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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is a novel that expresses many important themes regarding American progressivism. It is a novel based on actual events that tells a story about a young boy named Tom Sawyer living on the Mississippi river dealing with adventures revolving around his society and the people within it. The story has insights as to what life was like on the bridge of the progressive era through indications about society and the roles of its institutions and members. There are some valid insights and also some depictions that may not be accurate. Regardless, this novel paints an interesting picture to small town American life through a boy's eye towards the end of the 19th century.
Tom sawyer grows up in a small American town on the Mississippi river. The society is set up in a very distinct way in which its members are expected to adhere. The most important institution is the Church followed by the school. Tom hates both and at the beginning of the novel would do anything to avoid attending. Twain criticizes the church through events like when a beetle entertained the churchgoers because they were so bored of the sermon and also through the example of having boys and girls memorize bible verses for prizes. This remark about the boy who memorized the most bible verses, a "strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and he was little better than an idiot from that day forward" hints of the inefficiency of the Church (Twain 50). However, after Tom is involved in many dangerous adventures we begin to see a change in Tome through a growth in maturity, competence, and moral integrity. He also begins to see society in a different light as the novel progresses. Tom's adventures to Jackson's Island and McDougal's Cave allow Tom to remain outside of his society and form a valid opinion as to what role they play in his life. These adventures take him away from his society and form a different outlook on his relationship to the community. The community is almost a sanctuary for Tom in the end and he realizes the importance that it holds in his life. Society acts as a safe haven for Tom and after being secluded from the community Tom is aware that conforming to its rules and ways are worth the security.
Life in the late eighteen hundreds was very different from the life we know today. Not only was there more inequality, there were also more health concerns and lapses in education. Mark Twain, in his book “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” has given us a special look into the past through the eyes of a young boy. Though this book is one of, if not the most highly criticized books in the American school system, it is also one of the most highly renowned. Through the criticism, Twain has given us a golden reflective opportunity.
Twain supports this idea by arguing that how a person is brought up often affects their entire life, seeing as how the majority of life-changing decisions occur in one’s childhood. Throughout the beginning of the novel, Tom’s lavish upbringing was one of luxury, which is telling later on in his resulting attitudes. Considering his socioeconomic status, and his family’s accumulated wealth, his childhood was one of stereotypical, wealthy, aristocratic, 1830’s, white child. One example of this is seen on page 17 of the novel, “Tom got all the petting, Chambers got none. Tom got all the delicacies, Chambers got mush and milk, and clabber without sugar.” Here Twain displays how extravagant Tom’s childhood was in comparison to Chambers. By including this set of details in the storyline, it shows that a person’s race affects their daily lives and routines, eventually shaping their future. Tom was fed delicacies and prepared meals, while Chambers received only enough food to keep him strong in order so that he can eventually work the fields on the plantation, since he was a slave. This also displays how Chambers was considered and treated as subhuman and property, given his race and extremely low social status in the early to mid 1800’s. Another example of how an upbringing shapes a person’s
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain is about the great adventures that Huck finn has with his slave Jim on the Missouri River. The story tells not only about the adventures Huck has, but more of a deeper understanding of the society he lives in. Twain had Huck born into a low class society of white people; his father was a drunken bum and his mother was dead. He was adopted by the widow Douglas who tried to teach him morals, ethics, and manners that she thought fit in a civilized society. Huck never cared for these values and ran away to be free of them. During Huck’s adventure with Jim he unknowingly realized that he didn't agree with society’s values and could have his own assumptions and moral values. Twain uses this realization to show how the civilized and morally correct social values that was introduced to Huck was now the civilized and morally contradicting values.
This early characterization keeps readers interested in Tom and what he will do throughout the novel due to his intriguing early rebellious behavior and personality. To start analyzing Tom’s life one must start with the earliest mention of him as a child, this being a scene of Tom harassing young girls during his own baptism, ignoring those who tell him to stop. This shows early rebellion and an apt for trying societal rules, revealing that he does not care about the outcome of any situation as long as he is enjoying himself. This is backed up later in his life when Tom gets into a fight at a bar and ultimately kills a man, resulting in him going to jail for multiple years, in which he does not break maintaining sanity revealing his aptitude and strength in his ways of leading his life. This philosophy would follow him through his life, ultimately starting to take a new shape when he would later meet again with the preacher who baptized him, Jim
	In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain develops criticism of society by contrasting Huck and Jim’s life on the river to their dealings with people on land. Twain uses the adventures of Huck and Jim to expose the hypocrisy, racism, and injustices of society.
The book I am doing my book report on is called “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain. This book revolves around a poor fourteen year old boy named Huck who runs away from his drunk father and finds friendship within a former slave, Jim, trying to escape to the free states. They adventure along the Mississippi River and end up stopping at various places throughout the novel and meet people who are all morally inadequate. “Tom told me what his plan was, and I see in a minute it was worth fifteen of mine for style, and would make Jim just as free a man as mine would, and maybe get us all killed besides. So I was satisfied, and said we would waltz in on it.” This quotes illustrates the dangers that come to Huck and Jim in this novel, but how Huck chooses to go with the plan anyhow, since it causes a sense of ‘adventure.’ The setting of this novel takes place before the Civil War in different towns along the Mississippi River in Missouri. I will talk about how Huck meets Jim, how he and Jim have to escape from their present issues, how they form a friendship and come across evil in their journey, and how they both end up free with a little help from Tom Sawyer.
Twain uses Huck to show the readers how living under an authoritative figure causes one to conform to the ideals and beliefs created by society. He proves to the readers, that while under the care of adults, Huck is forced to follow rules and is limited in his own freedoms. However, in the setting of nature, Twain explains how Huck has more liberties and is free to live his life as he pleases, including “shameful” activities such as befriending Jim. As the story unravels, Twain emphasizes to the audience that society is the cause of one to conform and that action should be taken to permit more liberties and uniqueness within
Tom Sawyer, a mischievous, brave, and daring boy that goes through adventures in love, murder, and treasure. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is about a boy maturing from a whimsical troublemaker into a caring young man. In the "conclusion" Mark Twain writes, "It being strictly a history of a boy, it must stop here; the story could not go much farther without becoming a history of a man" Tom is now maturing throughout a span of adventures in love, treasure, and everyday life that make him more of an adult, then a boy.
Mark Twain’s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn through much criticism and denunciation has become a well-respected novel. Through the eyes of a thirteen-year-old boy, Huckleberry Finn, Twain illustrates the controversy of racism and slavery during the aftermath of the Civil War. Since Huck is an adolescent, he is vulnerable and greatly influenced by the adults he meets during his coming of age. His expedition down the Mississippi steers him into the lives of a diverse group of inhabitants who have conflicting morals. Though he lacks valid morals, Huck demonstrates the potential of humanity as a pensive, sensitive individual rather than conforming to a repressive society. In these modes, the novel places Jim and Huck on pedestals where their views on morality, learning, and society are compared.
One of society's favorite figures of speech is that it takes an entire town to raise a child. Such is true in Mark Twain's, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Through Huck's journey down the Mississippi River, Twain illustrates the influence society has on the undeveloped morals. As Huckleberry travels he becomes "the impassive observer" and aware of the corruption in the values of society (330). Encountering these societies gives Huck a selective morality.
His Own Voice Mark Twain has a distinct writing style that includes had opinionated satire and presented social classes. These elements are present in the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In ch.4 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a judge comes to Tom’s religious school and tries to get the students attention by saying, “Now, children, I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty as you can and give me all of your attention for a minute or two. That’s the way good little boys and girls should do.” When writing this, Twain has demonstrated his satire against religion and the church.
...dividual, he makes it clear that it takes too much away from an individual and it adds unnecessary stress. Twain also uses this chance to emphasize the simplicity of a life without society, he depicts the ease and development possible development that can occur when individuals are absent from the presence of a society and its ideals. Twain primarily does this through the relationship between Huck and Jim because their time in nature and on the raft shows that many of the flawed ideals held by society can be overcome when they get away from the associated prejudices.
In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain a young boy by the name of Huckleberry Finn learns what life is like growing up in Missouri. The story follows young Huckleberry as he floats down the Mississippi River on his raft. On his journey he is accompanied by his friend Jim, a runaway slave. Throughout this novel Huckleberry Finn is influenced by a number of people he meets along the way. Huckleberry Finn was brought up in an interesting household. His father was rarely ever home and if he was, he was drunk, his mother had passed away so Huck had no one to really look out for him or take care of him. Huckleberry had the life that many teenagers dream of, no parents to watch you or tell you what to do, but when Huckleberry finds himself in the care of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson things start to drastically change. Widow Douglas and Miss Watson are two relatively old women and think that raising a child means turning him into an adult. In order for Huckleberry to become a young man, he was required to attend school, religion was forced upon him, and a behavior that was highly unlike Huck became what was expected of him by the older ladies. Not to long after moving in, Huckleberry ran away. When he finally came home he respected the ladies wishes and did what they wanted, but was never happy with it. When Tom Sawyer enters the picture, he is the immediate apple of Huckleberry's eye. Huckleberry sees Tom as the person that he used to be and was envious of Tom's life. Huckleberry saw freedom and adventure in this young man and soon became very close friends with him. Huck then joins Tom's little "group" to feel that sense of belonging and adventure that he misses out on due to living with the two older ladies. Soon enough Huck realizes that all of Tom's stories are a little exagerated and that his promises of adventure really are not that adventurous. Tom gives Huckleberry a false sense of excitement and eventually Huck leaves Tom's gang. Later on Huckleberry 's father, Pap, enters the story and tries to change everything about Huckleberry that the two women have taught him.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is an immensely realistic novel, revealing how a child's morals and actions clash with those of the society around him. Twain shows realism in almost every aspect of his writing; the description of the setting, that of the characters, and even the way characters speak. Twain also satirizes many of the foundations of that society. Showing the hypocrisy of people involved in education, religion, and romanticism through absurd, yet very real examples. Most importantly, Twain shows the way Huckleberry's moral beliefs form amidst a time of uncertainty in his life.
Society is not always right. In Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a young boy by the name of Huckleberry Finn sets off on a journey along the Mississippi River to get away from his previous lives. One of the main themes in the novel is the conflict between society and the individual. During his time with Widow Douglas, a friendly woman who adopts Huckleberry Finn, he is taught about the importance of education, what is morally right in society, and how to be civilized. On the other hand, Pap, Huckleberry’s father, taints Huckleberry’s mind with his views which differ drastically from Widow Douglas’s guidelines. The moral dilemma that Huckleberry Finn faces between moralities illuminates the main message of individuality.