DETAILED Tom Sawyer Summary

Tom Sawyer is a mischievous boy who starts out the story by skipping school to swim. Tom almost gets away with it, but his half-brother, Sid, points out that the collar of his shirt is sewn in a different color. On Saturday, Tom is given the chore of whitewashing a long fence, 2 coats. Tome tells other boys passing by that it is fun. They become jealous of his job and “pay” him in various things such as marbles and such to paint. Tom tells Aunt Polly that it is done. She doesn’t believe it is true. She is very astonished that it actually is done and gives Tom a treat. He runs off and sees a girl outside that he immediately falls “in love” with. He hangs around her house all day until nightfall “showing off.” She throws him a flower. He wears it in his shirt with him everywhere. At dinnertime, Tom gets disciplined for stealing sugar. Sid laughs at Tom for this, and when Aunt Polly leaves he reaches for the sugar and breaks the bowl. Aunt Polly yells at Tom for this. Tom pouts and makes Aunt Polly feel bad for him. Tom wandered to his unknown love’s house, then climbs in the window late at night. At Sunday school the next day, Tom “buys” scripture tickets from all the boys that are used to get a Bible. Before Tom receives him Bible, he is asked to name the first 2 apostles appointed. He says “David and Goliath.” Of course, he is discipled. During church, Tom releases a pinch-bug. A dog comes and plays with it. Tom and other people in the congregation are glad for the distraction. Tom gets upset though when the dog carries off the pinch-bug. On Monday, Tom doesn’t want to go to school, she he works on faking sickness. He complains of a toothache. Aunt Polly pulls his tooth out, and he still has to go to school. Before school begins, Tom has a short conversation outside with Huckleberry Finn, the son of the town drunkard. They agree upon a rendezvous in the graveyard late that night in order to try out a wart removing system. When Tom arrives late to class, he gets disciplined for hanging out with Huck and being tardy. He is told to sit by the girls, which he is very pleased about because he is told to sit next to Becky Thacker, the girl who he is supposedly in love with. He writes to her that he loves her, and he draws pictures for her. After school, he becomes “engaged” to Becky, in which they both say they love each other and kiss. He accidentally mentions a...

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...ope.

Meanwhile, Tom and Becky are in the cave, starving and giving up hope. Tom spots Injun Joe once at a room nearby where they are staying. Finally, after three days and three nights, Tom finds a way out of the cave. They find out that they were five miles from the entrance. Judge Thacker shuts up the cave, and Tom becomes terrified and tells him that Injun Joe was still in there. They go to open the cave, only to find Injun Joe lying there dead at the entrance. They hold a funeral for him, and Tom is relieved from a great burden.

The widow Douglas takes Huck in. Tom and Huck go back to the cave because they believe the treasure to be where Tom saw Injun Joe. They find just over twelve thousand dollars in gold. Huck and Tom split the money and receive good reputations. Huck doesn’t like to live the rich, clean, proper life. He runs off to the hogshead. Tom finds him there and persuades him to go back to the widow’s house to live. Tom tells him that he won’t let improper people into his robbery gang. Huck is disappointed about this and decides that this is a good enough incentive to return home to widow Douglas’ home.