Tom Sawyer's Adventures

Author: Mark Twain
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: Selected Works of World Youth Literature. The mischievous trickster Tom and the wild child Huck together get into hilarious adventures. Mark Twain's lively writing style vividly portrays the naughty behavior of young boys, even adults enjoy reading it. Tom is a clever and active child, embodying wisdom, cunning, justice, bravery, and even leadership. He is a collection of multiple roles, shrewd, compassionate, and to the real environment. He is determined to break free from constraints and become a outlaw, living a life of chivalry and justice. The novel portrays Tom Sawyer as an idealistic and ambitious character, yet also one with worries. He is flesh and blood, lifelike, leaving a deep impression on readers. In Aunt Polly's eyes, he is a mischievous child, always getting into trouble, but she is softened by his "cleverness" time and time again. In Sunday school, he uses the note he received for selling the privilege of whitewashing the wall to exchange for a new Bible. However, when a lady questions him about the content of the Bible, he answers incoherently, leaving everyone speechless. When his relationship with Becky hits a "crisis," "Then, Tom strode out of the classroom, climbed over the hill, and went to a faraway place. That day, he didn't plan to go back to school anymore." The scene in the novel where the right to whitewash the wall is handed over fully demonstrates Tom's outstanding leadership skills. The boy, unknowingly, becomes Tom's "prisoner," not only whitewashing the wall for him but also sacrificing his own apples to do so. When the children compete to whitewash the wall, Tom secretly rejoices. After a fierce internal struggle, Tom bravely comes forward as a witness, saving Muff Potter, which once again reflects his excellent character of being fearless and upholding justice. Mark Twain, when describing the group of children led by Tom, does not stop at a general portrayal of the characters but delves deeper into the psychological development of children, describing their inner thoughts. When Huck asks Tom to let him "join the gang" as a robber, Tom says, "Overall, robbers are more refined than pirates. In many countries, robbers are considered the upper class among the upper class, like dukes and such." Although these opinions come from a child, they truly reflect the psychological impression society has on children at that time. It has far exceeded the range of what a child can think. In this sense, although the novel is written for children, it is also a high-level children's book for everyone to read. As Mark Twain wrote in the original preface, "I wrote this novel mainly to entertain the children, but I hope adults do not just put it aside because it is a children's book." Because reading this novel can make "adults recall their own childhood selves, the emotions, thoughts, words, and some unbelievable actions of that time."