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The adventures of Thomas Sawyer

Home Youth Corner The adventures of Thomas Sawyer

By Clemence Tashaya

EENHANA– Thomas Sawyer, the protagonist in this American 316 page novel by Mark Twain, The Adventures of Thomas Sawyer, is an orphan and lives with his aunt, Polly, and half brother Sid.  Tom dirties his clothes in a fight and is made to whitewash the fence the next day as punishment.  He cleverly persuades his friends to trade him small treasures for the privilege of doing his work.

He then trades the treasures for Sunday tickets, which one normally receives for memorising verses, redeeming them for the Bible, much to the surprise and bewilderment of the superintendent who thought “it was simply preposterous that this body had warehoused 2000 sheaves of scriptural wisdom on his premises – a dozen would strain his capacity without a doubt.”

Tom falls in love with Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town and persuades her to get “engaged” by kissing him.  But their romance collapses when she learns Tom has been “engaged” previously to Amy Lawrence.  Shortly after Becky shuns him, he accompanies Huckleberry Finn to the graveyard at night, where they witness the murder of Dr Robinson.  Tom, Huck and Joe Harper run away to an island.  While enjoying their new found freedom, the boys become aware that the community is sounding the river for their bodies.  Tom sneaks back home one night to observe the commotion.  After a brief moment of remorse at his loved one’s suffering, Tom is struck by the idea of appearing at his own funeral.

Back in school, Tom gets himself back to Beck’s favour after he nobly accepts the blame for a book she has ripped.  Soon, Muff Potter’s trial begins in which Tom testifies against Injun Joe.  Potter is acquitted, but the Injun Joe flees the courtroom through a window.  Tom then fears for his life as Injun Joe is at large and can easily find him. Summer arrives and Tim and Huck go hunting for buried treasure in a haunted house.  After venturing upstairs they hear a noise below.  Peering through holes in the floor, they see Injun Joe disguised as a deaf-mute Spaniard, Injun Joe and his companion plan to bury some stolen treasure of their own.

A week later, having deduced from Injun Joe’s presence at McDonald’s Cave that the villain must have hidden the stolen gold inside, Tom takes Huck to the cave and they find the box of gold, the proceeds of which are invested for them.  The widow Douglas adopts Huck and when Huck attempts to escape civilised life, Tom tricks him into thinking that he can join Tom’s robber band if he returns to the widow.  Reluctantly, Huck agrees and goes back to her. This must read novel is a good read for adventurous young Namibian people because of its interesting plot and theme.