what is one thing that tom learns over the course of twain's novel?

by Prof. Carissa Langosh 9 min read

The novel opens with Aunt Polly scouring the house in search of her nephew, Tom Sawyer. She finds him in the closet, discovers that his hands are covered with jam, and prepares to give him a whipping. Tom cries out theatrically, “Look behind you!” and when Aunt Polly turns, Tom escapes over the fence.

He matures through the love of Aunt Polly, Becky, Huck and other characters in the novel. In his search for treasure, Tom learns about personal accountability.

Full Answer

What are the characteristics of Mark Twain's writing?

The compositions are flowery, dramatic, and more a matter of showing off vocabulary than showing off good writing. "Good breeding," once said Twain, "consists in concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of the other person."

When did Mark Twain write Tom Sawyer?

Published in 1876 by American author, Mark Twain, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, while not as popular as the 1885 sequel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, is still one of Twain's most well-known, well-regarded, and well-loved novels.

What does Mark Twain mean by good breeding?

"Good breeding," once said Twain, "consists in concealing how much we think of ourselves and how little we think of the other person." Twain depicts this insincere, holier-than-thou attitude in the young ladies' work.

What is Twain's attitude toward the townspeople?

Their pieces are full of clichés and useless words; when the townspeople applaud the girls, Twain makes a mockery of them as well. Twain shows his aversion toward the moral code imposed by small-town life and the pretentious attitude that accompanies it.

How does Tom Sawyer change over the course of the story?

Tom Sawyer pulled himself into a gargantuan amount of trouble in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but with that said, Tom grew immensely from start to end, especially in terms of maturity. Over time, he becomes more mature, responsible, and virtuous, despite always being gallant, resourceful, and above all, adventurous.

What lesson did Tom Sawyer learn?

If Tom would have just listened and painted the fence, he would have been saved from having to deal with the consequences later. The moral lessons learned in this book are a guideline to children to listen to your elders, follow the rules, and also gives the life lesson of being a loyal friend.

Why Tom has grown and matured over the course of the novel?

He did not have the freedom that he used to have anymore. I find Tom was mature in this situation because he started realising what is the best choice in life and the reasons for it. He was able to distinguish between the good and the bad. The way he persuaded Huck was also very unique.

How does Tom change throughout the novel?

Tom is described as someone who is powerful and doesn't care for anyone. He also doesn't fear and show emotion. Throughout the book he starts to show his vulnerability towards losing Daisy, and the death of Myrtle Wilson.

What is Tom's realization in whitewashing the fence?

Tom s great discovery was the law of human action when he got the other boys to white wash the fence. He lied and told them it was fun. "...and Tom has discovered a great law of human nature; namely, in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make it difficult to attain!"

What are Tom Sawyer's values?

Despite his antics, Tom Sawyer has a strong moral value system. He is conscientious of others' feelings, and has a strong regard for the difference... See full answer below.

What is Tom Sawyer's understanding of love?

Growing Up 3: Tom's understanding of love is childish and immature. His interest in Becky is not really love, but a crush. He doesn't understand the commitment that love requires.

Is Tom Sawyer coming of age?

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Mark Twain shows the coming of age and how the typical American boy progressed through childhood. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom shows how some young kids like him are very rebellious and disobedient.

What kind of a boy was Tom Sawyer?

Tom is a mischievous boy with an active imagination who spends most of the novel getting himself, and often his friends, into and out of trouble. Despite his mischief, Tom has a good heart and a strong moral conscience.

What realization does Tom reach?

Tom concludes that the secret to the camp's success and independence is that the migrants work together; the police are powerless against a collaborative effort. Tom is coming to realize the profound power of the unity that Casy preaches. His belief in the value of organized labor is growing stronger.

How does Tom Joad change as a character?

Tom Joad develops as a character and becomes a disciple of Jim Casy by discovering his life's purpose, going out to fight for what he and Casy believe in, and combining both the discovery of his life's purpose and his new found passion to change the world. Tom roars in outrage when he witnesses Casy death.

What does Tom's behavior reveal about his character?

7) What does Tom's behavior reveal about his character? Tom's behavior reveals that he is a racist, abusive, and arrogant person; he thinks that he can take advantage of and bully others because of his wealth and intimidating size. well, it's a fine book, and everybody ought to read it.

What is the moral lesson of Tom?

The moral lesson that could be taken away from this is that there are always things in life that we will be discontent with but that there are also advantages and things taken for granted in any position in society.

What moral lessons can be taken away from The Prince and the Pauper?

Some moral lessons that could be taken away from The Prince and the Pauper are the basic premise that "the grass is always greener on the other side" and that a person's moral character is not reflected by their class. Download PDF.

What do the boys learn from the book The Great Gatsby?

The lesson both boys learn over the course of their adventures is that poverty and royalty each come with their own advantages and disadvantages. Though they both originally envy the life of the other, ...

What is the moral lesson of walking in the shoes of the other?

Another moral lesson of the novel speaks to is to never abuse one's power. Since the novel possesses one point of view from the elite, the novel illustrates that power should never be abused. One last moral of the novel illustrates the fact ...

What is the moral of the book "We"?

One last moral of the novel illustrates the fact that there are both good and bad in everyone's life. "We" must accept our lives for what they are and make the most of them. "We" cannot allow our coveting of another to rule life. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team.

Why do the boys trade clothes in the book?

During the story, the boys trade clothes in order to escape from their own lives. Each boy learns an important lesson during his life as another person. There are multiple lessons (or morals) which can be learned by reading the novel. First, one must never judge a book by its cover.

Why is Edward the more dynamic character in The Last Jedi?

Between Edward and Tom, Edward is the more dynamic character because he changes from being rude, obnoxious, and selfish into being much more selfless and humble.

What is Tom Sawyer mocking?

Throughout Tom Sawyer, Twain makes a mockery of the adult and authority figures in the novel. In this chapter, we see another example of this mockery when the secrets of Schoolmaster Dobbins are revealed: his lovelorn nature, his desire to be a physician, his secret study of the human anatomy.

What were Tom and Joe like?

Tom and Joe were like heroes. The next morning, the church bell begins to toll and the villagers begin to gather for the funeral. Aunt Polly, Mary, Sid, and the Harper family are dressed in black and reverently sit in the front pew. After hymns and prayers, nothing but praise is sung of the boys.

What does Becky notice when she passes by the schoolmaster's desk in the empty schoolhouse?

Meanwhile, as Becky passes by the schoolmaster's desk in the empty schoolhouse, she notices that Mr. Dobbins has left a key in the drawer lock of his desk. Every day, Mr. Dobbins would take a mysterious book out of his desk, which he read when class was not in session, otherwise keeping it under lock and key.

What happens in the night in Tom and Huck?

An important observation to make is that Tom's return happens in the night. In writing the novel, there is an incredible emphasis between night and day, light and dark. The murder of Dr. Robinson occurs during the night, and so do the later "outings" that Tom and Huck undertake.

What does Huck teach Tom and Joe?

After dinner, Huck teaches Tom and Joe how to smoke tobacco from a pipe. At about midnight, the three awake to a solemn silence that has gripped the island.

Why does Tom sneak back home?

Stealing away from the other two boys, Tom decides to return home in order to deliver a message (written on the sycamore bark) to Aunt Polly. Because the raft has already drifted away, Tom sneaks himself onto a ferryboat headed toward the banks of St. Petersburg. After safely making it on shore, Tom hurries back home only to peer through the sitting room window and see Aunt Polly, Sid, Mary, and Joe Harper 's mother in a solemn state. Quietly sneaking through the door, Tom hides under the bed and eavesdrops on their conversation.

What did Polly do to Tom?

Polly, convinced that Tom had prophesied the account and that an angel must have been present , rewards Tom with an apple and kisses before sending him off to school . At school, Tom and Joe walk around with a "dignified air," telling tales of their adventures and putting envy in the eyes of all the other boys.