The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Frequently noted on lists of American classic literature, Tom Sawyer is also often included on some libraries' banned book lists, alongside its counterpart, Huckleberry Finn. Why? Because Mark Twain has allegedly filled the novel with racist language and stereotypes, amongst other things. But since I don't feel like delving into controversy quite yet, let's skip ahead to the plot.

As the book unfolds in happy St. Petersburg, we are introduced to Tom Sawyer, a young boy whose antics are known around the town for getting him into trouble. He participates in common boyhood activities: fighting with other boys, conning his friends into doing his work, and despising both church and school. While his Aunt Polly takes care of Tom and loves him with all her heart, she still fears that he will never grow out of his trouble-making ways.

Tom, guided by an active imagination, is a dreamer who often runs off to "pirate" with his friends. Huckleberry Finn accompanies Tom on all of his adventures, though he remains aloof from most others because they fear his reputation as a lazy, vulgar, dirty boy. Another important presence in Tom's life is Becky Thatcher. When she shows interest some of Tom's sketches, he confesses his love for her. Later, the two of them decide to be engaged, since it requires only a promise and a kiss. However, Tom accidentally admits that he's been engaged before, breaking Becky's heart.

One night, after discussing charms and spells, Tom and Huck meet in a graveyard, hoping to rid themselves of warts by tossing a dead cat unto a corpse. But warts quickly become the last of their worries they capture a glimpse of a murder instead.

Tom and Huck continue their pirating adventures and other mischief, including a very interesting funeral. Tom also manages to make things go well with Becky...just in time for him to have another encounter with the graveyard murderer!

Although you'd probably expect some sort of heroic, adventurous ending...the book's completion is not exactly that. It is, but it isn't. But since I don't enjoy ruining the ends of stories, you'll just have to check this one out of your local library to discover what happens yourself!

Since Mark Twain was a bit of a revolutionist for his writing period, his writing has been criticized as crude and unorthodox. A guy named Smith mentioned that he used "themes, situations, a style, and above all a point of view hostile to the values ostensibly dominant in American culture." This includes such things as the N word and other racial labels, like "Injun Joe." Others contend that Tom Sawyer is a poor role model for young children: he's a conniving slacker, a liar, a smoker, and an impressionable youth given to all insensitive whims. Yet Tom is not some foul, soulless creature. We can clearly see that he loves his friends and his family; it's just that his attempts to show love are often misconstrued or undermined by his bad deeds.

I wouldn't say that Tom Sawyer is necessarily a social commentary, though that aspect could certainly shine through the text if you were willing to search for it. Instead, I think Mark Twain was trying to portray a real version of American life--true, genuine boyhood the way it was actually lived, not the sanitized, romanticized version shown in other books. Tom and his friends aren't perfect children...which makes them genuine. Yes, many young kids don't smoke or pirate away to islands or propose to their elementary school girlfriends. But there's no denying that kids have imaginations and are free to use them, even if they carry out different actions. That's not to say I condone all of Tom's behaviors, only that they're realistic and shouldn't be written off. To me, Mark Twain seems enthralled with childhood and its perpetual summers. The magic of youth is someone we could all do well to remember more often.

Tom Sawyer is easy to read, easy to understand, and filled with charming dialect and characters. It may have some moral message embedded deeply, but I think its main concern is to provide enjoyment and to preserve a carefree, light-hearted American culture. Some may be leery about recommending the book for younger children, mainly due to rare swear words and the aforementioned racial statements. Though, again, I'm not condoning these things, I think they have their place in the context of this book, and I highly doubt that Tom Sawyer is going to cause children to become prejudiced. Actually, I think that the true nature of all Twain's characters shines through quite clearly; readers will be able to distinguish between the "good" and the "bad" by identifying with personalities, not ethnicities or ages.

Whatever your age, the Tom Sawyer enjoyment factor knows no boundaries. Five stars, because, really, it's Mark Twain. Go, go check out a copy now!