# Showmanship and Humbug in Struggles and Triumphs

> Theme guide for Struggles and Triumphs by P. T. Barnum.

Barnum explores the ethics and art of entertainment, acknowledging his use of exaggeration and tricks (like the 'Joice Heth' exhibition) while arguing that amusement is a legitimate and necessary business that can be conducted without corrupting the public.

## Where it surfaces

- [Incidents and Anecdotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/ii-incidents-and-anecdotes): Barnum's tin ware and green bottle lottery and the 'Russia' fur joke demonstrate his early flair for clever schemes and entertainment.
- [IV: Struggles for a Livelihood](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/iv-struggles-for-a-livelihood): Barnum's love of practical jokes and the elaborate bet with Darrow illustrate his showman instincts.
- [My Start as a Showman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/v-my-start-as-a-showman): Barnum details his use of publicity, contests, and staged rivalries to attract crowds, reflecting the art of showmanship.
- [My First Travelling Company](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/vi-my-first-travelling-company): Barnum's clever tricks (e.g., the arithmetic problem, the bridge trick) and his ability to turn adversity into entertainment highlight his showmanship.
- [At the Foot of the Ladder](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/vii-at-the-foot-of-the-ladder): Barnum uses clever newspaper attacks to sabotage the rival company's stock, demonstrating his showmanship and strategic cunning.
- [The American Museum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/viii-the-american-museum): Barnum's use of exaggerated advertising, the 'brick man' stunt, and the Niagara Falls model with real water exemplify his showmanship and willingness to blur truth for publicity.
- [IX: The Road to Riches](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/ix-the-road-to-riches): Barnum's use of flags, patriotic appeals, and clever ruses (e.g., the 'egress') exemplifies his showmanship and ability to attract crowds.
- [X: Another Successful Speculation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/x-another-successful-speculation): Barnum uses fake mesmerism and rivalries to attract attention and undermine competitors.
- [XI: General Tom Thumb in England](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xi-general-tom-thumb-in-england): Barnum's strategic use of a mansion, invitations, and royal endorsement to generate buzz and elevate the General's status.
- [In France](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xii-in-france): Barnum uses the grand retinue of twelve horses and twelve persons as a form of advertising, and employs reverse psychology by telling people to keep quiet to generate excitement.
- [XIII: In Belgium](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xiii-in-belgium): Barnum uses 'soft soap' and free medals to charm customs officials and railway men, demonstrating the art of pleasing the public.
- [XIV: In England Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xiv-in-england-again): Barnum buys the 'Happy Family' exhibit on impulse and hires its proprietor, demonstrating his flair for acquiring novel attractions.
- [Return to America](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xv-return-to-america): Barnum outwits Anderson the 'Wizard of the North' in a playful exchange of trickery and showmanship.
- [XVI: At Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xvi-at-home): Barnum's playful deer park sign joke with neighbor Johnson exemplifies his love of theatrical illusion and clever marketing.
- [The Jenny Lind Enterprise](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xvii-the-jenny-lind-enterprise): Barnum's bold and risky enterprise to bring Jenny Lind to America exemplifies his grand showmanship and willingness to take enormous risks for public spectacle.
- [XVIII: The Nightingale in New York](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xviii-the-nightingale-in-new-york): Barnum orchestrates the arrival and concert with elaborate decorations, strategic advertising, and careful crowd management, exemplifying his showmanship.
- [Successful Management](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xix-successful-management): Barnum describes his strategic use of biographies, foreign correspondence, and printer's ink to create excitement and manage public opinion before Jenny Lind's debut.
- [XX: Incidents of the Tour](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xx-incidents-of-the-tour): Barnum uses legerdemain tricks and a fabricated story about a pact with the devil to amuse and mystify passengers.
- [XXI: Jenny Lind](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxi-jenny-lind): Barnum acknowledges the 'humbuggery' involved in the Jenny Lind concerts, including the strategic use of her charitable reputation.
- [XXII: Close of the Campaign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxii-close-of-the-campaign): Barnum's April Fools' prank and the Cincinnati ruse demonstrate his flair for theatrical deception and public amusement.
- [Other Enterprises](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxiii-other-enterprises): Barnum's elephant plowing stunt is a classic example of using spectacle and novelty to draw public attention and advertise his Museum.
- [Work and Play](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxiv-work-and-play): Barnum turns a captured pickpocket into a paid attraction, demonstrating his flair for showmanship and 'humbug'.
- [Rest, but Not Rust](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxvii-rest-but-not-rust): Barnum's interest in the 'natural honk' as a potential museum exhibit reflects his eye for curiosities and showmanship.
- [XXVIII: Abroad Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxviii-abroad-again): Albert Smith's transformation into a showman with his Mont Blanc entertainment exemplifies the art of blending information with amusement for popular success.
- [XXIX: In Germany](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxix-in-germany): Barnum's ability to draw crowds and charge high prices at German spas demonstrates his showmanship, even in a foreign setting.
- [XXX: In Holland](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxx-in-holland): Barnum reflects on manufactured curiosities like the Fiji Mermaid and Woolly Horse, and the mock trial humorously accuses him of being the 'Prince of Humbugs.'
- [The Art of Money Getting](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxxi-the-art-of-money-getting): Barnum's clever retort to the Cambridge student and his ability to turn potential heckling into entertainment reflect his showman instincts.
- [An Enterprising Englishman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxxii-an-enterprising-englishman): Barnum's attempt to measure a French giant involves trickery and negotiation, highlighting the showman's craft.
- [Menagerie and Museum Memoranda](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxxiv-menagerie-and-museum-memoranda): Barnum's creation of 'California Golden Pigeons' by dyeing common pigeons, and the barber-shop practical joke, exemplify his embrace of humbug and publicity.
- [More About the Museum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxxvi-more-about-the-museum): The cherry-colored cat hoax exemplifies Barnum's playful deception to attract crowds and generate publicity.
- [The American Museum in Ruins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xxxix-the-american-museum-in-ruins): The Tribune's humorous account of the fire and Barnum's ability to turn disaster into opportunity reflect his showmanship.
- [XLI: Bennett and the Herald](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xli-bennett-and-the-herald): Barnum's strategic use of Bennett's abuse as free publicity exemplifies his showmanship and understanding of public spectacle.
- [Public Lecturing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xlii-public-lecturing): Barnum uses humor and showmanship in his lectures, such as the witty exchange about alcohol's effects and the offer to exhibit a man as a 'curiosity,' blending entertainment with moral messages.
- [XLIII: The New Museum](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xliii-the-new-museum): Barnum's 'sliver trick' at the White Mountains exemplifies his playful showmanship and ability to turn a prank on his would-be tricksters.
- [XLIV: Curious Coincidences.—Number Thirteen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xliv-curious-coincidences-number-thirteen): Barnum treats superstitions with a blend of skepticism and amusement, using personal anecdotes to engage readers.
- [XLV: A Story-Chapter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/xlv-a-story-chapter): Barnum's anecdote about using firemen as stage extras and the chaotic fire drill interruption illustrates the blend of entertainment and real-life spontaneity.
- [Appendix I: Rest Only Found in Action](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/appendix-i-rest-only-found-in-action): Barnum's grand procession, elaborate chariots, and continuous addition of new attractions exemplify his mastery of showmanship.
- [Appendix II: A Remarkable Campaign](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/appendix-ii-a-remarkable-campaign): Barnum's acquisition of the automaton talker and his boast that 10 million visitors will see it highlight his flair for sensational attractions.
- [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/chapters/conclusion): Barnum's determination to keep the show large and add rare attractions like giraffes and cannibals reflects his showmanship.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/themes/showmanship_and_humbug
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/struggles_and_triumphs_se/themes