Literary+File

(Source: http://www.cmgww.com/historic/twain/about/bio.htm) Tom Sawyer: Tom is the main character of the novel. He is a young boy who lives to instigate and cause mischief in the town of St. Petersburg. He falls madly in love with Becky Thatcher and has an “on- again” “off-again” relationship with her. His best friend is Huckleberry Finn and together they go on adventures and cause mayhem amongst their families and the town. Tom battles with depression and the feeling of inadequacy. He believes that his elders don’t love or respect him, and that he will never be loved by Becky or anyone else. As the novel progresses, so does Tom Huckleberry Finn: He is the son of the town drunk, and is essentially an orphan. He lives by his own rules and is often envied by other boys who desire his freedom. Huck is a “bad influence” since he smokes tobacco, skips school, curses and disregards authority. Huck is a confused boy, he doesn’t know if a life of complete freedom is better than a life of stability. Aunt Polly: She is the only real parent figure present in this book. This is shown in the very first sentence of the story where she is scolding Tom. Although she is strict in her manner, she truly loves Tom (and begins to love Huck), and is really hurt when they disobey her. Injun Joe: He killed Dr. Robinson and then blamed it on Muff Potts. He is the main villain of the story and often reappears several times in different forms. He represents everything evil in humanity. He also causes great distress in Tom and Huck. It’s difficult to define a direct plotline for this story, because it tends to jump around. Each chapter is a new adventure for Tom, and they don’t necessarily all relate to one another. Although throughout the story Becky, escaping to the island, and witnessing the murder are continuously described. As for the murder; Tom and Huck see Injun Joe kill Dr. Robinson in a graveyard. Tom testifies against Injun Joe but is scared to death of the consequences of testifying. “I ain’t doing my duty by that boy, and that’s the Lord’s truth, goodness knows. Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I’m a-laying up sin and suffering for us both, I know. He’s full of the Old Scratch, but laws-a-me! he’s my own dead sister’s boy, poor thing, and I ain’t got the heart to lash him, somehow. Every time I let him off, my conscience does hurt me so, and every time I hit him my old heart most breaks.” Pg.10 Twain shows the culture and the character of the town through the way he spells certain words and phrases sentences. By reading a single paragraph out-loud, one is able to almost hear the characters speak in a southern drawl. This is undoubtedly Mark Twain’s signature technique. If there were any negative characteristics of this story, it would be the jumpy plot-line and the simpleness of the characters. Although Tom and Huck do change throughout the story, it is very slight. Basically they just mature, they don’t face any incredibly interesting hurdles, which would make the story more grasping. I would definitely recommend this book. Although it is a fairly easy read, it can be analyzed and used for a much older audience. It is obviously a classic, and therefore a first of its type. The way Mark Twain used dialect and tone greatly impacted the novel for the
 * The Adventures of Tom Sawyer **
 * Samuel L. Clemens/Mark Twain: ** Samuel Clemens was born in Florida Missouri on November 30th 1835. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to the small town of Hannibal which lies along the Mississippi River. Clemens became attached to this small town and the close community, and the town is often depicted in his stories (such as //The Adventures of Tom Sawyer// and //Huckleberry Finn).// At the young age of 13 Samuel moved to St. Louis where he became an apprentice for a printer and for a river boat pilot. This is where he created his pseudonym; Mark Twain. Later, he became a newspaper journalist, and later a writer. Some of his most famous works are; //The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,// and //The Prince and the Pauper.//
 * Literary Period/Country: **// The Adventures of Tom Sawyer // took place in America during the mid-1800’s. More specifically, in the pro-slavery lands bordering the Mississippi River.
 * Setting: ** This story took place in the small town of St. Petersburg Missouri, along the Mississippi River. St. Petersburg is a typical sleepy town that revolves around the river and the folks that live in its boundaries. The story doesn’t really take place in any other place except for when Tom and Huck escape to a small “island” within the river. St. Petersburg is comparable to a boys utopia; filled with adventure and new opportunities for mischief.
 * Main Characters: **
 * Theme: ** The main theme revolves around maturing and taking responsibility for one’s actions. In the beginning of the story Tom is shown as a mischievous young boy who acts and speaks without thinking. He runs away from his problems, disobeys his parents and teachers, and only thinks of himself. Throughout the story he begins to realize that life improves when one takes on responsibility. An example of this is when he took the blame for Becky Thatcher because he didn’t want to see her get whipped. By the end of the story Tom is the prime example for a well-behaved young man. He doesn’t swear or smoke, and attends church regularly and obeys his elders. Essentially, by growing up Tom has given in to the demands of society.
 * Plot: ** Basically the title sums up the plot. The story begins with Tom expressing his love for Becky Thatcher, throughout the story they have various “fights” and “make-ups”, which mock a mature relationship. Throughout the story Tom is constantly getting into trouble with his best friend Huck Finn. Together they create séances, skip school, pick fights, escape to a deserted island, witness and testify against a murder, help save a widow and pretend to be pirates.
 * Unique Literary Techniques: ** In his writing, Mark Twain has the unique ability of incorporating dialect into his writing for example:
 * Personal Review: ** I had mixed feeling about this book. I really enjoyed reading it because of its laid back nature of writing, and the relatable characters. I liked reading about Tom and his adventures because it reminded me of being a child, and enjoying similar activities. Tom and his friends are full of imagination and youthful creativity. The situations they get into are often humorous, yet always contain some moral underlining.