Mark Twain published "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" in 1876 to little fanfare. Years later, it became one of the most famous novels in American literature.
"Tom Sawyer" tells the story of the title character's childhood, recounting various anecdotes and his relationship with friends Huckleberry Finn and Becky Thatcher.
The book begins by introducing the young Tom and revealing his character. Tom is a bright, rambunctious boy with a penchant for mischief - often skipping school or disobeying the wishes of his guardian Aunt Polly. He and his friends subscribe to many superstitions.
Despite his exuberance, Tom is less wild than his pal Huckleberry Finn, who grew up without parental guidance, seldom wears shoes, and never attends school.
The story gets going when Tom and Huck sneak into a graveyard at night and witness a murder by the halfbreed Injun Joe. Fearing for their life, the boys vow to keep silent about what they saw. Tom has more adventures, attends his own funeral, courts Becky, pretends to be a pirate on the Mississippi River, hunts for buried treasure, and gets lost while exploring a cave. However, the story returns to the crime and the killer he witnessed, culminating in an exciting climax.
Twain tells this story as if he were standing before a campfire or in an American parlor. The narrator's voice is one of middle America, told with wit and humor. Many of Tom's adventures originated from the author's childhood, and some of the characters were based on friends and acquaintances from Mark Twain's upbringing in Hannibal, MO. The reputation of this novel has only grown in the past century and a half. It appeals to children and adults alike.
