摘 要

《汤姆索亚历险记》是马克·吐温19世纪的代表作。该小说讲述了汤姆·索亚在小镇上的生活和成长经历，包括他的爱情和探险，呈现了当时美国社会一个聪明，英雄主义的，爱冒险的青年形象。马克·吐温通过塑造汤姆·索亚这样一个形象以及描述他的成长经历，旨在于谴责社会未能给年轻人的成长创造良好的环境，批判资本主义社会的人情冷暖和道德伪善。本文分别从汤姆·索亚作为顽童，英雄和探险家的经历来分析其个性和反叛精神，从而探讨马克·吐温式的独特人物塑造，主题关注和艺术价值。

关键词： 马克·吐温， 汤姆·索亚，性格，成长经历，探险

Contents

1.Introduction 1

2. Demonstrations 3

2.1. Tom Sawyer as a downy bird 3

2.1.1 Whitewashing the fence 3

2.1.2 Escaping punishment from Aunt Polly 3

2.1.3 Pursuing Becky 4

2.2 Tom Sawyer as a hero……………………………………………………………..5

2.2.1 Tom Sawyer as a hero in the Sunday-school 5

2.2.2 Tom Sawyer as a hero in Becky’s heart 6

2.2.3 Tom Sawyer as a hero in the court-room 7

2.3 Tom Sawyer as an adventurer………………………...............................................8

2.3.1Tom’s adventure to the island 8

2.3.2 Tom’s adventure to the haunted house 9

2.3.3 Tom’s adventure to the cave 10

Conclusion 11

Works Cited 13

Bibliography 13

An Analysis of Tom Sawyer in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer

1. Introduction

Mark Twain (pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens), was an American writer and elocutionist. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is his best work and it was thought as the “first American literature”. His writing career can be divided into three stages. During 1865-1870, Mark Twain's early works mainly satire critique of religion education and expose people who are always for personal benefit, exposing the truth of democracy and freedom under the cover of the American Society and criticizes the social reality of racial discrimination and false democracy. His important works include The Innocent Abroad, Running for Governor, Goldsmith’s Friend Abroad Again. During 1871-1895, Twain made a comprehensive reflection on the political system, ethics and life style of the United States of America, and criticized all kinds of malpractice and moral bankrupt of American society with a bitter irony. His important works include The Gilded Age, the Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, Pudd'nhead Wilson and The million Pound Note. During 1896-1910, Twain mainly criticizes the U.S. policy of aggression and expansion in his works, and further explores the capitalist society and the universal human nature. The form of the works increases travel notes, essays and politics. The important works include Following the Equator, The man that Corrupted Hadleyburg, and To the Person Sitting in Darkness.

The novel describes a story about Tom Sawyer living in a town nearby the Mississippi River. Tom Sawyer is a mischievous child and likes playing tricks. At the beginning, he seeks Becky who he loves. On some day, he, with Huckleberry Finn goes to the cemetery to adventure. However, they happen to see the Injun Joe kill the doctor Robinson and bring trouble to Potter. Then, Tom Sawyer goes to an island to adventure because they feel their families don’t love them, but finally attends their funerals. In summer, when Potter is going to be sentenced to death, Tom Sawyer is brave to stand out and tells everyone the truth that the murder is Injun Joe, however, at last, Joe slips away. Afterwards, Tom and Becky lose their way in a cave when they go to have a picnic, but Tom Sawyer successfully uses kite-lines to go out of the cave. Under the adults help, they trap Joe in the cave. Finally, Tom and Huck return to the cave and find the treasure.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer has been popular among the world since 1876. A book for children becomes a classic which arouses many academic discussions. In the aspect of psychology, John Daniel Thomas, an American researcher, thinks that the social environment is contrary to the mental world and wishes of people, which can be reflected in the adventure of Tom Sawyer. The description of a child’s growth reveals not only the passiveness of children’s psychological development to the social environment and cultural atmosphere but also its activeness. In the aspect of philosophy, a modern philosophical anthropologist from Germany thinks that people could own various lifestyles with creative mind. The behaviors of Tom such as daydreaming, adventuring, telling a lie, playing tricks and so on reflect his dissatisfaction over the rigid school education, the strict and rude family rules.

This essay researches on the personality and experience of Tom Sawyer by analyzing him respectively as a downy bird, as a hero and as an adventurer so as to explore Mark Twain’s unique characterization, thematic concern and artistic value. There are three parts in this essay. This first part researches about the character and experience of Tom Sawyer as a downy bird. From whitewashing the fence, escaping punishments from Aunt Polly and pursing the Becky, I analyze how Tom Sawyer as a downy bird rebels against the adult world. The second part researches about the character and experience of Tom Sawyer as a hero in the Sunday-School, in the court, in the Becky’s heart and further explores that how Mark Twain shapes the image of Tom Sawyer as a hero to criticize the hypocrisy of the adult world. The third part is researching about character and experience of the adventurer Tom Sawyer and further explores how Mark Twain embodies the adventurous spirit of Tom Sawyer. By depicting the experience of adventuring to an island, to a haunted house, and then to a cave, I research on Tom Sawyer’s character and experience and explore how Mark Twain presents us the growth experience of a child and criticizes the adult world.

2. Demonstration

2.1. Tom Sawyer as a downy bird