Who Tom Sawyer is
Tom Sawyer lives in St. Petersburg, a small Missouri town beside the Mississippi River. He seeks attention and admiration, and he is always ready to make his life into a story. His cleverness shows when he persuades other boys to pay for the chance to whitewash a fence.
What Tom Sawyer wants
Tom wants the freedom to run his own life, away from chores and adult rules. Games, secret plans, and imagined pirate adventures offer the excitement he seeks. Yet his appetite for adventure takes him into situations that clever persuasion alone cannot resolve.
Tom Sawyer and the others in the story
Aunt Polly tries to discipline Tom, but her deep affection often weakens her resolve. Huckleberry Finn shares his appetite for adventure and becomes his closest companion on more dangerous outings. Becky Thatcher's friendship and affection matter greatly to Tom, though affection proves harder to manage than a crowd of boys.
Questions
Who is Tom Sawyer?
Tom Sawyer is a mischievous boy whose schemes and adventures form the center of Mark Twain's novel.
What does Tom Sawyer want?
He wants excitement, admiration, and independence from the rules adults set for him.
Is Tom Sawyer good or bad?
Tom is morally mixed, capable of both generosity and selfishness. His adventures bring fear, loyalty, guilt, and responsibility into conflict with his desire for excitement.
