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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter aims to answer research questions presented in the study. Firstly, the analysis focuses on the characteristics of Tom Sawyer in Mark Twains
The Adventure of Tom Sawyer. Secondly, the analysis focuses on how the friendship between Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn influences
Tom‘s personality development.
4.1. Characteristics of Tom Sawyer as seen in Mark Twain’s the Adventure
of Tom Sawyer
In this part, the writer answers the first research question which is about characteristics of Tom Sawyer in Mark Twain‘s The Adventure of Tom Sawyer.
As Mark Twain gives no specific clue related to the physical appearance of Tom Sawyer, therefore, the writer only analyses the personality of this character.
Before analyzing the personality development, the writer describes Tom Sawyer‘s personality. The writer uses the theory of character by Abrams 1985,
Forster 1974, and Henkle 1977, and theory of characterization by Murphy 1972.
Tom Sawyer is one of characters in The Adventure of Tom Sawyer. He is presented in a narrative work, who is interpreted by the reader as being endowed
with moral, dispositional, and emotional qualities that are expressed in what he
says and what he does Abrams, 1985, p. 23. The researcher has highlighted the three most prominent characteristics of Tom Sawyer, as follows:
4.1.1.Cunning In the beginning of the story, Tom is introduced as a cunning boy. There
are three occasions which show Tom Sawyer as a cunning boy; stealing food scene, white-washing scene, and Sunday school scene. The first scene is stealing
food scene. Tom Sawyer often plays tricks on Aunt Polly. One of them is stealing food without A
unt Polly‘s permission and then running away from her. Aunt Polly gets mad and she wants to give a lesson to Tom. Before doing so, Tom does
a trick on Aunt Polly and he luckily saves himself. This scene shows Tom‘s
cunning characteristic which goes along with McKean 2005 who defines cunning as having or showing skill in achieving ones end by deceit or evasion.
From this scene, Toms‘s cunning trait is proved by seeing Tom‘s reaction toward Aunt Polly‘s act Murphy, 1972, p. 168.
There was a little noise behind her. She turned and caught a small boy, stopping him before he could escape.
―What were you doing in that corner?‖ ―Nothing.‖
―Nothing What is that on your hands and face?‖ ―I do not know, Aunt Polly.‖
―I know. You have been eating sweets. I have told you a hundred times not to eat those sweets.‖
Her hand was raised in the air —it started down—it was very near—
―Oh Look behind you, Aunt‖ The old lady turned. The boy ran. In a moment he was up on the high
board fence. Then he was on the far side of it. p. 9-10
Aunt Polly seems easily tricked by Tom. After the stealing sweets scene, Aunt Polly is trapped on Tom‘s trick one more time. Tom takes a piece of cake
without Aunt Polly‘s permission. ―And she gave him a large apple. She did not see him take a piece of cake a
s he passed through the kitchen‖ p. 17. Tom‘s cunning trait is also shown in the whitewashing scene. The day is
Saturday. Tom is punished by Aunt Polly to brush the fence in front of the house. But his aunt was waiting for him. She had
learned from Sid about Tom‘s afternoon. Now she saw his clothes and she knew that he had been
fighting. She knew what she must do. Tom would work all day on Saturday. p. 12
His cunning trait reflects on his effort to flee from his punishment. He pretends to like his work so that Ben Roger, one of his friends who comes over, gets
interested in his job. Tom turned suddenly. ―Oh, Ben, is it you? I did not see you.‖
―I am going swimming, I am. Do you wish you could go with me? Or would you rather work?‖
Tom said, ―What do you mean? Work?‖
―That is work.‖ Tom returned to his painting. ―It may be work and it may not be. But it is
fine for Tom Sawyer.‖ ―Do you mean that you enjoy it?‖
―Enjoy it? Does a boy have a chance to paint a fence every day?‖ Here was a new idea. Ben stopped eating his apple. Tom moved his
brush —stepped away to look at the result—added a little paint here and
there —stepped away again. Ben watched. He was more and more
interested. p. 15 Luckily, this trick works on Ben Rogers and there are also other boys who
are also trapped on Tom‘s tricks. In Sunday school scene, it is told that Tom has no point of studying hard to achieve a bible. Otherwise, Tom just wants to feel the
pleasure of receiving it. It can be seen through Twain‘s direct comment Murphy, 1972, p. 170. ―It was a wonderful day when a boy or a girl received one of these
Bibles. Perhaps Tom did not want the Bible. But he did want the wonderful experience of receiving it‖ p. 20. Therefore, he tricks all his friends who study
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