The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete, Chapter 1 summary
Chapter 1 of 35 · 10 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 1, Tom escapes Aunt Polly’s punishment for stealing jam, skips school, and nearly hides his swimming until Sid exposes the wrong thread on his collar. He then fights a well-dressed newcomer and returns home with damaged clothes, making his aunt firmly decide on Saturday work as punishment.
What happens
- Aunt Polly catches Tom with jam, but he distracts her and escapes over the fence.
- She struggles between affection and duty, deciding that Saturday work should punish his expected absence from school.
- Tom skips school, helps little with the wood, and tries to conceal his swimming during supper.
- Sid notices the wrong thread on Tom’s collar, exposing his trick and provoking threats.
- Tom practices whistling, confronts a well-dressed newcomer, and wins their fight before the stranger hits him with a stone.
- Tom follows the boy home, then returns late to Aunt Polly, whose inspection of his clothes confirms Saturday punishment.
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In this chapter
What to notice
Aunt Polly states the conflict between her sense of duty and her affection for Tom. This explains why his tricks so often defeat her attempts at punishment.
Quick check
What exposes Tom’s attempt to hide his swimming?
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