The Transformation of Tom Sawyer

  

    The Transformation of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a classic novel written by Mark Twain. The book is set in the 19th century and it tells the tale of a young boy growing up in Missouri. He lives with his brother and his Aunt Polly. Throughout the story, Tom goes through many adventures with his friend: Huckleberry Finn, who eventually got his own book a few years later. Tom becomes more self-aware and matures from a mischievous boy to a young adult.

At the beginning of the novel, Tom is portrayed as an energetic, clever troublemaker who doesn’t take anything seriously but after witnessing a brutal crime, he starts to realize that actions do have consequences. Be warned, there are spoilers ahead. This “brutal crime” is, of course, the murder of Dr. Robinson. Injun Joe, Muff Potter and Dr. Robinson are grave robbers, however Injun Joe kills Dr. Robinson in cold blood and blames Muff Potter for it, who ends up going to jail for life. This is the first time we see Tom change. Before witnessing this murder, Tom was portrayed as this lively, curious kid but now, we see him feeling guilty, and stressed over the fate of Muff Potter. Eventually, there is a trial for Muff Potter, and Injun Joe is there. Tom has the courage to stand up in front of everyone, and say that Injun Joe was the murderer. 

Tom’s relationship with Aunt Polly also matures. Tom is the troublemaker, and whenever he is done with his antics, Aunt Polly tries to discipline him with a stern voice. Tom and his friends go to an island, and stay there for a few days. They become aware that their community has been searching for them and that they are presumed dead. Tom doesn’t tell anyone that he and his friends went to have fun on an island, and doesn’t realize how much he hurt Aunt Polly when he came back. Tom had secretly visited Aunt Polly at night,, but he didn’t say or do anything besides eavesdrop on a conversation she had with one of Tom’s friends who had gone with him to the island. After Aunt Polly falls asleep, Tom kisses her and goes back to the island. Tom never told Aunt Polly about this event, but she does figure it out. Tom feels ashamed as he realizes he hurt her and made her distrust him. He becomes more self-aware of his actions after this moment.

Near the end of the book, Tom becomes more mindful of his actions. He dislikes that he has to conform to so many standards of society, but he does so anyway, realizing that he has to play a part. Huckleberry Finn is an orphan, and is adopted by a woman named Widow Douglas. Huck dislikes living in a household with so many rules, so he tries to go back to his more “adventurous” lifestyle, as shown in the quote: “Huck Finn’s wealth and the fact that he was now under the Widow Douglas’ protection introduced him to a whole new world. But for Huck, it was a world he wished he had never known” (Twain 234). Huck runs away from this style of life, and hides in a slaughterhouse, where Tom eventually finds him. Huck claims that Widow Douglas’s style of life isn’t for him. Tom eventually convinces Huck to go back to Widow Douglas, as she can provide him a house to live in, clothes to wear and food to eat. Tom tells Huck that he’ll get used to societal expectations, and Huck agrees to go back to living with Widow Douglas, thinking in his head: maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after a while. 

All in all, if you like adventures and antics, you’ll love The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It shows the development of a mischievous, prankster who doesn’t realize that his actions have consequences. The reader sees Tom Sawyer become a young adult, maturing due to the events that happen in the novel, such as discovering that his actions can hurt people, convincing his friend who ran away to come back, and having the courage to tell the truth that Injun Joe killed Dr. Robinson.