book review on adventures of tom sawyer

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The adventures of tom sawyer, common sense media reviewers.

Twain's classic has humor, suspense, language issue.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Teaches readers what life was like for White young

Although this book is sometimes avoided -- even ba

Tom's guardian, Aunt Polly, loves Tom and treats h

Not terribly violent by teen standards, but parent

Young Tom Sawyer (probably 11 or 12, but Mark Twai

No curse words, but offensive racist language, inc

Injun Joe and Muff Potter drink whiskey to excess

Parents need to know that Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of this great American author's best-loved novels. First published in 1876, it portrays childhood during the pre-Civil War 1840s in an affectionate but realistic way; Twain's characters are full of wild ideas and antics that sometimes…

Educational Value

Teaches readers what life was like for White youngsters growing up in a small town on the Mississippi River during the mid-19th century, pre-Civil War era. Twain provides a vivid portrait of family life, school subjects, religious school, transportation, food, clothing, and attitudes that were prevalent at that time.

Positive Messages

Although this book is sometimes avoided -- even banned -- because of its racist language, it also offers life lessons. Tom is a rascal with a conscience and a loving heart. Twain teaches readers that many times children's careless antics are natural; a child can misbehave and still be "good" inside. The book also shows young readers that thoughtless actions have consequences, such as Aunt Polly's despair when Tom and his friends go "pirating."

Positive Role Models

Tom's guardian, Aunt Polly, loves Tom and treats him the same way she treats her own children, despite his antics. Much of Tom's behavior makes him more real than role model, but when his conscience overrules his fear of Injun Joe, he sets a very good and brave example.

Violence & Scariness

Not terribly violent by teen standards, but parents should be mindful of sensitivities of younger children. A knife murder takes place in view of two kids in the book, and a menacing villain talks graphically about cutting up face and ears of an older woman to exact revenge on her late husband.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Young Tom Sawyer (probably 11 or 12, but Mark Twain does not tell his age) flirts with girls and kisses the girl he likes best, Becky Thatcher.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

No curse words, but offensive racist language, including the "N" word, which is used 10 times. Native Americans are also portrayed in a derogatory way. Not only is the villain called "Injun Joe," the author attributes Joe's ruthlessness to his race. And Tom uses the word "injun" in other ways, such as "honest injun" and "injun-meal" (referring to corn).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Injun Joe and Muff Potter drink whiskey to excess -- enough to cause them to pass out. We don't see Huckleberry Finn's father, but readers are told that Huck is neglected and ill-behaved because he is "the son of the town drunkard." Huck smokes and teaches his friends Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper to smoke a pipe.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Mark Twain 's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of this great American author's best-loved novels. First published in 1876, it portrays childhood during the pre-Civil War 1840s in an affectionate but realistic way; Twain's characters are full of wild ideas and antics that sometimes get them into trouble. Tom Sawyer is often avoided, and has at times been banned from schools, because of the characters' use of the "N" word (which appears 10 times, often said by Tom and Huck) and the derogatory portrayal of Native Americans, especially in the form of the dangerous villain named Injun Joe. The novel is extremely enjoyable, full of humor and suspense, if readers can accept that its racist depiction of people of color is more a function of the characters' views than the author's.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (3)
• Kids say (18)

Based on 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Mark Twain's classic novel THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER takes place in fictional St. Petersburg (a town on the Mississippi that is patterned after Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri), where Tom lives with his Aunt Polly and cousins Sid and Mary. A mischievous, imaginative boy of about 11, Tom is often on the wrong side of the rules at school and at home. Late one night, Tom sneaks out with his friend Huckleberry Finn, and the two witness a violent crime. Afraid for their own safety, Tom and Huck promise each other to keep the night a secret, and Tom carries on his usual activities: playing pirates with his friends, flirting with the pretty Becky Thatcher, and worrying his Aunt Polly. But Tom and Huck soon find themselves in serious trouble, because they can't ignore their consciences, or the fact that the criminal has some treasure they can't resist.

Is It Any Good?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has stood the test of time because Twain's perceptive and humorous portrayal of young boys is so perfect and so universal. Twain's sardonic wit keeps the proceedings from ever seeming precious or teachy; Tom is a realistic character who could exist in any time, and his story is full of engaging slapstick and suspense. Tom Sawyer may offend readers because of the author's use of bigoted language, including the "N" word. But as with Twain's masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , readers should keep an open mind to understanding the difference between the worldview of the author and that of his characters.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the racist language in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . Do you think books with bigoted language should be read in schools? Why or why not?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written in the 1870s. What aspects of the book seem "historical" to you, and what seems like it could happen in any time?

To gain further insight into Mark Twain's views on race and slavery, read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .

Book Details

• Author : Mark Twain
• Genre : Literary Fiction
• Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship , History
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Barnes & Noble
• Publication date : June 1, 1876
• Number of pages : 256
• Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle, App
• Last updated : June 8, 2015

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Book review: the adventures of tom sawyer.

Introduction

A quick synopsis.

I am proud to review Mark Twain’s Classic “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” today. If you haven’t read this book, please grab a copy right away and read it.

Book Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain

First published in 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is widely perceived as a children’s adventure story. The specialty of this book is that it revolves around the adventures of a young adolescent boy around the mid-nineteenth century, which is something that will appeal to everyone who reads the book, regardless of their age. For the adult reader, the story is reminiscent of his or her own childhood and for the child, a series of fun episodes he or she yearns to be a part of.

Tom Sawyer is young, imaginative and mischievous and lives with his Aunt Polly and half-brother Sid in a Mississippi town. The story opens with Tom’s Aunt Polly looking for Tom to question him about some missing jam. He gets in trouble at school and as punishment, has to spend his Saturday whitewashing her fence while his friends are enjoying themselves. But the clever Tom convinces his friends that it is a fun job – and they end up trading stuff with him to get a chance to whitewash the fence.

A young girl, Becky Thatcher moves into town and Tom falls in love with her. They have a tiff and Tom is off to the town graveyard with his best friend Huckleberry Finn, where they witness the wicked Injun Joe murder Doctor Robinson. When this comes to light, Injun Joe blames Muff Potter. Obviously this is too much for a young Tom to take, and he is afraid to tell what he knows.

He, Huck and their friend Joe Harper decide to become pirates and camp on an island in the river. When they come to know that Aunt Polly thinks they are all dead and a funeral is planned, they return home in a hurry. Once back, Tom feels braver and decides to testify against Injun Joe, who escapes from the law.

Without adding spoilers, I’d like to highlight the main scenes, which, besides the whitewashed fence, include the Sunday school episode, Tom and his friend Becky Thatcher getting lost in a cave, the graveyard scene with Tom and Huck Finn, Tom and Huck witnessing a murder, and their association with Injun Joe, followed by their hunt for his treasure. Each scene ties in with the overall story, building a vibrant picture of the lives of the various characters in the book.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) is a master at weaving words with wit and he tells the story of the young Tom Sawyer. Through the book, you will sense the moral, psychological and intellectual development of Tom, its central character. A beautifully written story, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer combines the past with the present in a way that the reader will personally identify with. The book speaks of life in the Mississippi River town where Twain himself spent his youth.

In this book you will experience a strong dose of humor, a lot of nostalgia, the innocence of childhood, superstitions, murder, revenge and slavery – all of which are ingredients for a classic story. Twain also wrote “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” a series of episodes related to the adventure to free the slave Jim.

If you are an adult reading the book, you will sense the typically Twain satire that runs through the story criticizing the eccentricities and hypocrisies of human nature.

The overall tone of the book is obviously humorous. For children reading the book, the adventures are quite exciting. Although this book is believed to be for young adults and adults, I remember reading the “whitewashing of the fence” in middle school in an English text book. The book is in narrative style, by an adult who sees the world cynically yet sentimentally when he dwells on his childhood with nostalgia.

Interesting: The Table of contents is followed by a timeline of Mark Twain’s life.

Suitable for age group: Recommended for everyone who is ten years and older.

Rating: Must-read. Five out of Five stars. Classics like these are hard to come by!

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31 comments.

I remember reading the white washing scene in school too! Never read the book after that – should pick it up some day :-). It’s nice to read about real boys and girls after all the fantasy and vampire stuff going around these days. Great review! Fab recently posted… Book Review – Eat That Frog!

One of the best books I have ever read. English classics made me fall in love with books. Kids today hardly know about them, it is a rather sad state of things 🙁 Seeta recently posted… Media (Un)Defined

I remember reading this book in school. After reading your review, feel like reading it again. Must get one and ask AG to read too! Shilpa Garg recently posted… Help! Help!!

I agree – these books started me on my journey decades ago Carol Graham recently posted… When Asked to Step Out of your Comfort Zone – Do It!

This is one of the many books that I read as a child, but really need to reread again as an adult!

I don’t know how many times I have read this book and every time I enjoyed it

To tell you the truth Vidya I was wondering what you’d do in a review of such a widely read widely heard of book but I so enjoyed your post. I love Mark Twain’s tongue in cheek humour and his quotes are to die for. Obsessivemom recently posted… Arranged Marriage

I can never forget the whitewashing scene. Thanks for the memories and ofcourse the review 🙂

Yes, the whitewashing scene was included in one of our English textbooks in Mumbai. That made me borrow the book from the school library and read it. Excellent book!

Your well-written review would make readers introduce the book to their kids. The story, which is appealing to kids, and Mark Twain’s lovely style would get kids hooked on to the reading habit. Proactive Indian recently posted… Punished for being poor?

This book and Huckleberry Finn were among the very first books that I have ever read and hold a special place in my heart. It was only years later that I learnt that these books were social commentaries of the days that Twain wrote these books. Have to re-read them sometime again just to re-analyse these books in that light. Jairam Mohan recently posted… The Confession – Chapter 3 – Books

I am yet to read that book. But will surely do after this review.

This truly is a “Must read” book for all ages, there is no doubt in my mind. Its an absolute classic. Of the classics, the one which always made me ponder as i grew up was ‘the Count of Monte Christo’. Roshan R recently posted… Things I Overhead While Talking To Myself – Book review

Roshan, the Count of Monte Christo is one of my all-time favorites. Each time I read it, I enjoy it in a different way. (Yes, I just got back :D). Also, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emma Orczy. It is a amazing book. Thank you for sharing my happiness! Vidya Sury recently posted… Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes?

One of favorite books. Have lost count the times reading this one. Beautiful review 🙂 Sheethal recently posted… With Love.

A magnificent classic and a must read for everyone! ♥ Kathy recently posted… Books Haiku

Hi Vidya, Tom Sawyer is the quintessential creator of advantage from adversity.And in my estimate,he epitomises “making a lemonade when fate hands you a lemon”.That’s the spiritual lesson drawn from the beauty of assimilating Tom Sawyer character fully.The way he craetively inspires others to paint a fencing, and gets to bask in the glory of their adulation is magnificent really. Thanks Vidya ,for refreshing our memory. Mona richmiraclefiles recently posted… Create Balance For Peace

Tom Sawyers journey illustrates the challenges we all have to deal with in life, though these may seem trite. A wonderful review, Vidya! Michelle Liew recently posted… Addicted to you

I read the book in school and it forms part of ma childhood memories. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read and wow, you refreshed ma lovely memories:) vishalbheeroo recently posted… Write Tribe Festival of Words-2: Books

Oh! wonderfully reviewed. It took me back to school days. This was one of the books I enjoyed. Mysoul recently posted… Everyday Music

I remember reading about the fence white washing part of Tom Sawyer as an English Lesson in school. I was so intrigued that I made my grandpa buy me the book!! I had the abridged edition as a kid and then later on bought the unabridged version!! Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are brilliant books! 🙂 Pixie recently posted… Write Tribe Festival – Books

i’m pretty sure this book is required reading for all school kids in the U.S. Tom Sawyer was a legend but his buddy Huck was an even more interesting and criminally-minded character 🙂 Book particularly stands out for me cause I acted in a play in standard 6 featuring Tom Sawyer! Vishnu recently posted… A Simple but Powerful Practice to Change your Thoughts and Increase your Self-Worth.

Wow! that’s so sweet, Vishnu! And yes, I love Huckleberry Finn equally! What fun it must have been to act Tom Sawyer’s part!

This was required reading for us in school. A little lighter than Huck Finn. I just love everything that Mark Twain wrote. I hope to visit his hometown someday in Missouri! It was really fun to read your review! Betsy/Zen Mama recently posted… Want To Be Happy? Try Gratitude – 7 Ways to Practice Gratitude and Be Happier

I’m so glad we had Tom Sawyer and some other classics as compulsory reading in our school days. Amazing how much all these books gave us insights into the lives of children and adults in other countries. Sometimes, I think that it is the reading of these books that has helped us to bridge cultural gaps in blogging. What do you think? 🙂 Corinne Rodrigues recently posted… More Smart Eating, Less Guilt

Absolutely. Being well-read, that too with the right kind of reading broadens our outlook tremendously! Short of physically traveling everywhere, I think our reading habit is what makes us keenly appreciate everything we experience! It certainly helps us understand and bridge cultural gaps in blogging.

Great insight, Corinne! Thank you. And Thank you, again. Vidya Sury recently posted… Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

You took me back to my school days. This was my std 7 Literature book. They don’t write books like these anymore. In the age of Literature there were some real classics written. I need to read this book again. Thanks Vidya for bringing back those memories. Suzy recently posted… My Personal Journey with Dreams

Being published in 80s ,this book also rule till now……..a gud one.

Oh it’s been so long since I read this book. It brings back so many memories. I do remember Becky but don’t remember the murder part. Maybe I should try reading it again, once I am done with my TBR list. Rajlakshmi recently posted… The day my brain turned into a cabbage

Re-reading classics is so much more fun as adults. I recently re-read The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and loved it. Guess, we are able to find more meaning in these children’s stories when seen from an adult’s eye. I read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as a kid, but would love to pick it up again. Shilpa Garg recently posted… 5 Things About Life I Wish I Had Known 20 Years Ago #WordsMatter

This review brought me back to my school days when I read this book. I gotta read it again, you totally got me with this review ❤️ Karmen recently posted… 2 best hosting providers – from personal experience

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , novel by Mark Twain , published in 1876, that centres on a smart mischievous young boy living in a town along the Mississippi River . The satiric work is considered a classic of American literature , and it spawned the hugely successful sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884).

An orphan, Tom Sawyer lives with his Aunt Polly and half brother, Sid, in St. Petersburg, Missouri, on the Mississippi River; the fictional town is based on Hannibal , Missouri, where Twain grew up. The early chapters highlight Tom’s propensity for trouble. First he angers his aunt by eating jam, then he gets in a fight with another boy. As punishment for his various misdeeds, Aunt Polly orders him to whitewash the fence. However, Tom manages to convince other children that whitewashing is fun, and they end up giving him various items for a turn at the fence. Later in the book Tom goes to the cemetery with Huckleberry Finn , a vagabond whose father is a heavy drinker. The duo come across three grave robbers, including Injun Joe and Dr. Robinson. The two men get into a fight, and Injun Joe murders the doctor. Although Tom and Huckleberry promise never to tell anyone what they saw, Tom ultimately testifies against Injun Joe, who escapes.

At one point, Tom, Huckleberry, and a third boy decide to run away from home and become pirates. While on an island in the Mississippi River, they discover that people think they have died. The three dramatically reappear during their funeral services. Tom and Huckleberry then decide to look for buried treasure in an abandoned house. The boys are forced to hide when Injun Joe and a partner arrive to bury their own treasure there. However, the two men then stumble upon a gold cache in the house and decide to hide it elsewhere. One night Huck follows them, hoping to find the gold. When he overhears their plan to attack the Widow Douglas, Huck gets help, and the crime is prevented.

Tom later goes on a picnic with his classmates, including Becky , a girl to whom he had previously been “engaged.” While exploring a cave, they become lost. As Becky’s health suffers, Tom frantically tries to find a way out. At one point, he spies Injun Joe in the cave’s tunnels. Tom ultimately leads Becky to safety. The cave is subsequently closed with an iron door, and, when Tom learns about this development, he fears that Injun Joe might be trapped. A group returns to the cave, where they discover Injun Joe dead by the door. Tom later realizes that the gold is likely to still be in the cave, and he and Huckleberry return and discover it. Huckleberry is subsequently taken in by the Widow Douglas. The boy chafes under her rules and decides to return to his vagabond lifestyle. However, Tom convinces him to stay.

Together with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer changed the course of children’s literature in the United States as well as of American literature generally, presenting the first deeply felt portrayal of boyhood. While Tom Sawyer is sometimes overshadowed by the darker Huckleberry Finn , the former remains an enduring take on American childhood, known for its humour and morality . In addition, its main character is considered the epitome of the all-American boy, full of mischief but basically purehearted. Tom was also the focus of the sequels Tom Sawyer Abroad (1894) and Tom Sawyer, Detective (1896).

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn have drawn criticism for their use of pejoratives to describe African Americans and Native Americans. In addition, the negative portrayal of Injun Joe in Tom Sawyer is also regarded as problematic by some. Bowdlerized versions of both works also proved controversial.

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Twain’s Twang: Nick Offerman Reads ‘Tom Sawyer’

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By Christopher Buckley

• Nov. 14, 2016

THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER By Mark Twain Read by Nick Offerman 7 hours, 52 minutes. Audible Studios.

“It was as though someone had switched off the wireless, and a voice that had been bawling in my ears, incessantly, fatuously, for days beyond number, had been suddenly cut short.”

Those lines are from Evelyn Waugh’s novel “Brideshead Revisited.” They came to me as I switched off the 2016 presidential campaign and listened to Nick Offerman’s audiobook narration of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” What a tonic those eight hours were! Offerman’s Illinois-raised voice and actor’s talent suit him ideally to channel Mark Twain and his archetypal American Puck (that “P” isn’t a typo), who played pirates with an archetypal American Huck, conned his pals into whitewashing the fence, fell in love with Becky Thatcher and showed up alive at his own funeral.

Was it as satisfying as it was because of all the political screeching in the background? No. Listening to Offerman’s “Tom Sawyer” would be ear balm anytime. Perhaps the reason is that this is a novel many of us first heard before we read it. “Tom Sawyer” and its sequel, “Huckleberry Finn,” are arguably America’s ur-bedtime stories. This may not be true for the millennial gen raised on apps and Twitter, but it was for mine and generations going back to Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency. Listening to Tom’s adventures over — gasp — a half-century after I last did sent me back to a time when early evenings found me sipping hot cocoa instead of vodka-and-tonics.

In the preface to the novel, Twain tells us, “Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account.” Hmm. Actually, Mr. Clemens is being a tad cagey with us. (Surprise!)

On July 5, 1875, he wrote his friend William Dean Howells, the great editor and “Dean of American Letters” of the day: “I have finished the story & didn’t take the chap beyond boyhood. . . . If I went on, now, & took him into manhood, he would just be like all the one-horse men in literature & the reader would conceive a hearty contempt for him. It is not a boy’s book, at all. It will only be read by adults.”

On reading the manuscript, Howells wrote back: “It is altogether the best boy’s story I ever read. It will be an immense success. But I think you ought to treat it explicitly as a boy’s story. Grown-ups will enjoy it just as much if you do.”

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Closed chapters, thursday, february 07, 2008, the adventures of tom sawyer, by mark twain.

4 comments:

This is on my reading list for this year. I probably read it 10 years ago and am curious to reread it again so I can go through a "refresher" course. I enjoyed your review.

I think you'll find Huck Finn quite different in tone--Huck is at once less civilized and more mature, and the book is much more about social commentary and not boyhood pranks. I think Tom Sawyer was DOB's boyhood alter ego, but only in imagination--he never would have gotten away with that kind of stuff. :-)

So, shenanigans aside, did you get caught up in the adventure and wanderlust of it all????

I love what you said about Tom's behavior, it sounds like every boy I have ever met! It's only because of outside influence (GOD) that they turn into such wonderful men!

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[The Adventures of Tom Sawyer]: A Review

Hi everyone! Hope you’re having a great week.

Slowly but surely I am catching up on my reviews! After this one, I am only two reviews behind. And that makes me feel like I can actually finish books again 😉

Today I am here with a review of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Another great novel​ read for The Classics Club! I thought that I hadn’t read this one. But so many stories and details were familiar to me that I think I have at least read excerpts before.

Initial Thoughts:

• I had a hard time getting into the story at first. Reading on my Kindle app helped me get more invested in the characters by trying to read at least one chapter a day. But soon I was reading because I wanted to hear what happened. And I read the last half of the book in one afternoon.
• I really enjoyed Huck Finn’s character and look forward to more of him in his own novel (also on my classics club list).
• This book isn’t too long (just over 200 pages) and with short chapters, it is a very attainable classic for people who love classics and those who are new to or intimidated by them.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain chronicles several stories in the life of Tom, a mischievous and intelligent boy growing up by the Mississippi River in 19th century America. Goodreads summarizes, “Impish, daring young Tom Sawyer is a hero to his friends and a torment to his relations. For wherever there is mischief or adventure, Tom is at the heart of it. During one hot summer, Tom witnesses a murder, runs away to be a pirate, attends his own funeral, rescues an innocent man from the gallows, searches for treasure in a haunted house, foils a devilish plot and discovers a box of gold. But can he escape his nemesis, the villainous Injun Joe?”

You can’t help loving Tom from the first page. He is a likable and fun protagonist. His antics and cleverness (getting the other boys to whitewash the fence is hilarious!) throughout the novel endeared him more as it progressed. A few favorite scenes were when the pirates go to their own funeral–too funny, his adventures in the cave, and the classic scene where he gets the neighborhood boys to whitewash the fence for him. Oh, and all his knowledge about haunted houses and multiplying marbles under the right circumstances. I love the naive certainty of youth! He is naughty, making mistakes all the time but that makes you love him more. Reminds me of how Anne says Davy is easier to love because he does wrong rather than his perfectly (boring) sister Dora in the Anne of Green Gables series. That’s just how Tom is.

The setting in a 19th century Mississippi River town is quintessentially American. There is something nostalgic about the way Twain paints this town. It is small and simple. It’s a place where children play for hours outdoors and attend school in the one room school house. It’s a place where church going is a community event and people look out for each other. You can feel the fierce love and loyalty in this town. I love the small town feel of this novel and the way the characters feel more like family than neighbors.

The plot is more exciting and also more dark than I expected. We get lighthearted stories but also dark stories. I did not realize there was a murder in this novel! When I read that scene, my jaw dropped. I was not expecting that. I appreciate Tom’s decision about whether or not to testify about what they saw that night (won’t give it all away here). Also, Injun Joe is a scary and dark character. There were several moments that had my heart beating fast as I read the ways he planned to get even with various people and his encounters with Tom over the course of the novel. While I would categorize this novel as a children’s novel, be aware that the dark elements may not be suited for children of all ages. I wouldn’t encourage all kids to read this story. Although, I bet most 10 year old boys would really enjoy Tom’s adventures.

Twain creates a compelling duality of tones in this novel. His wit and wisdom captivate me. First, he paints a beautiful picture of life in small town, rural America. This gives readers a sense of nostalgia, loyalty, and even loss. He also captures the spirit of childhood for carefree and adventurous boys–giving readers a tone of simplicity and happiness. Perhaps these perspectives aren’t so different after all but are simply celebrating the past in complimentary ways. 

A few favorite quotes that showcase Twain’s wit and wisdom:

This is a novel I can’t help but like. Much like it’s mischievous main character, this novel found it’s way into my heart. The stories are engaging and memorable. The characters are likable and silly and fun. Overall, a fun and quick read!

This is my 17th novel finished for my list with The Classics Club! Check out my full list  here . For more info on the club, click  here .

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13 thoughts on “ [the adventures of tom sawyer]: a review ”.

Yep…Twain is a national treasure. I actually like this book better than Huck Finn…but both are marvelous. Nice review.

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Thanks so much! Yes, Twain is fantastic. I enjoyed reading them closer together and to observe the characters in both novels.

Pingback: [The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn]: A Review – greenish bookshelf

I haven’t read this book in years. I read both Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn in Elementary School, believe it or not! I am certain I could do with a re-read; I would probably appreciate Twain much more as an adult. Perhaps you also read it in elementary and just forgot it? *shrug*

I love books where a single chapter makes for a single story. They aren’t short-stories, per say, but they are full story arcs between chapter headings. I find those sorts of books easy to get through, as well. I just tell myself, “I only have to read one chapter,” and then BAM! I have read the whole book. Like The Hobbit !

That is totally possible. I basically forget most of what I read in elementary school (except the first HP book!)

Yes, I think single story chapters can be fun as well. They are easy to get through because of that. YES! Speaking of rereads, I need to reread the Hobbit….

I adore The Hobbit — I need to re-read it too! If we weren’t trying to conquer Anne, I’d recommend a buddy read. Perhaps later. 😉

Let’s totally do The Hobbit in the new year!! I’d love it! It’s been a while since I read LOTR as well… 😉

Yes!~ Let’s do it. I’d love to hear your perspective about it too. 2018 Buddy Read. Bam.

Yay! Sounds great!

I spent a lot of my childhood wishing I was Tom Sawyer. Or at least his friend. I love this book!

That’s awesome! Thanks for reading 🙂

I read this as a kid and remember some of it, but I’m tempted to give it a re- read just to experience it again. I remember liking it, and wanting to go on to Huck Finn, but I never did.

https://gregsbookhaven.blogspot.com/

Nice! I don’t think I have ever read Huck Finn either. Hoping to get to it in the next few months.

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Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain's beloved nineteenth-century novel is a thrill. Tom Sawyer is the story of a boy that everyone can relate to. From being bored in Sunday school to playing pranks on the teacher to running away and playing pirates, Tom Sawyer is full of boyhood adventures. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is filled with comedy, warmth, and youthful innocence. However, below the surface, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about young boys facing the cruel adult world. This novel is truly a classic and can be enjoyed by all ages, especially upper elementary, middle schoolers, and high schoolers.

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Center for Mark Twain Studies

Honoring Mark Twain

MARK TWAIN FORUM BOOK REVIEWS: “CRITICAL INSIGHTS: THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER”

Editor’s Note: CMTS is proud to partner with the  Mark Twain Forum , which has long been a leading venue for reviews of new publications in Mark Twain Studies. Visit their  extensive archive . Follow the link at the bottom of the page to read the complete review. A portion of Amazon purchases made via links from Mark Twain Forum Book Reviews is donated to the Mark Twain Project.

Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . R. Kent Rasmussen, ed. Salem Press/Grey House Publishing, 2022. Pp. xl + 348. $105. Hardcover. ISBN 978-1-63700-343-5.

Available from salem press at < https//salempress.com/ci_adventures_of_tom_sawyer >.

The first of Kent Rasmussen’s two forewords to  Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer  suggests that the reputation of the novel as “a literary work worthy of serious study has always been shaky” (vii). Since his idea is based on the huge scholarship accorded  Adventures of Huckleberry Finn  in comparison to scholarly attention to  The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , it is hard to refute, but I am reminded of a statement on  Moby Dick  that scholarship on it had replaced whaling as the greatest industry of Massachusetts, or words to that effect. Yes, the study of  Tom Sawyer  has been eclipsed by the massive  Huck Finn  juggernaut, but it is also true that  Huck Finn  takes on, face front, America’s gravest and most disastrous social calamity, racism. Still, as Rasmussen points out,  Tom Sawyer ‘s publication history is also massive and world-wide. Good reasons exist to think it is more widely read throughout the world than  Huck Finn . Huck’s first-person speech is tough on translators. The third-person omniscient voice which narrates  Tom Sawyer  is a lot less of a problem, but there are other features of the first book which have appealed to vast numbers of readers, such as the fence white-washing episode which provides Tom’s story its own icons and themes. When I asked two Korean English teachers if they knew  Huck Finn , some years ago, both smiled and said, “Oh, Yes! I loved the chapter where he whitewashed the fence!” Either way you read this anecdote, it emphasizes that  Tom Sawyer  is worthy of our attention and that white-washed fence as a major icon is tied centrally into American culture as international readers perceive us. Incidentally, like all of Twain’s major works, it contains comments and moments touching on racism in America.

Readers of this collection of original new essays would expect to come out of the experience with a heightened perception of  Tom Sawyer  well worth discussing. They will be satisfied not only with important points established but also with some of the more nuanced observations. Also the broad spectrum of essays, and their placing the novel in relation to popular media up to the present time is a dimension that might appeal to teachers and to media-oriented analysts. The topics of the essays place the novel not only in different critical perspectives, but also put the book in cultural contexts coming forward to the present. I found a number of points in essays that caused me to reflect on the novel somewhat differently than I had before. I think my appreciation of the novel’s achievement was expanded in relation to Twain’s nature writing, in the detailing its purposefully nostalgic statement, and in the positioning of Injun’ Joe.

Kent Rasmussen’s introductory essay on Twain in relation to Tom Sawyer, as persona and as a set of adventures is, like most of the essays offered, unpretentiously engaging. Rasmussen highlights Twain’s 1907 letter which offers the flat-out confession that he is himself Tom Sawyer. As students of Twain as humorist and realist all know, of course, anything he says is part truth and part fiction: nothing can be taken for granted. Every critic of his time who had an insufficiently well-developed sense of humor choked on the ambiguity involved in other works like  The Innocents Abroad , which crippled their ability to get the joke. Almost every critic agreed in  Tom Sawyer  reviews, however, that the portraits of nature, of a boy’s mind, and of a culture were very special and the melodramatic plot was engaging, although awfully grim for a children’s book. One of my problems as a reviewer of this collection is that the introductory survey by Rasmussen is so clear and compact that summarizing it without simply replicating it is not really possible–so I won’t try. However, hoping that Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT would write the review for me (this is a joke, in case you take everything I wrote as serious), I did resort to the internet with the question “Why is Adventures of Tom Sawyer still popular?” The digital response was amazingly close to this introduction. Wondering at this miracle, I put the question in again–I’m not sure if I changed a word–and got the same answer only with some of the points shuffled around in a way that made for disorganized reading. On the third try, it flopped a little more. In other words, I suspect that the several points made in the essays offered in this volume establish the lasting key points for our generation, as well as Artificial Intelligence, and the fact that the essays here are well-detailed and nuanced–as we would expect from the respected scholars who wrote them–is comforting in reassuring us as readers that the skeleton is very strong, and the details raise these particular essays well above the common.

The first three essays by Peter Messent, Alan Gribben, and Joe B. Fulton build on Rasmussen’s framing and provide meticulous detailing. Messent proposes that while  Tom Sawyer  is entangled with the reality of the period, it is anti-historical in its elevation as fiction above its immediate period, climaxing in the melodramatic ending. Particularly substantive was the interpretation in terms of “profound dislocation” occurring in the 1870s. I was impressed because I had just read a superb set of essays on the novels and life of Albion W. Tourgee  (Reimaging the Republic ; Fordham UP, 2023) and his efforts to arouse the nation through  A Fool’s Errand  and  Bricks Without Straw , of the same period. Messent pinpoints the same idea, but in a novel that, unlike Tourgee’s, has escaped the milieu of the 1870s to be readable in a later time. Messent demonstrates the curve of Twain’s novel through history–antebellum and post-bellum–into the symbols and archetypes of the Gothic and the interplay of Messent’s observations with the plot of the novel was noteworthy. Alan Gribben immerses us in alternate sources while musing that many critics seem to forget that  Tom Sawyer  is a comic novel, one point that really needs to be continually reemphasized about Mark Twain’s canon generally. His list of issues in  Tom Sawyer  also sets the novel in a valuable perspective when he notes that no other specimen of the boy book genre is remembered at all–and yet here Tom remains, an icon of youth and a progenitor of scenic moments that find places in advertisements, revisions of popular plays, and elsewhere. Taken together those two essays pretty much carry the argument for taking the book seriously. Gribben’s perceptions on Jackson’s Island and Twain’s observation of nature, by themselves, changed my own somewhat ambivalent feelings about  Tom Sawyer . Joe B. Fulton’s essay on Jackson’s Island and the “environment” goes more deeply into the matter of the perception and use of nature, minute nature, in a way that finished my conversion to an admirer of what Twain had achieved as a minute “Realist” writer, not of city ways like Howells, so much as in the personal observations of Tom, as in the case of the inchworm. Jackson’s Island is a sort of poetic rendering of the ecological environment which reflects more deeply on Twain’s nostalgia about an era of simplicity that was fast vanishing in the 1870s–and even more so in our era of climate catastrophe.

I note the fourth essay in this first grouping of essays, by Philip Bader, takes on the task of showing parallels between Twain’s novel and J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Given my druthers, I wished I had first read John Bird’s following essay on the Tom Sawyer “franchise”–after all, as Bird points out, there are four finished novels/novellas and a couple of unfinished manuscripts featuring Tom–all of them showing a devolution which makes Tom less and less appealing. Bird argues that we miss something in the earliest book when our reading is colored more darkly by the later Tom of Huck’s adventures, an interesting point for thoughtful consideration. Then Bader’s presentation of the Potter books could have brought me up to speed on current literature. Having listened on occasion to grandfathers chatting with their grandchildren about Harry Potter–Oh, yes, I have–I recognize an inter-generational appeal of substance. Since I do not have even a “passing” knowledge of the Potter books, though, I will back away from trying to be smart in comments about something I am ignorant about. The parallels noted are worth considering for those who might want to bring the comparison into the classroom. Rasmussen’s later essay on Hollywood’s take on  Tom Sawyer , also can be grouped with these preceding essays. The subtitle of Rasmussen’s essay that Hollywood “almost” got the book right is quite appropriate to his documentation. Note: Hollywood got “A Connecticut Yankee”  all  wrong, and I will quibble with the description of Bing Crosby’s antics and the misuse of Rhonda Fleming as entertaining in the one paragraph which treats it as a side-comment, although that might describe some responses in 1949-1950–I was glad that in the same paragraph Rasmussen stated how viciously unethical the perpetrators of this particular artifact really were, subverting everything substantial in Hank Morgan’s experience.

. ….Finish reading David E.E. Sloane’s review at the Mark Twain Forum

Copyright © 2023  Mark Twain Forum This review may not be published or redistributed in any medium without permission. The Mark Twain Forum Review Editor is  Barbara Schmidt .

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

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Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Introduction

The adventures of tom sawyer: plot summary, the adventures of tom sawyer: detailed summary & analysis, the adventures of tom sawyer: themes, the adventures of tom sawyer: quotes, the adventures of tom sawyer: characters, the adventures of tom sawyer: symbols, the adventures of tom sawyer: literary devices, the adventures of tom sawyer: quizzes, the adventures of tom sawyer: theme wheel, brief biography of mark twain.

Other Books Related to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

• Full Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• When Written: 1874-1875
• Where Written: Hartford, Connecticut
• When Published: 1876
• Literary Period: American Realism
• Genre: The novel is a hybrid of several genres, including satire, comedy, and folk narrative. It may be categorized as a picaresque novel because it's composed of a series of episodic adventures involving an impish child. As the story of Tom's moral development from boyhood into adulthood, it can also be described as a bildungsroman .
• Setting: The fictional village of St. Petersburg, which is based on Twain's boyhood home of Hannibal, Missouri
• Climax: Lost in MacDougal's Cave with Becky, Tom is searching the tunnels for a way out when he encounters Injun Joe, who runs away. (This is the major climax of the novel because Tom is its hero, but a secondary climax occurs at the same chronological time when Huck tells the Welshman that Injun Joe and the stranger are on their way to the widow Douglas's house to get violent revenge.)
• Antagonist: Injun Joe
• Point of View: The novel is narrated in the omniscient third person, though it is the voice of an adult with sympathetic insight into the struggles of boyhood.

Extra Credit for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Illustrated text: The original publication of Tom Sawyer by the American Publishing Company included 160 illustrations by True Williams. It is believed that the publisher might have intended that the pictures bulk up the rather short manuscript.

Hit rock song: The Canadian group Rush wrote "Tom Sawyer" to celebrate Twain's character for his individualism and spirited determination.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, analysis of the novel by Mark Twain

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” – one of the most popular works of American writer Mark Twain. The story was first published in 1876. Already in 1877 it was published in the Russian Empire. At least nine translations into Russian are known, the most successful variant is often called the Korney Chukovsky variant.

Twain initially believed that he created The Adventures of Tom Sawyer for adults. The writer’s friends, who heard the first chapters, immediately began to convince him that the book was for children. Now such conversations generally seem pointless, because Twain’s story is equally liked by both adults and young readers. It does not become obsolete, because there is nothing false, false, unnatural in it, but there is magnificent humor and charming protagonists. In the preface to the story, Twain noted that most of the adventures described in the book were taken from life, and he survived one or two himself. Huckleberry Finn “written off from life.” The same goes for Tom Sawyer. True, in this image the traits of not one boy were embodied, but three at once, with whom Mark Twain was familiar.

The main characters of the story

The main character of the story is a boy named Thomas Sawyer. He lives in a small American town called St. Petersburg, located in Missouri. After the death of his mother, Tom, he was taken up by her sister Polly. Tom Sawyer is a mischievous, yet brave and smart child. His best features are his willingness to sacrifice himself for friends, a sense of justice. Yes, he steals sugar from Aunt Polly, cunningly makes the boys paint a fence for him, skips school and not quite honestly receives a beautiful Bible as a gift. But Tom fearlessly suffers flogging instead of Becky, whom he is in love with, and defends the innocent Meff Potter in court.

At first glance, it seems that Tom is an ordinary boy. In fact, he is very different from other boys in St. Petersburg. Tom is a leader by nature. At the beginning of the story, it is told that when the children played war games, divided into two armies, Tom acted as the commander of one of them. He himself did not fight, giving orders through adjutants. Moreover, the army led by Sawyer won the battle. But the main thing is that no one except Tom is able to turn boring minutes into true holidays. Just recall the scene in the church when all the parishioners got bored of the priest’s sermon. Tom Sawyer managed to cheer them up by releasing a biting beetle from a box. The battle of the insect with the poodle that ran into the church brought to the church service, in the words of Tom himself, “a little bit of diversity.”

Huckleberry Finn is the son of a drunkard and friend of Tom Sawyer. Huck puts on “shoulder wear from adults”, does not recognize “no binding rules”, sleeps on the steps of someone else’s porch or in empty barrels, smokes a pipe and knows how to swear inventively. All mothers in St. Petersburg hate him and forbid their children to communicate with him. At the same time, the children of the soul do not dare in him and want to imitate him. Despite the fact that Huck actually grew up on the street, he was able not to fall to the very bottom, not to become hardened, to remain a good person. The boy lacks education. But Huckleberry has a practical savvy. In addition, the child is naturally savvy.

Becky Thatcher is the daughter of the judge Tom Sawyer is in love with. At the beginning of the book, she is described as “a lovely blue-eyed creature with golden hair braided in two long braids, in a white summer dress and embroidered pantaloons.” Becky’s character is not spelled out as well as the characters of Tom and Huck, but something can be said about her: she is not distinguished by her courage, foresight, ability to behave correctly in extreme situations. Becky’s behavior in the cave is indicative. While Tom is trying to find a way out of this situation, Becky for the most part cries and speaks of an imminent death. She immediately eats her share of the pie. It doesn’t even occur to her that she should leave at least a little bit for the future, because it is not known when she will be able to eat next time. It turns out that Becky was absolutely not ready for an extreme situation. Probably, if she got lost in the caves alone, she would not be able to get out of there. However, it was not Becky herself who was guilty of this, but the upbringing given to her.

Aunt Polly is the sister of Tom Sawyer’s deceased mother, who took the boy up. Despite the fact that he is a lot of naughty and often does not listen to her, aunt still loves him very much. Tom, feeling this, reciprocates her. Aunt Polly is naive in some matters – she sincerely believes Tom when he tells an alleged prophetic dream. In addition, the aunt is passionately addicted to “all kinds of patented drugs and newly invented therapeutic methods”, collecting “all quack magazines and all quack drugs.” And it tests it on other people, since she herself does not get sick. Aunt Polly is a kind and kindhearted woman. Often she gives Tom evade beatings, because she pities the mischievous person. In this case, the aunt admits: when she still manages to flog Tom, then her “old heart is directly torn to pieces.” Sometimes she shows extraordinary hardness. In particular, Aunt Polly finds the strength to get Tom Sawyer to paint the fence over the weekend.

Native American Joe is the main enemy of Tom Sawyer, a dangerous criminal who killed the young doctor Robinson and put the blame on Meff Potter. He is vindictive, cruel, ready to set up an innocent person to get himself out of the water dry, he knows how to convincingly lie.

The world of adults and the world of children in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”

In the book, the world of children is contrasted with the world of adults. The world of children is freedom, fun, adventure. As for the adult world, it is shown in the work as boring, dreary, with many rules of conduct. It is to him that the seemingly endless school lessons belong, in which the teacher Mr. Dobbins does not particularly try to interest the students; monotonous sermons of the priest.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a book about a special country called Childhood. Twain was sure that there wasn’t any more wonderful country in the world. Only she has a serious flaw – it is impossible to spend her whole life in it. One day it’s time to grow up. With age, people’s hearts become stale, their imagination weakens.

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Book Review: "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain

Set along the banks of the Mississippi River, it is a timeless tale that has been beloved for more than a century and continues to captivate readers today.

It offers an escape from reality into an adventure full of humor and mischievousness; yet beneath its lighthearted surface lies profound insights about life.

This review seeks to explore these nuances as well as evaluate how effectively this classic novel can evoke feelings of freedom within its audience.

Plot Summary

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an iconic novel by Mark Twain. It follows the adventures of a young boy growing up in Missouri along the Mississippi River during the mid-1800s who, despite his mischievous behavior and occasional trouble-making, shows insightfulness beyond his years.

Throughout the story, readers get to witness character development as Tom navigates through moral lessons with the help of family and friends. Readers are enthralled by a journey that starts off with seemingly harmless pranks but ultimately leads to greater maturity while teaching valuable life lessons.

The story culminates in unexpected ways without providing easy answers, leaving readers wondering what will happen next and wanting more. With this ending transition into evaluation & reflection, it becomes clear why this book has been captivating audiences for generations.

Evaluation & Reflection

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written by Mark Twain, is an iconic piece of literature that has stood the test of time.

The novel follows a young boy’s coming-of-age journey filled with adventure and mischievousness as he attempts to enjoy his newfound freedom.

While there are moments in which readers can laugh or sympathize with its characters, the book also serves as a social commentary on themes such as morality, courage and justice.

It is an interesting reflection on human nature as it questions how far people will go for their own personal interests or beliefs.

Despite being over 150 years old, this classic still resonates today and continues to offer lessons about life - from recognizing one’s strengths and weaknesses to understanding our responsibilities towards others.

A timeless work, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer should be appreciated not only for its entertaining storyline but also for its honest insights into society and humanity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What themes are explored in the adventures of tom sawyer.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an adventure-seeking novel that explores a variety of themes, ranging from the coming of age to social conformity.

The main character, Tom Sawyer, expresses his longing for freedom and excitement as he embarks on various adventures throughout the story.

As he matures into adulthood, Tom comes face to face with difficult choices between right and wrong and learns about loyalty, courage, and friendship.

Through these experiences, Tom ultimately discovers himself as well as the world around him in a way only possible through youthful curiosity and exploration.

Where Is The Story Set?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is set in the small town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, a place that serves as an allegory for human society and its limitations on freedom.

Within the walls of this town, Tom makes friends with his peers while exploring caves together.

It is through these experiences that readers learn about friendship, loyalty and adventure – all themes explored throughout the novel by Mark Twain.

How Does The Author Build Suspense In The Novel?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer includes a variety of narrative techniques that enable the author to build suspense, such as dramatic irony and foreshadowing clues. These tools create tension for readers by hinting at events before they occur.

For instance, early in the novel there are numerous references to Injun Joe, who eventually becomes an antagonist when he seeks revenge on Muff Potter for being taken away from his home. This type of suspenseful writing allows readers to become invested in the story and feel a strong sense of anticipation about how it will end.

What Are The Main Characters In The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain follows the story of its titular character, Tom Sawyer. He is accompanied on his adventures and moral choices by a cast of characters:

• His Aunt Polly, who acts as a guardian figure;
• Huckleberry Finn, an orphaned friend of Sawyer’s;
• Joe Harper and Sidney Harris, two other childhood friends;
• Becky Thatcher, his romantic interest;
• Injun Joe, a criminal antagonist;
• Muff Potter, another accused criminal;
• Widow Douglas and her sister Miss Watson, female figures that provide guidance for Tom.

Through this ensemble line-up of relationships with varying degrees of influence upon him, the reader is allowed to explore themes such as morality and freedom through the eyes of young protagonist Tom Sawyer.

How Does The Ending Of The Book Compare To The Beginning?

At the conclusion of ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’, readers are left with a much different impression than what was present at the start.

Through his various experiences, Tom has grown and developed morally, which is evidenced by his newfound understanding of right and wrong.

His escapades have taught him to appreciate freedom more deeply - an engaging theme that resonates strongly with readers who share a similar underlying desire for independence.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a classic novel that explores multiple themes, including the importance of friendship and coming-of-age.

Set in St. Petersburg, Missouri, Mark Twain creates suspense through an intricate plot full of mystery and adventure.

The main characters are Tom Sawyer, his best friend Huckleberry Finn, and Becky Thatcher, with whom Tom develops a romantic interest.

Yet despite its fantastical elements, it is ultimately a story about growing up and learning to take responsibility for one’s actions.

Through irony, Twain emphasizes this point with a triumphant ending as Tom reconciles with all those he wronged on his adventures—including his own conscience.

He learns some valuable lessons along the way that will stay with him forever: life may be filled with ups and downs but what matters most is how you respond to them.

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Book Review | 1876 | Mark Twain

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Twain was an American author from the late 1800’s. His given name was Samuel Clemens.

Mark was a writer in a city newspaper before he authored the critically acclaimed The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . He wrote several pieces under various pen names with subjects based around comedy and the experiences pertaining to his travels. Mark Twain was invited to deliver many lectures before he became a published author.

Apart from his two most popular novels, Twain also went on to pen down historical fictions later in his life. He established a publishing company that ultimately went bankrupt despite Twain’s multiple attempts to publish a novel. Twain then went back to writing articles for newspapers. His final work was an autobiography, which he dictated. It was published posthumously and became a bestseller.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a book about a little boy named Tom, who has a tendency for getting into trouble due to his mischievousness. He has the same desires as any boy his age, but those desires often land him in extraordinary circumstances .

The story begins with a description of what an ordinary afternoon is like in the life of Tom Sawyer. He comes off as notoriously indomitable at the outset. However, the actual plot soon kicks in once Tom finds himself in a perilous situation. This is what drives his subsequent actions, though at no point does he lose his carefree attitude. In fact, he makes good use of his ingenuity when faced with tough situations .

Tom ends up in Huckleberry’s company, leading to more adventures and mishaps . Huckleberry is a lovable character and he complements Tom’s impulsive nature. Together, they make a deadly duo.

WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published in the late 1800’s. It has become a twenty-first century classic and for good reason. The book blends the innocence and imagination of a young child without robbing the story of the complexity of daily life. Tom has been portrayed as a kid who likes to have fun. However, he is also a kind and thoughtful boy. His motivations are pure albeit outlandish at times, like when he wishes to be a pirate .

The book is a masterpiece of humor. It stems from two young boys failing to grasp the gravity of a matter. They make decisions that seem harmless at first, but end up distressing their fellow villagers in Missouri.

The story ends on a satisfactory note with all the loose ends tied up.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ABOUT THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

The book is a great addition to a child’s and an adult’s library alike. A classic like this needs no modification. It serves as a reminder to everyone to lead a carefree life like Tom and not let life weigh us down.

Ah, if he could only die temporarily!

And this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, that would turn it into work and then they would resign.

In conclusion, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of the must reads of English literature. The book is written in plain English. It contains profound thoughts that transcend the years of Tom, and readers will be left wanting for more of his adventures.

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

- I remember hearing somewhere once that when you settle down to read a book, you are preparing to embark on a conversation with the author. And if that be so, one could do a lot worse than spend some time with Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens). Known for being anti-slavery in an era where that notion wasn't purely a given amongst the majority of Americans, Twain weaves these tensions and attitudes bluntly into his characters- even our protagonists. I appreciated that, especially as a fan of history. There was no hiding from the prejudices of Tom Sawyer's community, and that's part of the immersion process. That's an integral part of the conversation with the author, and Twain never shies away from it. It lingers amongst the village like an uneasy spectre. It's part of the conversation. Alongside the stereotypes of the 1800's, readers are also gifted glimpses into the fantastical superstitions of the South in St. Petersburg, Missouri. Dead cats tied to strings, dreams of rats, ill omens of Fridays all place us in a time far different than our own. How different the country looks separated by a mere 150 years.

- I read several reviews of Tom Sawyer, all which in one form or another portray this novel as a type of "chronicles of a naughty boy". I never got the sense that Tom was particularly naughty, but that Twain had simply written a character so well that he was unmistakably human. He is labeled naughty because we see ourselves in him, and often in the times when he is most carefree, mischevious, immature and curious. The spectacles of him acting out, running wild, behaving generally crazy to gain the affections of adolescent crushes- that was me. I did that. Mark Twain is reflecting this in the character of Tom Sawyer, and the story becomes intimate. I read many casual reviews lambasting the book for lacking a strong plot. I suppose this could be true, but does a plot need to be the strength or meaning behind every tale? With Tom Sawyer, I felt what Twain was attempting to do with his main cast- Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, Becky Thatcher, Joe Harper, Ben Rogers- was to invoke in us reminiscence to our own youths, both joy and melancholy, through the moments of his characters. Tom Sawyer's misery at painting his aunt's fence on a Saturday... Joe Harper's sickness at smoking too much tobacco... Huck Finn's reluctance to save money armed with the knowledge his alcoholic father would blow through it all... Amy Lawrence and Becky Thatcher trading jealous moments of frustration and sadness felt by young girls... These moments may not necessarily be plot points, but they are windows into the more subtle moments of our own personal histories, moments as adults we can transport back to if only for a page. In this sense, how meaningful truly is this conversation about Tom Sawyer with author Twain as it correlates with our own childhood journeys?

- I took each chapter bit by bit, as at times a chapter was a one-off story never to be returned to again. Forgetful Tom's collecting of Sunday school tickets to redeem for a Bible, purely for fame, then being made to answer questions of Scripture for honorary guest Judge Thatcher despite not knowing a thing about the Good Book is hilarious. And, never really mentioned again outside that chapter. Each chapter holds a semi-conversation, each chapter holds a salient point of sarcasm, satire, and comedy by our author. And, I was blessed to have gotten to know Twain well. Yet, outside his wit, Twain pens some incredibly powerful passages as well. Passages that really made me call out to him to pause, while I mulled over his words. To this point, I leave you with this passage about the life of a stalagmite, of all things, and see if it doesn't grab you as it relates to our own temporary histories:

"In one place near at hand, a stalagmite had been slowly growing up from the ground for ages, builded by the water-drip from a stalactite overhead. The captive had broken off the stalagmite, and upon the stump had placed a stone, wherein he had scooped a shallow hollow to catch the precious drop that fell once in every three minutes with the dreary regularity of a clock tick- a dessert spoonful once in four and twenty hours. That drop was falling when the Pyramids were new; when Troy fell; when the foundations of Rome were laid; when Christ was crucified; when the Conqueror created the British Empire; when Columbus sailed; when the massacre at Lexington was "news". It is falling now; it will still be falling when all these things shall have sunk down the afternoon of history, and the twilight of tradition, and been swallowed up in the thick night of oblivion."

-Now, that's bully.

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Book Review

Mark twain’s adventures of tom sawyer and huckleberry finn.

• Adventure , Historical

Readability Age Range

• NewSouth Books, a division of NewSouth, Inc.

Year Published

Mark Twain’s Adventure of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has been reviewed by Focus on the Family’s marriage and parenting magazine .

Plot Summary

In the mid-1800s, young Tom Sawyer is enjoying life in his small Missouri town. Tom’s Aunt Polly tries to discipline him, but Tom usually avoids punishment and manages to skip school and evade chores. Tom’s troubles are simple, and his main concerns are keeping himself entertained and winning the heart of the new girl in town, Becky Thatcher.

Tom’s life gets more complicated when he and his friend Huckleberry Finn witness the criminal Indian Joe murder Dr. Robinson in a graveyard. When Indian Joe blames the murder on Muff Potter, Tom and Huck don’t speak out.

Tom forgets Muff Potter’s troubles for a while and has some more adventures. He runs away to become a pirate with Huck and Joe Harper. The townspeople think the boys have drowned. The boys march home in time to attend their own funerals and are welcomed with hugs and tears.

Tom finally testifies against Indian Joe, but Joe escapes. A short time later, Tom and Becky get lost while exploring a cave. When the children are found, Tom reveals that Indian Joe was inside. But it’s too late to save him because the cave is sealed off and Indian Joe is stuck inside.

Tom’s good fortune increases when he and Huck find enough robbers’ gold to make them rich. Aunt Polly takes care of Tom’s money for him, and the Widow Douglas becomes Huck’s guardian, though he does not appreciate her efforts to clean him up and civilize him. When Huck runs away, Tom convinces him to come back home to the widow.

When the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn begins, Huck is living with the Widow Douglas. He doesn’t like being a well-behaved boy and would rather sleep outdoors and do whatever pleases him. Huck’s drunken father comes back to town and makes life uncomfortable for his son, ultimately kidnapping him. After a few months, Huck escapes from his father and fakes his own death.

Huck meets up with the runaway slave Jim, and they escape St. Petersburg together, rafting down the Mississippi river. They intend to go upriver to the free state of Ohio, but they turn the wrong way in foggy weather and head south instead. Huck has various adventures along the way. He disguises himself as a girl, is caught in the middle of feuding families and meets two con men who pass themselves off as the Duke of Bridgewater and the King of France. Huck and Jim accompany the King and Duke as they try out different cons in towns along the river. While Huck is absent, the King sells Jim.

Tom Sawyer re-enters the story at this point. He and Huck eventually free Jim, until Jim is recaptured. He discovers that Miss Watson, his owner, set him free in her will. With Jim’s freedom assured, Huck decides to travel west to avoid being adopted by Tom’s Aunt Sally.

Christian Beliefs

Many of the Christian elements in both stories seem to be presented sarcastically by the narrator, who is quick to point out episodes of religious hypocrisy or silliness.

Aunt Polly is a Christian and quotes the Bible almost every time she speaks.

Tom attends church services including Sabbath school (Sunday School) and preaching service, but he distracts the other children during class. He has great difficulty memorizing Bible verses. The ultimate prize for learning verses is a plain Bible, and the narrator mentions how difficult it would be for a child to memorize the necessary 2,000 verses required to win it. One boy is said to have recited 3,000 verses in a row, but the recitation strained his mind so much that he was mentally deficient afterward.

Widow Douglas teaches Huck about baby Moses in the bulrushes, but Huck loses interest when he learns that Moses is no longer living. The widow’s sister, Miss Watson, mentions hell, but Huck is so tired of doing his lessons that he says he would like to go there. Huck decides that he doesn’t want to go to heaven because it is described as a place where he will do nothing but lie around and play a harp.

The widow and Miss Watson are devout Christians, but the widow presents her faith in a way that makes Huck appreciate it, while Miss Watson’s version of Christianity is stifling and legalistic.

Jim and Huck debate the wisdom of Solomon. Jim says he was foolish to have had so many wives and to have offered to cut a child in half. Huck says Jim is missing the point of the story about the baby.

The King and Duke fool crowds at a revival meeting by inventing false stories of their conversion to Christianity and taking up collections so they can supposedly go and minister to other lost souls.

Various characters throughout Tom and Huck’s story frequently mention verses and phrases from the Bible.

Other Belief Systems

The editor’s introduction compares The Adventures of Tom Sawyer ‘s success among both juvenile and adult readers to the success of the “Harry Potter” series.

In Tom’s story, Huck says that warts must be removed in a complex ritual that involves sitting at the grave of an evil person until a devil comes to collect the person’s soul. Huck believes in witches and says they can cast spells by reciting the Lord’s Prayer backward.

In his own story, Huck persists in his beliefs about ghosts, witches, luck and omens. Jim is fond of claiming that he has spoken to the Devil and been kidnapped by witches. Jim also practices divination with a ball of hair.

Jim and Huck have superstitions about almost every circumstance they encounter, and most of the other characters display some belief in the occult.

Authority Roles

Tom’s Aunt Polly is usually angry with him. She is an older woman who expects very proper, formal behavior from her nephew. He avoids her whenever possible but does feel genuine affection for her. Aunt Polly tries to trap Tom into admitting his wrongdoings, but the narrator says she is not as clever as she believes.

Schoolteachers administer frequent whippings, and the children pull pranks on them as payback.

Widow Douglas is kind to Huck, but he dislikes living by a schedule, wearing clean clothes and eating wholesome meals. Huck thinks the widow is hypocritical because she doesn’t want him to smoke, but she herself uses snuff (a form of tobacco).

Huck’s father comes back into town after a year’s absence and immediately begins hitting and threatening his son. He is angry that Huck can read and says he’ll beat him if he goes to school again. He kidnaps Huck and holds him captive for a few months. During this time, he beats his son and chases him with a knife.

Jim misses his children. He tells a story about how he was going to beat his daughter for disobedience but stopped when he discovered that she was deaf and couldn’t hear his orders.

Profanity & Violence

This edition notably changes the n-word and injun to slave and Indian . Queer is used to mean something unusual, gay is used to mean bright or happy and fagged means tired. D–n and h— are used once or twice, a– is used in reference to a donkey and jacka– is used as an insult.

In Tom’s story, Tom and Huck watch Indian Joe stab Dr. Robinson to death. Indian Joe discusses slashing Widow Douglas’ face as payback for her husband judging him harshly.

All of the rules and make-believe exploits in Tom Sawyer’s gang seem to involve violent murder, though these scenes are presented in a comedic manner. Huck fakes his own death by killing a pig and leaving its blood in the cabin where he was staying.

A story is told about a baby who was choked to death.

The Grangerfords and Shepardsons fight to the death in a skirmish, and the specifics of the fight are so disturbing, Huck refuses to describe them.

A man called Colonel Sherburn shoots and kills a drunkard named Boggs. The townspeople form a lynch mob to hang Colonel Sherburn, but he talks them out of it.

Tom is shot in the leg during his elaborate scheme to free Jim.

Sexual Content

Tom kisses Becky as part of their make-believe engagement ceremony. Becky views a nude drawing in a forbidden anatomy book and is ashamed when Tom catches her with the book. Tom tells Huck that they will have to have orgies if they become robbers. Neither boy knows what orgies are, but they are sure that robbers have them. The word orgy appears again in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , this time with the Duke telling a gullible audience that it means a public funeral. The con man called the King gets multiple kisses of sympathy from women at a revival meeting. In the fake play “The Royal Nonesuch,” the King prances around while naked.

Discussion Topics

Get free discussion questions for this book and others, at FocusOnTheFamily.com/discuss-books .

Additional Comments

Discipline: On the rare occasions when Aunt Polly disciplines Tom, her methods are severe. To help pull one of Tom’s loose teeth, she ties a string to the tooth and holds a flaming piece of firewood toward his face so he will jump away and yank the tooth free.

Alcohol: Muff Potter is usually drunk. Huckleberry Finn is the son of the town drunkard. When Huck’s father isn’t drinking alcohol, he’s talking about drinking alcohol.

Tobacco: Huck has previously chewed tobacco and smoked a pipe, and he teaches Tom and Joe Harper how to smoke. At first, smoking makes them sick to their stomachs, but they practice smoking until it no longer makes them feel ill. Huck smokes a pipe in his own story. Other characters smoke.

You can request a review of a title you can’t find at [email protected] .

Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.

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Book Review : The Adventures of Tom Sawyer : By Mark Twain