A Character Analysis of Tom Sawyer in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Liu+Jia

【Abstract】Tom Sawyer is the protagonist of the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer written by American novelist Mark Twain.The story was happened on the Mississippi River.By the adventure of Tom Sawyer， the author presents us Americans life in that time and their life value.Compared with adults conservative life， Toms life is full of freedom and adventures.This paper analyzes Tom Sawyers character analysis and makes some comparative analysis with Houlton Caulfield-the protagonist of David Salingers novel The Catcher in the Rye.

【Key words】Tom Sawyer； Mark Twain； Character； Analysis

1. Introduction

Mark Twain（1835-1910）， pseudonym of Sawuel Laughorn Clemens， was an American writer and novelist.He was grown in a small town on the Mississippi River.In his life， he did many kinds of jobs， such as a printer， river pilot， newspaper reporter.With spending so much time on the Mississippi River， he described his boyhood on the Mississippi River in three works： The Adventures of Tom Sawyer， The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn， and Life on the Mississippi.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer， one of Mark Twains best novels was a success as“a boys book”.Tom walked out of Twains pages directly from his fresh memory of his boyhood in the west.By quoting from his own experience， Mark Twain managed to transform into art the freedom and humor.In the foreword of this novel， the writer said： “most of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred.”The story is the recollection of Mark Twains childhood.

2. Tom Sawyers Character Analysis

Each coin has two sides.On one hand， Tom Sawyer is innocent， clever and bravery.When Tom was punished to whitewash the fence for his fault， he played a trick to pretend that whitewashing was a precious chance and Aunt Polly didnt allow other kids to whitewash this fence except him.As a result， kids pleased him to allow themselves to whitewash the fence.“Tom had discovered something important that morning.It was that in order to make a man or a boy want something， it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain.”When facing the possible threaten from killer， Tom Sawyer revealed Injun Joes guilt at the trial to save the life of Muff Potter.On the other hand， Toms playful boldness and rebellion leaves an great impression for us.When he was feeling gloomy and desperate， he escaped from the village with his friends.After several-days disappearing， people thought they had been drowned.They were so happy because people missed and mourned them.This kind of thing was really like our“sad memories”in our childhood.

3. Comparisons with Houlton Caulfield

Houlton Caulfield is the protagonist of the novel The Catcher in the Rye. Houlton believed that the adult world is full of falsehood， superficiality and vanity.If somebody tried to do something phony， he preferred to break up their relations.what Houlton dreaming is to be a catcher to protect the child against the pollution from adult world because of the deep love with childrens purity and innocence.

In the novel， we can see the conflict of Houltons inner heart.He cannot change the world， but he had to do something he doesnt like.When Tom feeling gloomy， he escaped from the village.Could Houlton escape just like Tom？ First， as a child， Tom Sawyer could go to anywhere he like.What he cared about was whether he could achieve his pirate dream or not.As for Houlton， he was 16 years old.In his mind， the sorrow brought from the death of his younger brother Alley has made his parents collapse；his parents couldnt accept the fact of his leave.In spite of he had experienced a series of terrible things and was fed-up with this society， he still cared about his sister and parents.He couldnt leave.Second， it lies in their social different environment.Tom Sawyer grew in a small town on the Mississippi River in 1840s.Different from Tom Sawyer， Houlton grew in New York in 1951.After World WarⅡ， American society came into a prosperous period， more and more young people faced on the main-adolescence growing up crisis.Even if Houlton went to a place like Tom Sawyers paradise， he would also under the pressure from American society.

4. Conclusion

By the adventures of Tom Sawyer， the author criticizes American hypocritical social customs， religious ceremony and stereotyped school education.The aim why Mark Twain produced the novel is to awaken peoples childhood memories and natural instincts in deep heart.Man at birth is fundamentally good in nature.In some respects， we may put the children as a mirror， to heal the inner fickleness and maintain a childlike innocence， to be a man with justice and a sincere heart.

References：

[1]Mark Twain.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer[M]New York： Harper Row Publisher Inn，1983.

[2]Toming.A History of American Literature[M].Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research press，2008：145-148.

作者簡介：刘佳（1993-），女，山东莱芜人，在读硕士研究生，辽宁师范大学城市与环境学院。