The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of the novels that people think of as "old and boring." The reality is, that like most really well written novels, Tom is a book filled with layers and layers of meaning.
Tom is essentially a coming of age story. Twain takes this great setting, intertwines incredible characters and tosses in themes of freedom and a loathing of hypocrisy.
Chapter One finds Tom trying to play, have fun and in the end he gets in trouble for it. We get to meet Aunt Polly, and get a glimpse of Jim. One of the things I love most about Tom is his sense of fun. He embraces life, wants to live it to its fullest and often times finds himself in trouble for it. In other words, he's a preteen boy!
Chapter Two helps us understand how brilliant Tom is. While he might not be the most educated boy in the world, he is a very typical gifted child. His ability to get others to go along with his pranks is so endearing.
In the final chapter for tonight, we learn more about Tom's character. In this chapter we find out that there is a dangerous side to Tom. We also understand that Tom has had a deeply religious upbringing in his Aunt's home, yet he doesn't always follow her beliefs.
I'll blog about the next three chapters on Thursday. If you are one of my students and you are reading this for your summer reading book, pay attention to Tom's character. What does he do that proves he's brave? What characteristics does he have that are common in American Heroes?
Enjoy the book and don't forget your dialectical journal directions.
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