Study Guide for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer

Main character, adventurous and mischievous boy.

Becky Thatcher

Tom's love interest, represents innocence and romance.

Huckleberry Finn

Tom's best friend, symbolizes freedom and adventure ( also town drunks son)

Aunt Polly

Tom's guardian, struggles with disciplining him.

Injun Joe

Antagonist, responsible for Dr. Robinson's murder.

Dr. Robinson

Victim of Injun Joe, represents injustice.

Muff Potter

Accused of murdering Dr. Robinson, innocent man.

Sid Sawyer

Tom's half-brother, often a source of conflict.

Judge Thatcher

Becky's father, represents authority in the community.

Mary Sawyer

Tom's cousin, embodies traditional femininity.

Widow Douglas

A kind woman who helps Huck Finn (rich widow with house of Cardiff hill)

Frontier Education

Reflects the challenges and values of rural schooling.

Local Color Writing

Twain's style showcasing regional dialects and settings.

Jackson's Island

Place where Tom, Huck, and Joe play pirates.

Cardiff Hill

Location of Widow Douglas's house.

McDougal's Cave

Site where Tom and Becky get lost.

St. Petersburg

Fictional town where the story is set.

Autobiographical Elements

Characters based on Twain's life experiences.

Superstitions

Beliefs influencing characters' actions and decisions ( example: bringing dead cat to graveyard at midnight to heal warts)

Whitewashing the Fence

Tom's clever manipulation of friends for fun.

Ten Yellow Tickets

Reward for learning bible verses in Sunday school. Reward is a bible

Aunt Polly's Punishment

Conflicted feelings about disciplining Tom.

Tom's Deceitfulness

Revealed through various tricks and lies.

Treasure Hunting

Tom and Huck's adventurous quest for riches.

Becky's Reaction to Tom's Death

Shows her deep feelings for Tom.

***** Joe's Fate

Ends tragically, reflecting themes of justice.

Tom's Daily Earnings

Tom receives money for his work.

Aunt Polly's Confusion

Struggles with her role as a disciplinarian.

Joe Harper

Tom's best friend in childhood.

Puppy Love

Superficial affection, mocked by Twain.

Flirting

Tom pretends not to see a flower.

Blame

Tom is punished for Sid's mistake.

Comical Scene

Tom pretends to drown himself over a girl.

Mary

Tom's aunt who helps him with Bible verses.

Trading Tickets

Boys exchange colored tickets for prizes.

Mr. Walters

Tom's Sunday School teacher.

Exaggeration

Twain describes the judge's distance humorously. And when Tom gets blamed for something Sid did and he went outside to think of drowning

Satire

Twain mocks adults' behavior around the judge.

Model Boy

Willie Mufferson, idealized by adults.

Sermon

Reverend discusses the apocalypse.

Treasure

Tom's bug escapes, symbolizing lost control.

Sore Toe

Tom pretends to be injured to skip school.

Wart Cures

Huck claims dead cats cure warts.

Punishment

Tom sits with girls for being late.

Mischievous Nature

Tom often engages in playful trouble.

Secret Agreement

Tom and Becky agree to be exclusive.

Running Away

Tom escapes to woods after fight with Becky.and becomes pirate kind of

Pirate Fantasy

Tom imagines adventure in the forest.

Graveyard Scene

Tom and Huck witness a murder.

Conscience

Tom feels guilt after witnessing the murder.

Peter the Cat

Tom pranks Peter with painkiller.

Becky's Behavior

Changes, indicating her feelings for Tom.