TOM SAWYER CHANGES

Ramsey 3

TOM SAWYER CHANGES

Grant Ramsey2/3/2015

English 6, period 7

Tom is lazy, selfish, and a liar, but how somebody starts is not always, how they finish. In the beginning the story, Tom is selfish when he threw out his pinchbug at church. When he threw the pinchbug out into the aisle, a dog at church made a big scene about it. In the end, the dog killed the pinchbug and that was the only thing he cared about at church. The main character, Tom, constantly searches for new adventures, new tricks to play, or new ways to break the rules without getting into trouble.[footnoteRef:1] Tom does this while improving his character traits in three different events. All through the book, Twain creates a character named Tom Sawyer who becomes dynamic even when it wasnt looking too good for him. [1: (Swan 2014)]

One of the meaningful events in the book that shows Tom has changed is when Becky tore the book. Becky walked into to school and saw the key to Mr. Dobbins desk. She opened the drawer and found the book. While she was looking at the book, Tom walked up behind her and startled her. Becky ripped the book and she knew she was going to get into trouble by Mr. Dobbins. Mr. Dobbins noticed the rip and started asking who did it A thought shot like lightning through Toms brain. He sprang to his feet and shouted- I done it![footnoteRef:2] In this scene, Tom showed selflessness because he was thinking about Becky and not just himself. Tom did this because he did not want to see Becky get in trouble and get whipped. This is a beneficial change for Tom because in the beginning of the book Tom was selfish like when Joe, Huck, and Tom went to Jacksons Island. [2: (Twain 2001) p150. ]

Another meaningful event in the book is when Tom tells the truth at the trial. The night of the murder Huck and Tom had sworn not to tell anyone about what they had seen. The night before the trial begins, Tom decides to go see Muff Potters lawyer and tell him what had really happened. At the trial, Muff Potters lawyer was asking the witnesses very many questions. But when Tom got up there he told the truth -and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff Potter fell, Injun Joe jumped with the knife and-[footnoteRef:3] In this scene, Tom shows honesty because he told the truth when he had sworn with Huck to keep silent. He told the truth because he realized what a nice man Muff Potter was and all the things he did for him. This is a beneficial change for Tom because in the beginning of the book, he had a lying problem like when he said he did not go swimming and Sid caught him. [3: Ibid. p171.]

Lastly, the third meaningful event is when Tom and Becky get out of the cave. Tom and Becky were exploring a cave when they went too far. They saw the seven wonders of the cave and decided to keep going. They were trying to find a way out when the matches they were carrying burnt out. Tom still had the kite string with him so he could leave a trail to find Becky, but when he was trying to find a way out he saw a speck of light And if it had only happened to be night he would not have seen that speck of daylight and would not have explored that passage any more![footnoteRef:4] In this scene, Tom shows determination because he was going to get Becky out of the cave. This is a beneficial change for Tom because in the beginning of the book he would not have really cared to do anything that was hard. [4: Ibid. p231.]

Throughout the book, Mark Twain develops the character Tom Sawyer; he becomes a dynamic character through thick and thin. Before Becky tore the book, Tom did not care about anybody but himself. Earlier then the scene at the trial when Tom told the truth, all he did was lie. Before Becky and Tom got out of the cave, Tom would not do hard work anytime or anywhere. Toms return marks a greater sense of responsibility when, racked by conscience, he reveals what he knows of the murder.[footnoteRef:5] Throughout the book, Tom makes many different changes for the well-being of the people around him that make him a better person. [5: (Tom Sawyer- Themes and Chracters n.d.)]

BIBLIOGRAPHYSwan, Katharine. "Adverture of Tom Sawyer- Mark Twain." Classic Lit. 2014. http://classiclit.about.com/od/tomsawyercrit/fr/aa tomsawyer.htm (accessed December 2, 2014)."Tom Sawyer- Themes and Chracters." Novel Explorer. n.d. http://www.novelexplorer.com/tom-sawyer/thems-and-characters-70/ (accessed December 2, 2014).Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. New York: Modern Library, 2001.