Mark Twain - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

9.3

Every generation likes to think it was the last of its kind to represent the Tom Sawyers of the world. The kid who awoke at the crack of dawn every morning looking forward to the simplest, purest pleasures in life. A warm Saturday swimming under the sun, catching bugs, running through the woods at the edge of civilization, "gun" or "sword" in hand.

Mark Twain's novel is a collection of stories meant to capture the imaginations of fathers and sons alike.  By no means a children's book or a quick read, Twain is meticulous in his choice of language and imagery. The novel works best when read slow and deliberate, allowing the reader to soak in every detail of a simpler time and place. A Southern backdrop of the mid 1800's ties the author's past experiences to those of Tom's. Thus the language, dialect, and references may seem confusing or bothersome to some readers but nonetheless paint an accurate and engaging picture.

The strong suit of the novel is that its world clearly belongs to the children. The boundaries are limitless when any scenario can happen right in your own backyard. The core of the novel is the adolescent's perception of the world as a vastly untouched playground, waiting to be conquered.  Even as our heroes are moments away from certain demise, the danger is never fully realized, always kept in check by the soft cushion of childhood wonder.

The children themselves are all fully fleshed out characters. While they certainly act their age, their actions are firmly rooted in realistic emotion. In other words, Twain never undercuts his characters because of their immaturity. The character and setting descriptions never get in the way of the story and are sparse enough to allow the reader to fill in the gaps with their own imagination.

The individual tales are, for the most part, perfectly paced and suited for bedtime reading. While some are more adventuresome and enjoyable than others, all have a moral core and serve to teach rudimentary lessons of life we all learn throughout childhood. Thankfully, the stories remain at the forefront and Twain never gets preachy.

The conclusion of Twain's timeless classic says it all. Instead of hinting towards a bright future for Tom, Huck and Becky, the author simply separates the pre-pubescent glee driving his novel from any adult matters of maturity. Thus, the characters and more importantly the ideals they represent can remain in a timeless state of childhood for all to vicariously enjoy.