The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Complete

About the book

Tom Sawyer would rather invent a glorious adventure than submit to school, chores, or the ordinary expectations of his Missouri town. His schemes draw friends into games of piracy, courtship, and daring, while Aunt Polly tries to make sense of his mixture of affection and mischief. Twain delights in the negotiations by which children borrow adult language and turn it to their own purposes. Yet the town contains dangers that cannot be controlled by a good story, and Tom must confront the difference between performing courage and acting courageously. The novel moves from broad comedy towards suspense without losing its interest in childhood imagination. Beneath the pranks lies a sharp observation of reputation, group behaviour, and the need to be admired.

• Childhood imagination
• Courage
• Community and reputation

Why read it

For lively comic scenes that gradually expose the distance between imagined heroism and real responsibility.

English text