Adventures of Tom Sawyer

In Mark Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer, we see a different side to the childhood and parenting themes. In this passage, childhood is viewed and portrayed differently; Tom is loved by the reader even when he gets into mischief. This troublesome character is looked highly upon and is admired.

Even though Tom gets into mischief and lies during church, the audience related with this character and understands his troubles. I think Twain portrays this depiction of childhood in this manner in order to bring the reader back to their childhood. The stories of mischief influence the reader to fantasize about what they wanted childhood to be like. Tom’s Aunt, even is amused by his slyness, “He ‘pears to know just how long he can torment me before I get my dander up, and he knows if he can make out to put me off for a minute of make me laugh, it’s all down again and I can’t hit him a lick” (315). By letting to figure of authority brush off Tom’s tricks, it is letting the reader take Tom’s side and agree with him getting out of trouble.

In other stories dealing with boys, we see the theme of boys having fun and getting into mischief. This theme is carried on in Twain’s Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Usually hard work is regarded in high importance but with Tom Sawyer, we see him using his wit and cleverness to get out of doing his work, “Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, and alacrity in his heart” (329). Again, Tom is going against the moral norms but we still admire this cleverness. Twain illuminates our childhood fantasy by creating a well liked character that has fun by getting into mischief.

As Twain brings us back to our childhood, he is also getting us to loosen up on societies rules. I think every now and then a person needs to go back to their youth and get out of the day to day rituals. By forgetting the rules, you can use your inner slyness like Tom and have a little fun.