A Dynamic Character

Glass 2

A Dynamic Character

Tara Glass2/3/2015

English 6, period 6

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, after manipulating people and hurting others feelings, Tom Sawyer has a change of heart and does some good things. Tom Sawyer is a boy who is very adventurous and tricky, and loves to play hookey. For example, in the beginning of the story, Tom shows the character quality of deception by tricking the boys into wanting to whitewash the fence. Tom Sawyer is a trickster figure who challenges the rules of conventional society.[footnoteRef:1] Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom becomes a dynamic character who shows concern for others, feelings of conscience, and shows resourcefulness. From whitewashing a fence, to taking the blame for others, to using a kite-line to escape a cave, Tom changes a lot. [1: (Tom Sawyer --> Themes and Characters 2014)]

Even though Tom was mad at Becky Thatcher for talking to Alfred Temple, he shows that he still cares for her when he takes the blame for something she did. After Becky accidentally rips a page in the teachers book, she is afraid of her punishment. Since Tom had already hurt Beckys feelings, she is mean to him and says she knows he is going to tell on her. Surprisingly, while the teacher is asking Becky if she ripped the page, Tom stands up and says, I done it![footnoteRef:2] Becky is surprised that Tom does not tell on her and that he takes the whipping. The readers see Tom change from a selfish boy who usually only thinks about himself, to a boy in love who wants to protect his girl. Tom shows the character quality of being caring by taking the blame for something he did not do to protect someone he cares about. [2: (Twain 2001) p150.]

In addition to showing concern for Becky, in chapter 23, Tom shows feelings of a guilty conscience. Tom and Huck witness Injun Joe kill Doc Robinson in the graveyard. Additionally, the boys hear Injun Joe tell Muff Potter that he did not kill Doc Robinson, but that Muff Potter killed him in self-defense. Because Tom was afraid of Injun Joe getting revenge on him if he ever told the truth, he kept the secret about the real murderer. Tom let Muff Potter take the blame to protect himself. Later, during Muff Potters trial, Toms guilty conscience makes him say, and as the doctor fetched the board around and Muff Potter fell, Injun Joe jumped with the knife and [footnoteRef:3] As a result of Tom telling the truth, Muff Potter is freed from jail. In the past, Tom usually was only concerned about himself. This scene shows that Tom has a conscience and did the right thing this time. [3: Ibid. p171.]

Furthermore, as the book goes on, Tom becomes a very resourceful character because he is concerned about Beckys feelings and safety. At Beckys picnic, Tom and Becky accidentally wander away from the group and get lost in a cave. While Becky cries and worries that they may never be found, Tom, on the other hand, stays calm and thinks of a plan to save them. He took a kite-line from his pocket, tied it to a projection, and he and Becky started, Tom in the lead, unwinding the line as he groped along.[footnoteRef:4] Once Tom found the exit, he resourcefully followed the kite-line path that he left back to Becky, and led them out of the cave. Consequently, Tom changes into a resourceful character who is concerned about Becky. Again, the readers see Toms character change and do something to help someone else, and not just think about himself. [4: Ibid. p227.]

Even though Tom starts the book as a selfish boy who only cared about himself, by the end of the book, he is a dynamic character who shows concern for others, has feelings of conscience, and shows resourcefulness. When Tom takes the blame for something Becky did, he shows he is caring, because he does not just worry about himself. Secondly, even though he was afraid of Injun Joes revenge, Tom finally has a guilty conscience that makes him tell the truth at Muff Potters trial. Finally, instead of only looking out for himself, Tom is resourceful by using the kite-line to help him and Becky find a way out of the cave. This shows he really does care for her. Tom is just like most boys his age. Sometimes he's admirable, but other times not so much.[footnoteRef:5] While Tom still has fun and likes adventures, the readers see him grow up a little bit in this book. [5: (Tom Sawyer Character Analysis 2014)]

BIBLOGRAPHY"Tom Sawyer --> Themes and Characters." Novel Explorer. 2014. http://www.novelexplorer.com/tom-sawyer/themes-and-characters-70/ (accessed December 2, 2014)."Tom Sawyer Character Analysis." Shmoop. 2014. http://www.shmoop.com/tom-sawyer-character.html (accessed Demember 2, 2014).Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . New York: The Random House Publishing Group, 2001.