The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a wonderful book, magical, mysterious. It is beautiful above all in its depth. Everyone at any age can find something of their own in it: a child - a fascinating story, an adult - the sparkling humor of Mark Twain and memories of childhood. The protagonist of the novel during each reading of the work appears in a new light, i.e. Tom Sawyer's characterization is always different, always fresh.

Tom Sawyer is an ordinary child

It is unlikely that Thomas Sawyer can be called a bully, rather he is a mischievous one. And, more importantly, he has the time and opportunity to do everything. He lives with an aunt who, although she tries to keep him strict, is not good at it. Yes, Tom is punished, but despite this, he lives quite well.

He is quick-witted, resourceful, like almost every child of his age (about 11-12 years old), one has only to remember the story of the fence, when Tom convinced all the children in the district that work is a sacred right and privilege, and not a heavy burden.

This characterization of Tom Sawyer gives him a person who is not very bad. Further, the personality of the most famous inventor and mischief-maker will be revealed with more and more new facets.

Friendship, love and nobility are not alien to Tom Sawyer

Another virtue of Sawyer - the ability to love and sacrifice - appears before the reader in all its glory when the boy discovers that he loves. For her sake, he even makes a sacrifice: he exposes his body to the blows of the teacher's rods for her misconduct. After all, this is a wonderful characteristic of Tom Sawyer, which highlights the sublime attitude towards the lady of the heart.

Tom Sawyer has a conscience. He and Huck witnessed the murder, and even despite the far from illusory danger to their lives, the boys decided to help the police and rescue the poor fellow Meff Potter from prison. The act on their part is not only noble, but also courageous.

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn as a confrontation between the world of childhood and the world of adulthood

Why is Tom like this? Because he is relatively good. Tom, though difficult, is a beloved child, and he knows it. Therefore, almost all the time he lives in the world of childhood, in the world of dreams and fantasies, only occasionally looking out into reality. The characterization of Tom Sawyer in this sense is no different from that of any other prosperous teenager. Such a conclusion can only be drawn if we compare the two images - For Sawyer, fantasy is like the air he breathes. Tom is full of hope. There are almost no disappointments in him, so he believes in imaginary worlds and in imaginary people.

Gek is completely different. He has a lot of problems, no parents. Rather, there is an alcoholic father, but it would be better if he did not exist. Father for Huck is a source of constant anxiety. His parent, of course, disappeared several years ago, but it is known for certain that he did not die, which means that he can appear in the city at any moment and begin to bully his unfortunate son again.

For Huck, fantasy is an opium, thanks to which life can still be somehow endured, but an adult cannot live in a world of illusions all the time (and Finn is just like that).

Sawyer is even a little sorry, because he does not know how things really are. His world is without tragedy, while Huck's existence is a constant struggle. Just like an ordinary adult: he comes out of the world of childhood and realizes that he was deceived. Thus, another characteristic of Tom Sawyer is ready.

How could Tom be an adult?

A tempting question for all those who have read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. But it seems that the story about the boys does not say anything about their adult lives for nothing. There can be at least two reasons for this: either there will be nothing remarkable in these lives, or for someone, life will not bring pleasant surprises further. And all this can be.

What will Tom Sawyer be like? The characteristic may be as follows: in the future he is an ordinary, ordinary person without special life achievements. His childhood is full of various adventures, but by and large they always happened in some comfort zone, and this allowed Tom to constantly fabricate fantasies.

Gek is a different story. At the end of the adventure, Finn leaves the bourgeois world, where satiety and morality reign, into the world of the streets, where freedom reigns, in his opinion. The tramp boy does not tolerate limits. But it is impossible to live forever outside the framework and breathe only the air of freedom, because any life needs one form or another. If a single vessel (man) is not limited, then it will break out, destroying the vessel itself. Simply put, if Huck does not choose a certain value system for himself, he may well become drunk and die under the fence, like his father, or disappear in a drunken brawl. Adult life is not as bright as the life of a child, which is a pity.

On this not too joyful note, Tom Sawyer says goodbye to us. The characterization of the hero ends here.

1. Mark Twain as the creator of a unique image.
2. Advantages and disadvantages of the hero.
3. Tom Sawyer is one of the most beloved characters in world literature.

Perhaps there is no more or less literate person in the world who would not read the novel of the famous American prose writer M. Twain. He created many wonderful works, such as The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, Joan of Arc and others. But it is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer that is best known and loved by adults and young readers around the world. What is the secret of such great and long-term popularity? It seems to me that it lies in the great charm with which the author's talented pen endowed the image of this restless, restless boy.

In world literature, there are a great many images of boys - adventurers, but Twain's hero is unique and original. At first glance, this is a completely ordinary boy from a small provincial American town. Like thousands and millions of his neighbors, Tom does not like to do household chores, hates going to school, prefers shabby clothes to a smart suit, and as for shoes, he tries to do without them at all. But attending church, and especially Sunday school, is a real torture for him. Tom has a lot of friends - the same fools as he is. His intelligent head is constantly crammed with all sorts of fantasies and inventions. Most likely, if the boy's parents were alive, he would grow up more obedient and less wayward. The old maid - Aunt Polly - with all her efforts could not manage to cope with the restless nephew entrusted to her care. But it was precisely this freedom that allowed Tom to remain a sincere, spontaneous, organic being. Of course, cunning is inherent in him, he can lie without any remorse, “pull off” a delicacy without permission, but with all this, it is almost impossible to get angry with him.

At first glance, Tom Sawyer is the same ordinary boy as most of his peers. And yet - a special hero, because Twain endowed him with all the most wonderful qualities that can only be inherent in a teenager.

Tom dearly loves Aunt Polly. Not knowing how to pacify his inclinations, the boy nevertheless worries if he sees that he is causing anxiety and grief to his aunt. It has a sense of justice. From does not tolerate pretense, hypocrisy, insincerity. That is why the obedient brother Sid often becomes the object of Tom's dislike. Sometimes the boy finds a desire to become a good, “correct” child, not his fault that he most often fails to curb his irrepressible temper. With all the boys in the world, Tom Sawyer has in common that he does not tolerate boredom, routine, monotony. He will always prefer spanking or other physical punishment to cramming, dull being in church service. This is a lively, impressionable nature with a rich imagination.

Not every adult is able to admit that he was wrong, but this is also possible for him. Remorseful for his escape from home, the boy convinces his friends to return to the city.

Tom Sawyer has many outstanding character traits. One of them is his entrepreneurial spirit. It was not for nothing that the episode with the fence became a textbook. Here the boy shows remarkable abilities of a psychologist and an organizer. Leadership qualities are generally inherent in Tom. He easily manages to inspire his less inventive and brave friends to take risks. Tom is able from the bottom of his heart to sympathize with those who undeservedly suffer resentment, injustice. Despite his fear of Injun Joe, Tom, along with his bosom friend Huckleberry Finn, risking their lives to help out the hapless Muff Potter by testifying in court. Not every adult is capable of such a bold act, committed by a sympathetic boy. This, in my opinion, is real heroism.

Another episode that shows us Tom from the best side - pages about how he got lost in a cave with Becky Thatcher. The boy managed to keep his cool, find a way out, while still constantly supporting, comforting and encouraging the girl. In the finale, Tom helps to neutralize a gang of bandits, save the life of a respectable townswoman.

The author rewards his hero - Tom becomes a rich man, a heroic personality, deserves the respect of the most prominent citizens. However, even this, the last test, the boy passes with brilliance. He does not become arrogant, does not boast of his heroism and wealth. This is still a direct, full of charm teenager.

Saying goodbye to him, the reader is convinced that Tom Sawyer will retain all his best qualities, become a wonderful person and, turning into an adult man, will do many more wonderful things.

The writing

1. Mark Twain as the creator of a unique image.
2. Advantages and disadvantages of the hero.
3. Tom Sawyer is one of the most beloved characters in world literature.

Perhaps there is no more or less literate person in the world who would not read the novel of the famous American prose writer M. Twain. He created many wonderful works, such as The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, The Prince and the Pauper, Joan of Arc and others. But it is The Adventures of Tom Sawyer that is best known and loved by adults and young readers around the world. What is the secret of such great and long-term popularity? It seems to me that it lies in the great charm with which the author's talented pen endowed the image of this restless, restless boy.

In world literature, there are a great many images of boys - adventurers, but Twain's hero is unique and original. At first glance, this is a completely ordinary boy from a small provincial American town. Like thousands and millions of his neighbors, Tom does not like to do household chores, hates going to school, prefers shabby clothes to a smart suit, and as for shoes, he tries to do without them at all. But attending church, and especially Sunday school, is a real torture for him. Tom has a lot of friends - the same fools as he is. His intelligent head is constantly crammed with all sorts of fantasies and inventions. Most likely, if the boy's parents were alive, he would grow up more obedient and less wayward. The old maid - Aunt Polly - with all her efforts could not manage to cope with the restless nephew entrusted to her care. But it was precisely this freedom that allowed Tom to remain a sincere, spontaneous, organic being. Of course, cunning is inherent in him, he can lie without any remorse, “pull off” a delicacy without permission, but with all this, it is almost impossible to get angry with him.

At first glance, Tom Sawyer is the same ordinary boy as most of his peers. And yet - a special hero, because Twain endowed him with all the most wonderful qualities that can only be inherent in a teenager.

Tom dearly loves Aunt Polly. Not knowing how to pacify his inclinations, the boy nevertheless worries if he sees that he is causing anxiety and grief to his aunt. It has a sense of justice. From does not tolerate pretense, hypocrisy, insincerity. That is why the obedient brother Sid often becomes the object of Tom's dislike. Sometimes the boy finds a desire to become a good, “correct” child, not his fault that he most often fails to curb his irrepressible temper. With all the boys in the world, Tom Sawyer has in common that he does not tolerate boredom, routine, monotony. He will always prefer spanking or other physical punishment to cramming, dull being in church service. This is a lively, impressionable nature with a rich imagination.

Not every adult is able to admit that he was wrong, but this is also possible for him. Remorseful for his escape from home, the boy convinces his friends to return to the city.

Tom Sawyer has many outstanding character traits. One of them is his entrepreneurial spirit. It was not for nothing that the episode with the fence became a textbook. Here the boy shows remarkable abilities of a psychologist and an organizer. Leadership qualities are generally inherent in Tom. He easily manages to inspire his less inventive and brave friends to take risks. Tom is able from the bottom of his heart to sympathize with those who undeservedly suffer resentment, injustice. Despite his fear of Injun Joe, Tom, along with his bosom friend Huckleberry Finn, risking their lives to help out the hapless Muff Potter by testifying in court. Not every adult is capable of such a bold act, committed by a sympathetic boy. This, in my opinion, is real heroism.

Another episode that shows us Tom from the best side - pages about how he got lost in a cave with Becky Thatcher. The boy managed to keep his cool, find a way out, while still constantly supporting, comforting and encouraging the girl. In the finale, Tom helps to neutralize a gang of bandits, save the life of a respectable townswoman.

The author rewards his hero - Tom becomes a rich man, a heroic personality, deserves the respect of the most prominent citizens. However, even this, the last test, the boy passes with brilliance. He does not become arrogant, does not boast of his heroism and wealth. This is still a direct, full of charm teenager.

Saying goodbye to him, the reader is convinced that Tom Sawyer will retain all his best qualities, become a wonderful person and, turning into an adult man, will do many more wonderful things.

Other writings on this work

Tom Sawyer (character)

Tom Sawyer is featured in at least three more of Mark Twain's unfinished works - School Hill. Schoolhouse Hill), "The Tom Sawyer Conspiracy" (eng. Tom Sawyer's Conspiracy) and "Huck and Tom Among the Indians" (eng. Huck and Tom Among the Indians ). And although all three unfinished works were published after the author's death, only "The Tom Sawyer Conspiracy" boasts a completed plot, since Twain abandoned the other two works after only a few chapters.

The fictional character's name could have been taken from a real person named Tom Sawyer, whom Twain met in San Francisco, California, where Mark Twain worked as a reporter for the San Francisco Call. The character's character was based on three boys that Mark Twain knew while growing up.

Character Description

Tom Sawyer is an enterprising, playful boy, a real braggart who loves to show off in front of other guys. Based on Twain's hints, Tom is about 12 years old. Tom epitomizes the carelessness and wonderful world of childhood in the mid-19th century. His best friends are Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn. Once he was in love with Emmy Lawrence, but later Rebecca Thatcher (Becky) took her place in Tom's heart. He has a half-brother, Sid, a cousin, Mary, and an aunt, Polly. Tom is the son of Aunt Polly's late sister. Despite his restless character, Tom reads a lot, preferring adventure literature.

Quotes

• - Why are you late, Thomas Sawyer? - I stopped to talk to Huckleberry Finn.
• - Do you want me to beat you?
• - You are a coward and a puppy. I’ll tell my older brother to ask you the right question, so he will beat you with one little finger.
• - I forgive everyone, Sid. (Moan.) So tell them, Sid. Also, Sid, give my window frame and one-eyed kitten to this new girl who just arrived and tell her...
• - …The church is rubbish compared to the circus. The circus is always doing something. When I grow up, I will become a clown.
• Some even predicted that he [Tom] would be president if he was not hanged before then.

Notes

Tom Sawyer is the owner of a rebellious character, a fidget, a prankster and a great adventurer who settled in four books of the writer. The former journalist went through a path of creative torment before he found the right form for the work and, in fact, the hero, who was destined to become a favorite of young readers. Merry adventures created the author's reputation as a great humorist and master of intrigue. Unbridled fantasy, enthusiasm and mischievous acts - any child will envy the life of a boy from the town of St. Petersburg.

History of creation

Mark Twain gave children four novels with exciting events: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer Abroad and the detective story Tom Sawyer the Detective. Another work called "The Conspiracy of Tom Sawyer" the author did not have time to finish.

The first book was born with difficulty: Twain began it in 1872, and finished it only by the summer of 1875. An interesting fact is that the author wrote this work for the first time in his creative biography on a typewriter. The autobiographical novel is based on the writer's childhood, when the worries of adult life had not yet burst into a serene world filled with dreams of exploits and accomplishments. Mark Twain admitted that, like the heroes of novels, being a boy, he wanted to find a treasure, build a raft, and settle on a desert island.

The author borrowed the name of the character from an acquaintance, Thomas Sawyer, with whom fate brought him together in California. However, three boy friends from distant childhood served as prototypes, as Twain says in the preface. That is why the main character turned out with such a controversial character.

The prose writer wrote not so much for children as for their parents, trying to convey to moms and dads that children do not have enough shelter and clothes. It is necessary to try to understand the magical world of the child, not to evaluate his actions only negatively - behind every act there is a "great" idea. Indeed, simple language, a huge number of curiosities and sparkling humor made the novels an excellent reading material for adults.

The dates for writing subsequent books are 1884, 1894 and 1896. At least a dozen writers tried to translate novels into Russian, but translation was recognized as the best work. The writer presented the work to Soviet children in 1929.

Biography and plot

Tom Sawyer lives in the small town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi River in the family of his aunt - after the death of her mother, she took the boy to raise. Days pass by studying at school, fighting and playing on the street, and Tom also befriends a homeless child and falls in love with a beautiful peer, Becky. In general, everything is like a normal teenager.

Incredibly optimistic Tom is able to turn every problem into a profitable event. So, the whitewashing of the fence, which the aunt entrusted to the boy as a punishment, becomes a profitable business. Tom works with a brush with such rapture and pleasure that young acquaintances also want to try it. In this case, Sawyer made a fortune, replenishing his boyish treasures with glass marbles, a one-eyed kitten and a dead rat.

Once the protagonist of the novel met Finn on the street, and a controversy erupted between the boys on the topic of the effectiveness of treating warts. Huckleberry told a new way, which requires a dead cat and a trip to the cemetery at night. From that moment, the exciting adventures of friends started.

The boys witness a murder in a cemetery, decide to become pirates, build a fleet with their school friend Joe and set off on a journey to a nearby island. Friends even managed to find a chest of gold and turn into the richest boys in town.

The adventures of friends continue in the next book, where Huckleberry Finn comes to the fore. Tom helps a friend rescue slave Jim by pulling off a whole scam. And in the third novel, the friends end up in a balloon at all - a series of trials awaits them on a journey across America, over the Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean.

In the future, Tom Sawyer was to visit Arkansas, where, again with Finn, the boy got involved in the investigation of the murder and theft of diamonds.

Screen adaptations

The works of Mark Twain were several times in the work of eminent directors. For the first time, the adventures of the young prankster were transferred to film by William Taylor in 1917. However, the picture was not successful. But the next film, shot by John Cromwell in 1930, became the leader of the box office. 40 years later, the Americans repeated their success - the musical picture directed by Don Taylor was nominated three times for an Oscar and twice for a Golden Globe. The main role went to Johnny Whitaker.

The French decided to approach the adventures of an American boy on a grand scale, revealing the series The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1968), however, in a mini format. Roland Demongeo transformed into restless Tom.

In the country of the Soviets, directors of Mark Twain's novel also did not ignore. Based on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the black-and-white tape was created by Lazar Frenkel and Gleb Zatvornitsky in 1936. However, the film "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn", which appeared on Soviet cinema screens in 1981, won great fame. He tried on the image of Tom, and his friend Huckleberry is a future celebrity, for whom the role became a debut.

Govorukhin gathered actors with a name on the set. The characters of the American book were played by (Aunt Polly Sawyer), (Meff Potter). The role of Tom's beloved - Becky - was played by her daughter. The film crew moved around the world: the geography of the film's creation included Ukraine, the Caucasus, Abkhazia, and the Dnieper convincingly appeared in the form of the Mississippi River.

A new directorial reading of Twain's books was presented to the audience by Hermine Huntgeburt. In Tom Sawyer (2011), the roles are played by Louis Hoffman (Tom) and Leon Seidel (Huckleberry).

Producer Boris Shenfelder said in an interview:

“The idea to make a film about Sawyer came to me after watching “Hands off the Mississippi” and “Genius Swindlers”. In thinking about these two films, I decided to make a film for children and young adults that will not blindly cater to children's tastes and will be out of our time.

The idea turned out to be realized quite successfully.

The last film adaptation of the literary brainchild of Mark Twain happened in 2014. The film "Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn" co-production of Germany and the United States was directed by Joe Kastner. Joel Courtney played the restless boy-inventor.

• Under the name of St. Petersburg hides the hometown of Hannibal, where Mark Twain was born and raised. Tom Sawyer's environment has real prototypes. For example, Aunt Polly is "copied" from the writer's mother, and Becky is from the neighbor's girl, Laura Hawkins.
• In 2005, the Children's Musical Theater of the Young Spectator staged the sparkling musical Tom Sawyer. The music and lyrics for the performance were written by composer Viktor Semenov, especially the audience likes the composition "Star River".

• The two-story house of the Hawkins family still adorns the street of the writer's hometown. The Hannibal authorities are going to renovate the building and open the Becky Thatcher Museum. Nearby, according to Twain's fans, there is the "same" fence that Tom had to whitewash, and Cardiff Hill rises a block from the street, where the children's games described in the novel took place. The caves in which Tom once got lost with Becky are also located in the vicinity of the village.
• Different artists undertook to illustrate the books of Mark Twain, but the pictures of Robert Ingpen are considered the best work.

Quotes

“It often happens that the less justification for some ingrained custom, the more difficult it is to get rid of it.”

“There is no worse fool than an old fool. No wonder they say: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

“What are you going to do with your share, Tom?
- I will buy a drum, a real saber, a red tie, a bulldog puppy and get married.
- Are you getting married?
- Well, yes.
"Tom, you... you're out of your mind!"

"The only thing that's nice is that it's hard to get."

“The main thing is to believe. If you believe, then everything will definitely be fine - even better than you yourself can arrange.

“Fame, of course, is an important and valuable thing, but for real pleasure, a secret is still better.

"In the Middle Ages, the difference between a man and a locust was that the locust was not stupid."

“You can recognize everything in girls by their faces - they have no self-control.”