Archetypes In Tom Sawyer

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, chapter two, Mark Twain’s use of imagery to create an archetype is to distinguish the main character, Tom, as the all-American classic hero. At the outset of the narrative he takes the reader to a beautiful, warm Saturday morning, a perfect day for any careless young boy to be outdoors playing with his friends and seek out trouble. The chapter opens as follows;
“Saturday morning was come, and the entire summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart; and if the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was a cheer in every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond

the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting.”
The quote above makes one feel carefree and puts the longing to be outside relaxing in their hearts. Mark Twain uses imagery a second time when Tom is preparing to start his chores.
“Tom appeared on the sidewalk with a bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush. He surveyed the fence, and all gladness left him and a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit.”
“He began to think of all the fun he had planned for this day, and his sorrows multiplied.”
These references make one feel sorry for Tom because he is a carefree boy who has fun plans for the afternoon. Instead he is outside doing chores with the hot sun beating down on him.
Pettus 2
Because the reader is immediately attracted to this archetypal young man, he feels himself cheering when he accomplishes his goal to be free from the daily grind of chores and experience the beautiful day. This longing for freedom induces the reader to read on and learn whether their hero provides more mischievous escapades