Pudd'n head Wilson, carefully points out that Roxy and Tom's extreme behavior toward the horrors of being sold down the river, not their innate personalities, are the cause of their desperate actions.
             "Her child could grow up and be sold down the river"(34) was what Roxy thought after her master threatened to sell the slaves down the river after he discovered that someone had stolen from him. She could not bear the thought of her child being sold into to such a horrific act, so as a result, she switched the babies. "What has my po' baby done, dat he couldn't have yo' luck?" He haint done noth'n...Dey can't sell you down the river."(34). In fact, she was so terrified of this act that at one point she even contemplated killing herself and her child. "Oh, I got to kill my chile, dey ain' no yuther way-killin him.save de chile from going down the river."(34).
             After all the sacrifices that Roxy made for her child, he grew up to be very disrespectful to her and he believed that the slaves were his subordinates. "I've knelt to a nigger wench!" I thought I had struck the deepest depths of degradation before... Well, there is one consolation, there's nothing lower."(69), was the response that Tom replied after he discovered that Roxy had some information about him. This information would determine whether or not he would still be willed his uncle's inheritance. Tom was so desperate to not let anyone know that he was still in debt from gambling, that Roxy told him that he was to meet her at the old haunted house. It was there at the old house that Roxy revealed to Tom that she was his mother and that he was
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