Mark Twain’s classic story of a mischievous small-town boy, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has entertained readers for nearly 150 years. Though set in a bygone era, Tom’s desires for fun and freedom still resonate with young readers today.
I felt like Tom did at Muff Potter’s trial when I told on one of the older kids in my neighborhood. I knew that he had egged the Browns’ mailbox, but I was afraid he would find out if I told them. I did it anyway, and Mr. Brown made him clean it up!
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is similar to the movie "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off". Tom and Ferris both skip school to go on adventures. Their adventurous spirits get them into trouble but also make them likable and bring them success and social approval.
Tom Sawyer deals with social expectations. Our world still has rules for what makes a person “good” or “bad”. Tom and Huck seem “bad” because they disobey elders, skip school, and play tricks on people. But their hearts are in the right place. Many children are punished or labeled “bad” because they have a lot of energy, even though they may be very kind-hearted people.