The+Adventures+of+Tom+Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Audio Recording of the book

Introduction A Video Link The Adventures of Tom Sawyer media type="custom" key="23636834" Lyrics Here! Tom Sawyer by Rush Lyrics

Questionable Ethics: Make a page in your notebook for each character. Each page should have a front and back. On the front, create a character profile. On the back of each page, collect evidence of questionable ethics about each person. **Characters in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer**

**Tom Sawyer** - The novel’s protagonist. Tom is a mischievous boy with an active imagination who spends most of the novel getting himself, and often his friends, into and out of trouble. Despite his mischief, Tom has a good heart and a strong moral conscience. As the novel progresses, he begins to take more seriously the responsibilities of his role as a leader among his schoolfellows. Read an [|in-depth analysis of Tom Sawyer.]  **Aunt Polly** - Tom’s aunt and guardian. Aunt Polly is a simple, kindhearted woman who struggles to balance her love for her nephew with her duty to discipline him. She generally fails in her attempts to keep Tom under control because, although she worries about Tom’s safety, she seems to fear constraining him too much. Above all, Aunt Polly wants to be appreciated and loved. **Huckleberry Finn** - The son of the town drunk. Huck is a juvenile outcast who is shunned by respectable society and adored by the local boys, who envy his freedom. Like Tom, Huck is highly superstitious, and both boys are always ready for an adventure. Huck gradually replaces Tom’s friend Joe Harper as Tom’s sidekick in his escapades. Read an [|in-depth analysis of Huckleberry Finn.] **Becky Thatcher** - Judge Thatcher’s pretty, yellow-haired daughter. From almost the minute she moves to town, Becky is the “Adored Unknown” who stirs Tom’s lively romantic sensibility. Naïve at first, Becky soon matches Tom as a romantic strategist, and the two go to great lengths to make each other jealous. **Joe Harper** - Tom’s “bosom friend” and frequent playmate. Joe is a typical best friend, a convention Twain parodies when he refers to Joe and Tom as “two souls with but a single thought.” Though Joe mostly mirrors Tom, he diverges from Tom’s example when he is the first of the boys to succumb to homesickness on Jackson’s Island. As the novel progresses, Huck begins to assume Joe’s place as Tom’s companion. **Sid** - Tom’s half-brother. Sid is a goody-goody who enjoys getting Tom into trouble. He is mean-spirited but presents a superficial show of model behavior. He is thus the opposite of Tom, who is warmhearted but behaves badly. **Mary** - Tom’s sweet, almost saintly cousin. Mary holds a soft spot for Tom. Like Sid, she is well behaved, but unlike him, she acts out of genuine affection rather than malice. **Injun Joe** - A violent, villainous man who commits murder, becomes a robber, and plans to mutilate the Widow Douglas. Injun Joe’s predominant motivation is revenge. Half Native American and half Caucasian, he has suffered social exclusion, probably because of his race. Read an [|in-depth analysis of Injun Joe.] **Muff Potter** - A hapless drunk and friend of Injun Joe. Potter is kind and grateful toward Tom and Huck, who bring him presents after he is wrongly jailed for Dr. Robinson’s murder. Potter’s naïve trust eventually pushes Tom’s conscience to the breaking point, compelling Tom to tell the truth at Potter’s trial about who actually committed the murder. **Dr. Robinson** - A respected local physician. Dr. Robinson shows his more sordid side on the night of his murder: he hires Injun Joe and Muff Potter to dig up Hoss Williams’s grave because he wants to use the corpse for medical experiments. **Mr. Sprague** - The minister of the town church. **The Widow Douglas** - A kindhearted, pious resident of St. Petersburg whom the children recognize as a friend. Tom knows that the Widow Douglas will give him and Becky ice cream and let them sleep over. She is kind to Huck even before she learns that he saved her life. **Mr. Jones** - A Welshman who lives with his sons near the Widow Douglas’s house. Mr. Jones responds to Huck’s alarm on the night that Injun Joe intends to attack the widow, and he takes care of Huck in the aftermath. **Judge Thatcher** - Becky’s father, the county judge. A local celebrity, Judge Thatcher inspires the respect of all the townspeople. He takes responsibility for issues affecting the community as a whole, such as closing the cave for safety reasons and taking charge of the boys’ treasure money. **Jim** - Aunt Polly’s young slave. **Amy Lawrence** - Tom’s former love. Tom abandons Amy when Becky Thatcher comes to town. **Ben Rogers** - One of Tom’s friends, whom Tom persuades to whitewash Aunt Polly’s fence. **Alfred Temple** - A well-dressed new boy in town. Like Amy Lawrence, Alfred gets caught in the crossfire of Tom and Becky’s love games, as Becky pretends to like him in order to make Tom jealous. **Mr. Walters** - The somewhat ridiculous Sunday school superintendent. Because he aspires to please Judge Thatcher, Mr. Walters rewards Tom with a Bible, even though he knows that Tom hasn’t earned it. **Mr. Dobbins** - The schoolmaster. Mr. Dobbins seems a slightly sad character: his ambition to be a medical doctor has been thwarted and he has become a heavy drinker and the butt of schoolboy pranks. The above character list for download: Notebook templates for download:   Ethics: 1 **:** the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation 2**: ** a set of moral principles **:** a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; a guiding philosophy; a consciousness of moral importance 3**: ** a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness)  = The Important Questions to Ponder as You Read: = 1. How does Tom Sawyer change over the course of the story? 2. Analyze the character of Aunt Polly and her relationship to Tom. 3. What role do alcohol and images of drunkenness play in the novel?

Other important questions:

1. Analyze the relationship between Tom and Huck Finn, paying close attention to their trip to the graveyard and their hunt for treasure. 2 . Analyze Tom’s relationship to the other boys his age, paying close attention to the whitewashing scene and the scenes at school. 3 . Discuss how Twain uses satire in the Sunday school scene. 4 . Trace Tom’s courtship of Becky. In what ways is their romance adultlike? In what ways is it childish? 5 . Discuss Twain’s portrayal of the town’s authority figures, especially Judge Thatcher, Mr. Dobbins, and the minister. 6 . Analyze Twain’s portrayal of Injun Joe. Does Twain want us to feel sympathy for Injun Joe? How can you tell? 7 . Analyze the relationship between the adults and children of St. Petersburg. Focus especially on the adult reaction to Tom Sawyer.

= Motifs in the Story :=

> Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

**Crime**
The many crimes committed in the novel range from minor childhood transgressions to capital offenses—from playing hooky to murder. The games the boys prefer center on crime as well, giving them a chance to explore the boldness and heroism involved in breaking social expectations without actually threatening the social order. The boys want to be pirates, robbers, and murderers even though they feel remorse when they actually commit the minor crime of stealing bacon. The two scenes in which Tom plays Robin Hood—who, in stealing from the rich and giving to the poor is both a criminal and a hero—are emblematic of how Tom associates crime with defending values and even altering the structure of society.

**Trading**
The children in the novel maintain an elaborate miniature economy in which they constantly trade amongst themselves treasures that would be junk to adults. These exchanges replicate the commercial relationships in which the children will have to engage when they get older. Many of the complications that money creates appear in their exchanges. Tom swindles his friends out of all their favorite objects through a kind of false advertising when he sells them the opportunity to whitewash the fence. He then uses his newly acquired wealth to buy power and prestige at Sunday school—rewards that should be earned rather than bought. When Tom and Joe fight over the tick in class, we see a case in which a disagreement leads the boys, who have been sharing quite civilly, to revert to a quarrel over ownership.

The jump from this small-scale property holding at the beginning of the novel to the $ 12, 000 treasure at the end is an extreme one. In spite of all Tom and Huck’s practice, their money is given to a responsible adult. With their healthy allowance, the boys can continue to explore their role as commercial citizens, but at a more moderate rate.

**The Circus**
The boys mention again and again their admiration for the circus life and their desire to be clowns when they grow up. These references emphasize the innocence with which they approach the world. Rather than evaluate the real merits and shortcomings of the various occupations Tom and Hank could realistically choose, they like to imagine themselves in roles they find romantic or exciting.

**Showing Off**
Tom’s showing off is mostly directed toward Becky Thatcher. When he shows off initially, we guess that he literally prances around and does gymnastics. Later, the means by which Tom and Becky try to impress each other grow more subtle, as they manipulate Amy and Alfred in an effort to make each other jealous.

In the Sunday school scene, Twain reveals that showing off is not strictly a childhood practice. The adults who are supposed to be authority figures in the church are so awed by Judge Thatcher and so eager to attract his attention and approval that they too begin to behave like children. The room devolves into an absolute spectacle of ridiculous behavior by children and adults alike, culminating in the public embarrassment in which Tom exposes his ignorance of the Bible. = Symbols in the Story: =

Symbols
> Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

**The Cave**
The cave represents a trial that Tom has to pass before he can graduate into maturity. Coming-of-age stories often involve tests in which the protagonist is separated from the rest of the society for a period of time and faces significant dangers or challenges. Only after having survived on the strength of his personal resources is Tom ready to rejoin society.

**The Storm**
The storm on Jackson’s Island symbolizes the danger involved in the boys’ removal from society. It forms part of an interruptive pattern in the novel, in which periods of relative peace and tranquility alternate with episodes of high adventure or danger. Later, when Tom is sick, he believes that the storm hit to indicate that God’s wrath is directed at him personally. The storm thus becomes an external symbol of Tom’s conscience.

**The Treasure**
The treasure is a symbolic goal that marks the end of the boys’ journey. It becomes a indicator of Tom’s transition into adulthood and Huck’s movement into civilized society. It also symbolizes the boys’ heroism, marking them as exceptional in a world where conformity is the rule.

**The Village**
Many readers interpret the small village of St. Petersburg as a microcosm of the United States or of society in general. All of the major social institutions are present on a small scale in the village and all are susceptible to Twain’s comic treatment. The challenges and joys Tom encounters in the village are, in their basic structure, ones that he or any reader could expect to meet anywhere. Chapter Questions:

Idioms in the book:

Vocabulary Practice: =Chapter One = Students will find the section where Aunt Polly worries about her ability to control Tom and ponders over what she must do in order to "do right by the boy". They then must find the section where Tom meets the citified boy. Put the students into groups and have them act out these two parts.

 Introduce the term "social economic status . After reading the chapter, have students decide what social economic status they would categorize Tom and his family. Explain that this is an opinion. Ask them to cite evidence to back up their claim.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 160%;">Social Economic Status: =<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #232323; font-family: 'Museo Slab 500',serif; font-size: 30px; vertical-align: baseline;">List of Socio-Economic Factors =

<span style="font-family: 'Museo Slab 500',serif; font-size: 21px; vertical-align: baseline;">Education
>>
 * In the most obvious way, educational levels influence economic status, as higher paying jobs tend to require advanced or specialized education. Education, however, also determines social status and allows people to trust those who are educated in their fields of employment. [[image:http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png link="http://www.ehow.com/info_8245697_list-socioeconomic-factors.html#"]] mechanics may not be generally considered to be as smart as attorneys, but when a car needs repair, a consumer respects a mechanic's expertise to fix the problem. Trained health care professionals are able to influence the eating and exercise behaviors of entire communities through public campaigns. If they were not held in high social regard, this would not be possible.

<span style="font-family: 'Museo Slab 500',serif; font-size: 21px; vertical-align: baseline;">Income
>>
 * Net income is a direct contributor to what a single person or family can afford to spend. Income determines neighborhood choices and living conditions. It is often the deciding factor in higher educational pursuits. People living closer to the poverty line may forego one necessity for another, such as medicine for food or doctor visit co-pays for utility bills. Others with income to spare may spend or save money to contribute to lifestyle freedoms such as travel, [[image:http://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/icon1.png link="http://www.ehow.com/info_8245697_list-socioeconomic-factors.html#"]] accounts and various luxury items.

<span style="font-family: 'Museo Slab 500',serif; font-size: 21px; vertical-align: baseline;">Health
>>
 * Health status is a definite measurement of socio-economic status. Poor health, whether brought on by genetic predispositions, accidents or lifestyle choices, is able to render a person stagnant. Illness can hinder progress in terms of education and employment options. Health status affects mobility and the ability to socialize, thereby restricting the social circle of a lot of sick people. Certain conditions require constant monitoring by health care professionals and a medication-dependent lifestyle, which can be very costly. Disabled persons are often limited financially by a defined social security income, just like elderly people.

<span style="font-family: 'Museo Slab 500',serif; font-size: 21px; vertical-align: baseline;">Environment
> > Graphic Organizer:
 * 1) <span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Environment does not have to determine socio-economic status, but is often a reflection of it. An adult may choose to live in a lower income neighborhood to save money on rent. The same person may also choose to socialize with workmates instead of neighbors. In this instance, living environment is not a factor in personal socio-economy. However, children born and raised in the same environment may be socially restricted, as they may be forced to attend public school in an area zoned for their home address. Likewise, ingrained social behaviors in higher income communities are often reflected in the adolescent population. It is difficult for researchers to determine if observed group behaviors are attributable to income status or social environment


 * Set A**
 * 1. How does Aunt Polly find out that Tom did go swimming?**
 * 2. What is it about the new boy that bugs Tom so much?**
 * 3. Describe Aunt Polly (behavior and looks) using 3 quotes from the book.**
 * 4. What does "spare the rod and spoil the child" mean?**
 * 5. Translate slang: truck, lick, dander up, powerful warm, lam, suck eggs, ?**
 * 6. What is the relationship between Aunt Polly and Tom?**
 * 7.**

=1. (2) Tom avoids being whipped (for _) by...= =a) hiding from Aunt Polly. b) blaming it on Sidney. c) distracting Aunt Polly and running away. d) apologizing.= =2. After she doesn't whip him, Aunt Polly feels...= =a) angry. b) guilty. c) happy. d) stupid= =3. ...because...a) he tricked her again. b) he got away with another prank. c) she's not doing her duty as a parent. d) he's such a pain in the rear.= =4. Aunt Polly finds out Tom skipped school to go swimming because...= =a) his hair is wet. b) his clothes are wet. c) Sidney saw Tom swimming, and told Aunt Polly. d) Sidney mentioned a difference in Tom"s clothes.=  Chapter Two   The White Washing Scene:  Introduce the idea of Allusion  Explain how people use the white washing scene as an allusion when someone is manipulating someone into doing something (baffooning them). What is an allusion? media type="custom" key="23877840"
 * Set B**

media type="custom" key="23878010" Have students create a text to real life scene where they act out a scene where they convince someone to do something they would not usually want to do. Have them end with "Don't Tom Sawyer Me!"

Continue by teaching and giving other examples of allusions. Set A. 1. Name three things that Tom got the kids to give him. 2. According to MT, what is the difference between work and play? (p13) 3. Translate slang: bully, taw, gay, up a stump, honest injun, shucks

Set B When Tom says to the new kid, "for two cents I will do it" (beat him up), what does the new kid do?

When Tom gets in late and Aunt Polly sees how messed up his clothes are, she decides that his punishment will be...

What do these terms mean? > " I can lick you!" > ..get my dander up..." > * Bonus: Who's "Old Scratch"? (p2) = Chapter Three = Chapter Four
 * "What is that truck?"

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine Chapter 9 <span style="color: #008000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 140%;">On a separate piece of paper respond to the question about Tom Sawyer and two others (about 1-2 paragraphs for each response). Think about what you believe to be right or ethical. Chapter Ten
 * What do you think about Tom’s decision to tell the truth about what happened in the graveyard? Do you think he should have told the truth sooner? Do you think you would be able to tell the truth if your life depended on it, like Tom’s did?***

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen