Adventures of Tom Sawyer
(Mark Twain)

Responsibility

Tom throughout the beginning of the story repeatedly practices irresponsibility. He shrugs off the work he needs to do on the fence by manipulating the town children into doing it for him and acquires the recognition of learning many Bible verses without having done the actual work. Huck’s lifestyle is the epitome of responsibility as the boy lives without any adult supervision. Once the boys leave for Jackson Island though, Tom begins to learn that his actions have greater repercussions. His sincere empathy towards his aunt drives him to sneak back home and assure her of the children’s’ safety, but his immaturity has him plan to show up at his own funeral instead.

With the trial of Muff Potter, Tom shows a growth in character by breaking a promise he made to Huck and testifying for Muff Potter at risk of his own life. Huck has a similar growth when he goes to tell the neighbors about Injun Joe and his partner’s planned assault on Widow Douglas. Though the book focuses on Tom, Huck giving up his unordered life to live with Widow Douglas signals a change in the boys’ maturity.

Childhood vs. Adulthood

As the book is told from the perspective of a child, both the children and the narrator often ridicule the worldview of adults for being silly. While children are shown to view the world with a sense of curiosity- if not wonder- adults are portrayed as too serious. Both the Sunday and regular schoolteachers are sincere folks who seem to lack a sense of humor, as well as the pastor. Aunt Polly is always experiencing extreme emotions that take much of her energy. Injun Joe and his partner are petty and violent. The only adult who the children aren’t seen to always be fighting against is cousin Mary, who is in a liminal space between childhood and adulthood and manages to exert a certain amount of authority over the children, but without the resentment of it that seems to be attached to the other adults.