the adventures of tom sawyer summary book review

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The adventures of tom sawyer, common sense media reviewers.

Twain's classic has humor, suspense, language issue.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Teaches readers what life was like for White young

Although this book is sometimes avoided -- even ba

Tom's guardian, Aunt Polly, loves Tom and treats h

Not terribly violent by teen standards, but parent

Young Tom Sawyer (probably 11 or 12, but Mark Twai

No curse words, but offensive racist language, inc

Injun Joe and Muff Potter drink whiskey to excess

Parents need to know that Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of this great American author's best-loved novels. First published in 1876, it portrays childhood during the pre-Civil War 1840s in an affectionate but realistic way; Twain's characters are full of wild ideas and antics that sometimes…

Educational Value

Teaches readers what life was like for White youngsters growing up in a small town on the Mississippi River during the mid-19th century, pre-Civil War era. Twain provides a vivid portrait of family life, school subjects, religious school, transportation, food, clothing, and attitudes that were prevalent at that time.

Positive Messages

Although this book is sometimes avoided -- even banned -- because of its racist language, it also offers life lessons. Tom is a rascal with a conscience and a loving heart. Twain teaches readers that many times children's careless antics are natural; a child can misbehave and still be "good" inside. The book also shows young readers that thoughtless actions have consequences, such as Aunt Polly's despair when Tom and his friends go "pirating."

Positive Role Models

Tom's guardian, Aunt Polly, loves Tom and treats him the same way she treats her own children, despite his antics. Much of Tom's behavior makes him more real than role model, but when his conscience overrules his fear of Injun Joe, he sets a very good and brave example.

Violence & Scariness

Not terribly violent by teen standards, but parents should be mindful of sensitivities of younger children. A knife murder takes place in view of two kids in the book, and a menacing villain talks graphically about cutting up face and ears of an older woman to exact revenge on her late husband.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Young Tom Sawyer (probably 11 or 12, but Mark Twain does not tell his age) flirts with girls and kisses the girl he likes best, Becky Thatcher.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

No curse words, but offensive racist language, including the "N" word, which is used 10 times. Native Americans are also portrayed in a derogatory way. Not only is the villain called "Injun Joe," the author attributes Joe's ruthlessness to his race. And Tom uses the word "injun" in other ways, such as "honest injun" and "injun-meal" (referring to corn).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Injun Joe and Muff Potter drink whiskey to excess -- enough to cause them to pass out. We don't see Huckleberry Finn's father, but readers are told that Huck is neglected and ill-behaved because he is "the son of the town drunkard." Huck smokes and teaches his friends Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper to smoke a pipe.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Mark Twain 's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of this great American author's best-loved novels. First published in 1876, it portrays childhood during the pre-Civil War 1840s in an affectionate but realistic way; Twain's characters are full of wild ideas and antics that sometimes get them into trouble. Tom Sawyer is often avoided, and has at times been banned from schools, because of the characters' use of the "N" word (which appears 10 times, often said by Tom and Huck) and the derogatory portrayal of Native Americans, especially in the form of the dangerous villain named Injun Joe. The novel is extremely enjoyable, full of humor and suspense, if readers can accept that its racist depiction of people of color is more a function of the characters' views than the author's.

Where to Read

Community reviews.

• Parents say (3)
• Kids say (18)

Based on 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Mark Twain's classic novel THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER takes place in fictional St. Petersburg (a town on the Mississippi that is patterned after Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri), where Tom lives with his Aunt Polly and cousins Sid and Mary. A mischievous, imaginative boy of about 11, Tom is often on the wrong side of the rules at school and at home. Late one night, Tom sneaks out with his friend Huckleberry Finn, and the two witness a violent crime. Afraid for their own safety, Tom and Huck promise each other to keep the night a secret, and Tom carries on his usual activities: playing pirates with his friends, flirting with the pretty Becky Thatcher, and worrying his Aunt Polly. But Tom and Huck soon find themselves in serious trouble, because they can't ignore their consciences, or the fact that the criminal has some treasure they can't resist.

Is It Any Good?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has stood the test of time because Twain's perceptive and humorous portrayal of young boys is so perfect and so universal. Twain's sardonic wit keeps the proceedings from ever seeming precious or teachy; Tom is a realistic character who could exist in any time, and his story is full of engaging slapstick and suspense. Tom Sawyer may offend readers because of the author's use of bigoted language, including the "N" word. But as with Twain's masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , readers should keep an open mind to understanding the difference between the worldview of the author and that of his characters.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the racist language in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . Do you think books with bigoted language should be read in schools? Why or why not?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written in the 1870s. What aspects of the book seem "historical" to you, and what seems like it could happen in any time?

To gain further insight into Mark Twain's views on race and slavery, read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn .

Book Details

• Author : Mark Twain
• Genre : Literary Fiction
• Topics : Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship , History
• Book type : Fiction
• Publisher : Barnes & Noble
• Publication date : June 1, 1876
• Number of pages : 256
• Available on : Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle, App
• Last updated : June 8, 2015

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Book review: the adventures of tom sawyer.

Introduction

A quick synopsis.

I am proud to review Mark Twain’s Classic “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” today. If you haven’t read this book, please grab a copy right away and read it.

Book Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer By Mark Twain

First published in 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is widely perceived as a children’s adventure story. The specialty of this book is that it revolves around the adventures of a young adolescent boy around the mid-nineteenth century, which is something that will appeal to everyone who reads the book, regardless of their age. For the adult reader, the story is reminiscent of his or her own childhood and for the child, a series of fun episodes he or she yearns to be a part of.

Tom Sawyer is young, imaginative and mischievous and lives with his Aunt Polly and half-brother Sid in a Mississippi town. The story opens with Tom’s Aunt Polly looking for Tom to question him about some missing jam. He gets in trouble at school and as punishment, has to spend his Saturday whitewashing her fence while his friends are enjoying themselves. But the clever Tom convinces his friends that it is a fun job – and they end up trading stuff with him to get a chance to whitewash the fence.

A young girl, Becky Thatcher moves into town and Tom falls in love with her. They have a tiff and Tom is off to the town graveyard with his best friend Huckleberry Finn, where they witness the wicked Injun Joe murder Doctor Robinson. When this comes to light, Injun Joe blames Muff Potter. Obviously this is too much for a young Tom to take, and he is afraid to tell what he knows.

He, Huck and their friend Joe Harper decide to become pirates and camp on an island in the river. When they come to know that Aunt Polly thinks they are all dead and a funeral is planned, they return home in a hurry. Once back, Tom feels braver and decides to testify against Injun Joe, who escapes from the law.

Without adding spoilers, I’d like to highlight the main scenes, which, besides the whitewashed fence, include the Sunday school episode, Tom and his friend Becky Thatcher getting lost in a cave, the graveyard scene with Tom and Huck Finn, Tom and Huck witnessing a murder, and their association with Injun Joe, followed by their hunt for his treasure. Each scene ties in with the overall story, building a vibrant picture of the lives of the various characters in the book.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) is a master at weaving words with wit and he tells the story of the young Tom Sawyer. Through the book, you will sense the moral, psychological and intellectual development of Tom, its central character. A beautifully written story, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer combines the past with the present in a way that the reader will personally identify with. The book speaks of life in the Mississippi River town where Twain himself spent his youth.

In this book you will experience a strong dose of humor, a lot of nostalgia, the innocence of childhood, superstitions, murder, revenge and slavery – all of which are ingredients for a classic story. Twain also wrote “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” a series of episodes related to the adventure to free the slave Jim.

If you are an adult reading the book, you will sense the typically Twain satire that runs through the story criticizing the eccentricities and hypocrisies of human nature.

The overall tone of the book is obviously humorous. For children reading the book, the adventures are quite exciting. Although this book is believed to be for young adults and adults, I remember reading the “whitewashing of the fence” in middle school in an English text book. The book is in narrative style, by an adult who sees the world cynically yet sentimentally when he dwells on his childhood with nostalgia.

Interesting: The Table of contents is followed by a timeline of Mark Twain’s life.

Suitable for age group: Recommended for everyone who is ten years and older.

Rating: Must-read. Five out of Five stars. Classics like these are hard to come by!

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31 comments.

I remember reading the white washing scene in school too! Never read the book after that – should pick it up some day :-). It’s nice to read about real boys and girls after all the fantasy and vampire stuff going around these days. Great review! Fab recently posted… Book Review – Eat That Frog!

One of the best books I have ever read. English classics made me fall in love with books. Kids today hardly know about them, it is a rather sad state of things 🙁 Seeta recently posted… Media (Un)Defined

I remember reading this book in school. After reading your review, feel like reading it again. Must get one and ask AG to read too! Shilpa Garg recently posted… Help! Help!!

I agree – these books started me on my journey decades ago Carol Graham recently posted… When Asked to Step Out of your Comfort Zone – Do It!

This is one of the many books that I read as a child, but really need to reread again as an adult!

I don’t know how many times I have read this book and every time I enjoyed it

To tell you the truth Vidya I was wondering what you’d do in a review of such a widely read widely heard of book but I so enjoyed your post. I love Mark Twain’s tongue in cheek humour and his quotes are to die for. Obsessivemom recently posted… Arranged Marriage

I can never forget the whitewashing scene. Thanks for the memories and ofcourse the review 🙂

Yes, the whitewashing scene was included in one of our English textbooks in Mumbai. That made me borrow the book from the school library and read it. Excellent book!

Your well-written review would make readers introduce the book to their kids. The story, which is appealing to kids, and Mark Twain’s lovely style would get kids hooked on to the reading habit. Proactive Indian recently posted… Punished for being poor?

This book and Huckleberry Finn were among the very first books that I have ever read and hold a special place in my heart. It was only years later that I learnt that these books were social commentaries of the days that Twain wrote these books. Have to re-read them sometime again just to re-analyse these books in that light. Jairam Mohan recently posted… The Confession – Chapter 3 – Books

I am yet to read that book. But will surely do after this review.

This truly is a “Must read” book for all ages, there is no doubt in my mind. Its an absolute classic. Of the classics, the one which always made me ponder as i grew up was ‘the Count of Monte Christo’. Roshan R recently posted… Things I Overhead While Talking To Myself – Book review

Roshan, the Count of Monte Christo is one of my all-time favorites. Each time I read it, I enjoy it in a different way. (Yes, I just got back :D). Also, The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emma Orczy. It is a amazing book. Thank you for sharing my happiness! Vidya Sury recently posted… Do You Have Type 2 Diabetes?

One of favorite books. Have lost count the times reading this one. Beautiful review 🙂 Sheethal recently posted… With Love.

A magnificent classic and a must read for everyone! ♥ Kathy recently posted… Books Haiku

Hi Vidya, Tom Sawyer is the quintessential creator of advantage from adversity.And in my estimate,he epitomises “making a lemonade when fate hands you a lemon”.That’s the spiritual lesson drawn from the beauty of assimilating Tom Sawyer character fully.The way he craetively inspires others to paint a fencing, and gets to bask in the glory of their adulation is magnificent really. Thanks Vidya ,for refreshing our memory. Mona richmiraclefiles recently posted… Create Balance For Peace

Tom Sawyers journey illustrates the challenges we all have to deal with in life, though these may seem trite. A wonderful review, Vidya! Michelle Liew recently posted… Addicted to you

I read the book in school and it forms part of ma childhood memories. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read and wow, you refreshed ma lovely memories:) vishalbheeroo recently posted… Write Tribe Festival of Words-2: Books

Oh! wonderfully reviewed. It took me back to school days. This was one of the books I enjoyed. Mysoul recently posted… Everyday Music

I remember reading about the fence white washing part of Tom Sawyer as an English Lesson in school. I was so intrigued that I made my grandpa buy me the book!! I had the abridged edition as a kid and then later on bought the unabridged version!! Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are brilliant books! 🙂 Pixie recently posted… Write Tribe Festival – Books

i’m pretty sure this book is required reading for all school kids in the U.S. Tom Sawyer was a legend but his buddy Huck was an even more interesting and criminally-minded character 🙂 Book particularly stands out for me cause I acted in a play in standard 6 featuring Tom Sawyer! Vishnu recently posted… A Simple but Powerful Practice to Change your Thoughts and Increase your Self-Worth.

Wow! that’s so sweet, Vishnu! And yes, I love Huckleberry Finn equally! What fun it must have been to act Tom Sawyer’s part!

This was required reading for us in school. A little lighter than Huck Finn. I just love everything that Mark Twain wrote. I hope to visit his hometown someday in Missouri! It was really fun to read your review! Betsy/Zen Mama recently posted… Want To Be Happy? Try Gratitude – 7 Ways to Practice Gratitude and Be Happier

I’m so glad we had Tom Sawyer and some other classics as compulsory reading in our school days. Amazing how much all these books gave us insights into the lives of children and adults in other countries. Sometimes, I think that it is the reading of these books that has helped us to bridge cultural gaps in blogging. What do you think? 🙂 Corinne Rodrigues recently posted… More Smart Eating, Less Guilt

Absolutely. Being well-read, that too with the right kind of reading broadens our outlook tremendously! Short of physically traveling everywhere, I think our reading habit is what makes us keenly appreciate everything we experience! It certainly helps us understand and bridge cultural gaps in blogging.

Great insight, Corinne! Thank you. And Thank you, again. Vidya Sury recently posted… Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

You took me back to my school days. This was my std 7 Literature book. They don’t write books like these anymore. In the age of Literature there were some real classics written. I need to read this book again. Thanks Vidya for bringing back those memories. Suzy recently posted… My Personal Journey with Dreams

Being published in 80s ,this book also rule till now……..a gud one.

Oh it’s been so long since I read this book. It brings back so many memories. I do remember Becky but don’t remember the murder part. Maybe I should try reading it again, once I am done with my TBR list. Rajlakshmi recently posted… The day my brain turned into a cabbage

Re-reading classics is so much more fun as adults. I recently re-read The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and loved it. Guess, we are able to find more meaning in these children’s stories when seen from an adult’s eye. I read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as a kid, but would love to pick it up again. Shilpa Garg recently posted… 5 Things About Life I Wish I Had Known 20 Years Ago #WordsMatter

This review brought me back to my school days when I read this book. I gotta read it again, you totally got me with this review ❤️ Karmen recently posted… 2 best hosting providers – from personal experience

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'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' Summary and Takeaways

Mark Twain's Famous Novel

Mark Twain (1876) "Frontipiece" in American Publishing Company , ed. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1st ed.), San Francisco, Cal.: A. Roman & Co/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

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"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," written in 1876, is one of the best-loved and most quoted works of American author Mark Twain (whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens). The novel, which sold slowly at first for the author, can be appreciated on multiple levels. Children can enjoy the adventure story, and adults can appreciate the satire.

'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' Summary

Tom Sawyer is a young boy living with his Aunt Polly on the banks of the Mississippi River. He seems to most enjoy getting into trouble. After missing school one day (and getting into a fight), Tom is punished with the task of whitewashing a fence. However, he turns the punishment into a bit of entertainment and tricks other boys to finish the work for him. He convinces the boys that the chore is a great honor, so he receives small, precious objects in payment.

Around this time, Tom falls in love with a young girl, Becky Thatcher. He suffers under a whirlwind romance and engagement to her before she shuns him after she hears of Tom's previous engagement to Amy Lawrence. He tries to win Becky back, but it doesn't go well. She refuses a gift he tries to give her. Humiliated, Tom runs off and dreams up a plan to run away.

It's around this time that Tom runs into Huckleberry Finn , who would be the titular character in Twain's next and most acclaimed novel. Huck and Tom agree to meet in the graveyard at midnight to test a scheme to cure warts involving a dead cat.

The boys meet at the graveyard, which brings the novel to its pivotal scene when they witness a murder. Injun Joe kills Dr. Robinson and tries to blame it on the drunken Muff Porter. Injun Joe is unaware that the boys have seen what he's done.

Afraid of the consequences of this knowledge, he and Huck swear an oath of silence. However, Tom becomes deeply depressed when Muff goes to jail for Robinson's murder.

After yet another rejection by Becky Thatcher, Tom and Huck run off with their friend Joe Harper. They steal some food and head to Jackson's Island. They're not there long before they discover a search party looking for three boys presumed drowned and realize they are the boys in question.

They play along with the charade for a while and don't reveal themselves until their "funerals," marching into the church to the surprise and consternation of their families.

Tom continues his flirtation with Becky with limited success over summer vacation. Eventually, overcome with guilt, he testifies at the trial of Muff Potter, exonerating him of Robinson's murder. Potter is released, and Injun Joe escapes through a window in the courtroom.

The court case isn't Tom's last encounter with Injun Joe, however. In the final part of the novel, he and Becky (newly reunited) get lost in one of the caves. Here, Tom stumbles across his archenemy. Escaping his clutches and finding his way out, Tom manages to alert the townspeople, who lock up the cave while leaving Injun Joe inside.

Our hero ends up ​happy, however, as he and Huck discover a box of gold (that once belonged to Injun Joe), and the money is invested for them. Tom finds happiness and — much to his distress — Huck finds respectability by being adopted.

The Takeaway

Although Tom is, in the end, victorious, Twain's plot and characters are so believable and realistic that the reader cannot help but worry for the easy-go-lucky boy (Tom) even though he rarely worries for himself.

In Huckleberry Finn, Twain created a wonderful and enduring character, a chipper poor boy who hates nothing more than respectability and being "sivilised" and who wants nothing more than to be out on his river.

Tom Sawyer is both a wonderful children's book and a book perfect for adults who still are children at heart. Never dull, always funny, and sometimes poignant, it is a classic novel from a truly great writer.

• 'The Adventure of Tom Sawyer' Quotes
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Authoring Arrowheads

Official website for Contemporary Christian YA author, Allyson Kennedy

Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Good afternoon, Arrowheads! Recently, I finally got around to reading the Mark Twain classic, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . I haven’t reviewed a classic here on Authoring Arrowheads before, but a Goodreads friend had said they’d like to hear my thoughts on the novel. So, let’s get started!

Growing up, I had always heard that The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a classic children’s book. In fifth grade, I picked up the book during free reading time on the last day of school. I didn’t get very far into it that day, but the small portion I read had been luring me back to the novel ever since. At last, thirteen years later, I’ve finally joined Tom on his adventures, and I totally get the hype of one of Twain’s most beloved works.

The plot of the book is just as the title states, surrounding adventures our protagonist–a small-town southern boy named Tom–takes. The adventures are always whimsical and believable for the time period, as I’ve heard similar happenings from stories passed down in my own southern family. The plot also allotted a mystery element which held my interest from the moment it was incited.

Twain perfectly captures the essence of the south both through his choice of language and vivid descriptions. Twain also crafts characters we can root for in Tom and his partner in crime, Huckleberry Finn. Tom’s attempt at courting Becky is adorable beyond words, and it propelled nostalgia for that “first major crush” period of my life.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Twain’s style of writing and plan to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and explore the remainder of his works.

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

What classic books do you recommend? Drop your favorites in the comments below!

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Introduction

The adventures of tom sawyer: plot summary, the adventures of tom sawyer: detailed summary & analysis, the adventures of tom sawyer: themes, the adventures of tom sawyer: quotes, the adventures of tom sawyer: characters, the adventures of tom sawyer: symbols, the adventures of tom sawyer: literary devices, the adventures of tom sawyer: quizzes, the adventures of tom sawyer: theme wheel, brief biography of mark twain.

Other Books Related to The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

• Full Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
• When Written: 1874-1875
• Where Written: Hartford, Connecticut
• When Published: 1876
• Literary Period: American Realism
• Genre: The novel is a hybrid of several genres, including satire, comedy, and folk narrative. It may be categorized as a picaresque novel because it's composed of a series of episodic adventures involving an impish child. As the story of Tom's moral development from boyhood into adulthood, it can also be described as a bildungsroman .
• Setting: The fictional village of St. Petersburg, which is based on Twain's boyhood home of Hannibal, Missouri
• Climax: Lost in MacDougal's Cave with Becky, Tom is searching the tunnels for a way out when he encounters Injun Joe, who runs away. (This is the major climax of the novel because Tom is its hero, but a secondary climax occurs at the same chronological time when Huck tells the Welshman that Injun Joe and the stranger are on their way to the widow Douglas's house to get violent revenge.)
• Antagonist: Injun Joe
• Point of View: The novel is narrated in the omniscient third person, though it is the voice of an adult with sympathetic insight into the struggles of boyhood.

Extra Credit for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Illustrated text: The original publication of Tom Sawyer by the American Publishing Company included 160 illustrations by True Williams. It is believed that the publisher might have intended that the pictures bulk up the rather short manuscript.

Hit rock song: The Canadian group Rush wrote "Tom Sawyer" to celebrate Twain's character for his individualism and spirited determination.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

49 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-7

Chapters 8-14

Chapters 15-28

Chapter 29-Conclusion

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Summary and Study Guide

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is an 1876 novel by Mark Twain written for both youth and adult readers. It is a story about Tom Sawyer , a boy from the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. Tom lives a life of constant adventure, drama, self-aggrandizement, and self-inflicted woes as he comes of age. The novel is equal parts comical and poignant, dark and light, and is one of Twain’s many odes to the pleasures and freedoms of childhood. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer examines themes of Childhood and Growing Up , Moral and Ethical Development , Freedom , and more.

This guide references the Kindle Dover Thrift Editions: Classic Novels version.

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Content Warning: Mark Twain wrote in the 19th century, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is set prior to the American Civil War. The source material contains terms and epithets that are outdated and offensive. The most acute example of this is the name and portrayal of the villain “Injun Joe,” whose name is replicated in this guide only to differentiate him from another character named Joe Harper.

Plot Summary

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When the story begins, Tom lives with his Aunt Polly and his brother, Sid. Aunt Polly is a reluctant disciplinarian who loves Tom but wishes that he would behave. She is constantly punishing Tom but knows that he is unlikely to learn from his mistakes or her imposed consequences. When she catches Tom skipping school, she makes him work on Saturday, whitewashing a fence. Tom turns the situation to his advantage, tricking a group of boys into doing the work for him. In fact, they pay him in trinkets and treasures for the privilege.

One evening, Tom sees a blond girl—Becky Thatcher—in the garden of her house and instantly falls in love with her. At school, he tells her that he loves her, and she agrees to become engaged. However, when Tom mentions that he was formerly engaged to a girl named Amy Lawrence, Becky is heartbroken and leaves him.

Shortly after, Tom spends an afternoon with the town’s child vagabond, Huckleberry Finn . They go to a graveyard with a dead cat, which Huck says they can use to cure warts. While at the graveyard, they see two men from town, Injun Joe and Muff Potter, who are stealing a body for Doctor Robinson. When they insist on more money, Robinson protests, leading to a fight in which Injun Joe stabs him to death. When Potter regains consciousness after a blow to the head, Injun Joe tells him he is responsible for killing the doctor.

Tom, Huck, and their friend Joe Harper flee to Jackson Island, where they plan to live as pirates. Soon, they are homesick, which only worsens when Tom realizes that a boat is searching the river for their bodies. Everyone thinks they drowned, which thrills Tom. One night, he sneaks back to the mainland and sees the pain his disappearance is causing Aunt Polly. They return and reappear for their joint funeral and are briefly celebrated as heroes.

Potter is convicted of Robinson’s murder, which bothers Tom, who knows he is innocent. When he testifies against Injun Joe—despite his oath to Huck that they would never tell—Injun Joe escapes through a window.

Days later, Huck and Tom decide to look for buried treasure. They dig in a house where they see Injun Joe in disguise, along with a companion. Injun Joe mentions that there is a second hiding place beneath a cross. Over the next week, Huck follows Injun Joe, looking for a chance to rob him. When he overhears Injun Joe’s plan to attack Widow Douglas, Huck intervenes by getting help, but asks to remain anonymous.

Tom and Becky get lost in a cave during a picnic. Tom finds their way out after days. Judge Thatcher says he sealed the cave , which leads Tom to tell him that Injun Joe is still inside. When they open the cave, Injun Joe has died from starvation.

Tom and Huck return to the cave via Tom’s exit and find the gold under a cross that is written on the wall with candle smoke. They go back and present their fortune to the adults in town. Widow Douglas says she will take charge of Huck. Huck hates it, but Tom begs him to stay “respectable” so that Huck can join his gang of robbers.

In a brief conclusion, Mark Twain writes that he ends the story because to go further would be to tell the story of a man. He wished only to tell the story of a boy. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a landmark coming-of-age story about a dynamic character. It also introduces the character of Huckleberry Finn, whose own namesake novel— The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn— would become even more celebrated and influential among readers and writers alike.

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Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain

One of Tom’s crazy adventures is when he and his friend were in a graveyard trying to revive a dead person with a dead cat at midnight. Before they begin their process they see three men, Muff Potter, Dr. Robinson, and Injun Joe in the same graveyard. They quickly hide behind the bushes because they do not want to be seen by the three men. Instead, they witnessed Injun Joe murder Dr. Robinson for revenge, and then Injun Joe accuses Muff Potter for the crime. So scared, Tom and Huck run to a shed and complete a blood oath that they will never talk about the crime scene to anyone or they will die and rot.

Besides going on adventures, Tom also likes to tricks the children to do his white washing (putting new coat of paint on his aunt’s fence) and trade his trinkets for the tickets that can be used to trade in for the Bible to impress the new girl, Becky Thatcher– when a student receives a Bible, it shows others that they had been a good student.

I think teenagers today are going to like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . Even though this book is a classic, there are still some naughty teenagers and they might want to read about how kids were in the 1800s.

– Samantha S., 6th grade

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31 thoughts on “ book review: the adventures of tom sawyer, by mark twain ”.

That sounds great! Classic stories are always good for us to understand the history and society at the time.

Good review! I agree with Wenqing, reading definitely aids in our comprehension of the world! I’ve been meaning to read this for quite some time but I will see to it now!

i like the book review

Tom sawyer is a mischief young boy who is always looking for a new adventure, he plays tricks and always does risky things and tricks the children to do his chores for him. He goes on adventures with his best friend Huckberry finn. He has a young love Becky thatcher and does everything to try and get her attention. He lives in saint peters berg in missippi in america. tom and his friend huck go to the graveyard one day and see something that they were not suppose to what do you tink they will do. Gwyn-vonne smit 9th grader from hoerskool montana in south africa

Gwyn-vonne smit your review is also nice and intersting Well i am Chhavi 6th grader from St.Anthony’s Sr.Sec school in north India [Asia]

An intresting ,exiting,wonderfull review i liked it.

Intresting story . coolllllllllllllllllllllllll

nice book review and you have nice name samantha

oh cool nice

i liked this book and its review. Its cool story!!!!!!!!

Ya i loved this review……….

it is an amazing story about the adventure of tom sawyer

truely… 🙂

nice review and a cool story.☺☺☺☺

hi niharika

samantha your review is nice and intersting i loved it And i am aslo a 6th grader!!

It was an awesome review by Samantha and even the book was fantastic. The mischievious activities, tricks, and adventures by tom were fab. I didn’t read the book but after reading the review it seems that the book must be interesting and may be fun to read so I am definitely going to read it. Loved the review and review writer’s name too. ANINDITAA KAUSHAL 7th grader, DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL, YAMUNANAGAR.

its nice review

wonderful!!!!

I like the book rewiew..and its a nice story…

it is interesting

I have read this book..and i am very fond of it ……good and honest review

i realy like the book

It’s very good for me and children who are interested in reading classic novels

very good review. 🙂

It’s very nice story for children and very very very good

Nice story sounds like a blast!!!!

This book really took my attention I really l loved it💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

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Book Review: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Actual Rating 4.5

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , by Mark Twain, is a pretty good novel. The main character of course being Tom goes through a series of interesting things. He witnesses things he probably shouldn't have and spends a lot of time with his small group of friends. He faces a lot of adventures and risky things throughout. This book is good especially if you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn after.

Reviewer Grade: 12

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer | Book Review | 1876 | Mark Twain

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Twain was an American author from the late 1800’s. His given name was Samuel Clemens.

Mark was a writer in a city newspaper before he authored the critically acclaimed The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn . He wrote several pieces under various pen names with subjects based around comedy and the experiences pertaining to his travels. Mark Twain was invited to deliver many lectures before he became a published author.

Apart from his two most popular novels, Twain also went on to pen down historical fictions later in his life. He established a publishing company that ultimately went bankrupt despite Twain’s multiple attempts to publish a novel. Twain then went back to writing articles for newspapers. His final work was an autobiography, which he dictated. It was published posthumously and became a bestseller.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a book about a little boy named Tom, who has a tendency for getting into trouble due to his mischievousness. He has the same desires as any boy his age, but those desires often land him in extraordinary circumstances .

The story begins with a description of what an ordinary afternoon is like in the life of Tom Sawyer. He comes off as notoriously indomitable at the outset. However, the actual plot soon kicks in once Tom finds himself in a perilous situation. This is what drives his subsequent actions, though at no point does he lose his carefree attitude. In fact, he makes good use of his ingenuity when faced with tough situations .

Tom ends up in Huckleberry’s company, leading to more adventures and mishaps . Huckleberry is a lovable character and he complements Tom’s impulsive nature. Together, they make a deadly duo.

WHAT WE LIKED ABOUT THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published in the late 1800’s. It has become a twenty-first century classic and for good reason. The book blends the innocence and imagination of a young child without robbing the story of the complexity of daily life. Tom has been portrayed as a kid who likes to have fun. However, he is also a kind and thoughtful boy. His motivations are pure albeit outlandish at times, like when he wishes to be a pirate .

The book is a masterpiece of humor. It stems from two young boys failing to grasp the gravity of a matter. They make decisions that seem harmless at first, but end up distressing their fellow villagers in Missouri.

The story ends on a satisfactory note with all the loose ends tied up.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER ABOUT THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

The book is a great addition to a child’s and an adult’s library alike. A classic like this needs no modification. It serves as a reminder to everyone to lead a carefree life like Tom and not let life weigh us down.

Ah, if he could only die temporarily!

And this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, that would turn it into work and then they would resign.

In conclusion, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of the must reads of English literature. The book is written in plain English. It contains profound thoughts that transcend the years of Tom, and readers will be left wanting for more of his adventures.

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Book Inscribed by Norman Rockwell

On view in june 2024..

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of The Walt Disney Company, The Walt Disney Family Museum is showcasing objects from the museum’s collection that highlight important moments in Walt’s life and career. These objects, which include recent acquisitions and fragile materials that have never been publicly displayed, will rotate periodically throughout the year.

Illustrator Norman Rockwell (1894–1978) and Walt Disney maintained a friendship and correspondence for many years.

In 1941, Rockwell visited the Disney Studio for lunch with Walt and artist Clyde Forsyth, a mutual acquaintance. Later that year, Walt commissioned Rockwell to compose portraits of his daughters Diane and Sharon, facsimiles of which are on display here in the Awards Lobby. Bill Cottrell, Walt’s brother-in-law, recalled a meeting between the two at Rockwell’s studio in Vermont: during a trip to New England, “Walt ended up spending a couple of hours with Rockwell. We just dropped in on him. It was nothing formal. He was mowing the grass when we drove up.”

In 1943, Rockwell gave Walt an oil painting titled Girl Reading the Post , which had been featured on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post two years prior. Like Walt, Rockwell’s art was widely known to Americans, in large part because of his longtime association with the Post , for which he composed over 320 cover illustrations between 1916 and 1963. Girl Reading the Post hung in Walt’s office along with a pair of oil pastel portraits of his daughters, Diane and Sharon, also by Rockwell. In a letter to Rockwell thanking him for the painting, Walt described the scene at the studio upon its arrival: “My entire staff have been traipsing up to my office to look at it. I know you would be delighted if you could see how minutely they inspect it. To all of them, you are some sort of god.” The respect was mutual—this 1935 edition of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , which features eight oil painting illustrations by Rockwell, is inscribed: “To Walt Disney, with sincere respect for his great art, Norman Rockwell.”

Walt and Rockwell’s lives overlapped in other ways, too. Both were recipients of the Boy Scouts of America’s Silver Buffalo Award, Rockwell in 1938 and Walt in 1946.  Walt himself was featured on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post in 1956, though Rockwell did not compose the cover, which was illustrated by former Disney studio artist Gustaf Tenggren. And when Rockwell visited Southern California in 1961, he visited Disneyland. While Walt was not available as a guide, he did write to Rockwell, saying, “It was nice hearing from you and to know that you enjoyed your visit to Disneyland. So far as the Park goes, it’s worth a trip about every other year because, then, you always see new attractions.”