FREEDOM AND CIVILIZATION IN MARK TWAIN’S THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

INTRODUCTION

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910), one of America’s most well-known writers, humorists and lecturers, wrote under the pen name Mark Twain. His incisive wit, astute social critique and vivid storytelling has established him as a key character in American literature. Twain has utilized comedy to attack serious topics, such as societal prejudices and hypocrisy. His stories, particularly those situated near the Mississippi River, clearly depict the hardships, joys and potential of daily American life and the American character. Works like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has changed American prose, providing the groundwork for much of the literature that came after. His emphasis on the voice of America and his unique use of language and characters continue to connect with authors and readers today.

Mark Twain is a notable critical realist writer in the late nineteenth century. The author uses humor and irony to highlight and criticize negative aspects of American society. Humor is a distinct way of thinking in his mind, and he exploits it to make people laugh. He harshly criticizes social reality, reflecting on the human predicament in the realm of metaphysical philosophy. His satirical works establish a distinct school of American literature and have a significant impact on its future. Conflict is a key theme in literature, because it drives the plot along. Literary conflict is classified into internal and external conflicts. Internal conflicts are referred as man versus self, whereas exterior conflicts include man versus man, man versus nature, and man versus fate. The tale type determines how conflict is resolved and employed.

According to Sherwood Mark Twain writing as:

Incidental and modest. He gave good tips on how to tell a story but he was all diffidence in explaining his own process of writing. He was simply an “amanuensis” to his muse; he could write only when his “tank” was full, he often started a story with little sense of how it would come out, hoping somehow to find the “right form” for it; he took little credit for his novelistic ideas, since they were the result of “unconscious celebration.”

Objectives

The objective of this study to analyze slavery, struggles and adventures in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and to identify the racism, civilization, conflicts, struggles and adventure seeking identities and freedom in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Review of Literature

G.Makehoba points out that Despite its age, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer remains valuable and relevant for today’s youth. Adults also enjoy reading it. The stories explore subjects such as relationships, families, nature and daily living. Children and individuals in general, must cope with these serious concerns all their lives. They learn how to act towards others in specific situations, who to trust and what friendship entails all fundamental elements of way of life.

Hegde Rashmi says that Mark Twain created humorous figures that breathed life through his characterization, which was best expressed in anecdotal pieces of narrative. He could make Huckleberry, Tom, Jim, and Joe come to life quietly. Twain himself described Tom Sawyer as a "hymn" to boyhood, and practically all of his readers feel the friendliness and naturalness of growing up in a Missouri river village in the mid-nineteenth century.

Discussion

The story begins with an exchange between Tom and another boy from town, which establishes Tom’s place in the children’s community. Tom’s attention is drawn to the freshly arrived Becky Thatcher and the desire to win her attention and affection. What follows is a winding story in which Clemens uses the children’s adventures to highlight the economic, ethnic and social problems inherent in adult society. Clemens cleverly uses the children’s environment to reflect adult society: the youngsters, like the adults, are preoccupied with class markers determined by economic status and literacy levels. Tom is at the top of the children’s hierarchy. His ability to gain material wealth in the fence-painting episode is reminiscent of an adult financial con game and his ability to read and recall romantic story plotlines gives him an advantage in his games with Joe Harper and lays the groundwork for his friendly dominance over an illiterate Huck Finn.

Tom’s rebellious nature becomes, by the novel’s end, a more equivocal picture of a boy’s full introduction into an adult society that values meticulous attention to social conformity. Tom is no rebel. He is mischievous, but he is also clearly devoted to the overall moral norms that the town and adults use to measure success. Throughout the story, he steps forward to identify Injun Joe as the true murderer of Dr. Robinson. This frees Muff Potter and elevates Tom to the status of local hero. But his fame is dependent on breaking his commitment to Huckleberry Finn to keep their secret.

Many activities that draw attention to the stupidity of school or the scarcity of church services do not undermine the adult world’s fundamental authority rather, Tom is complicit in the process of strengthening the town’s moral standards. At the end of the novel, he is rewarded for his efforts to safeguard Becky when Judge Thatcher offers him a position at a military academy and law school. It is better way to get power within the adult world.

Tom’s treatment of Huckleberry Finn is particularly amazing. At the end of the novel, Huck, who has demonstrated his own heroism by rescuing Widow Douglas from Injun Joe’s fury, has fled the Widow’s home due to her efforts to civilize him. Tom is sent after Huck. Rather than supporting Huck’s desire for independence, Tom threatens him with exile if he does not return to the Widow’s home. While Tom’s actions can be interpreted as driven by care for Huck’s well-being, the manner he threatens and intimidates Huck shows that he has learnt adult lessons. He is more concerned in pressuring Huck to adapt to adult culture than in hearing his friend’s anxieties and concerns. In the end, Mark Twain portrays Tom as the naughty child who benefits from being complicit in a system that promotes conformity: the society completely supports Tom Sawyer’s exploits and the boy becomes a full participant in the adult world.

Leslie A. Fielder points out:

The society which Huck finally rejects, his ‘civilization’, is essentially a world of the mothers, that is to say, of what Christianity has become among the females who sustain it just behind the advancing frontier. It is a sufficiency simple minded world in which one does not cuss or steal or smoke but keeps clean, wears shoes, and prays for spiritual gifts. Above all, it is a world of those who cannot lie? And the truth, too, Huck finds a virtue beyond his budget. In this world, the fathers appear generally as outcasts and scoundrels, like the Duke and Dauphin and like Pap himself. At best, the paternal is represented by the runaway nigger, the outcast who was never even offered the bait of belonging.

Conflicts

Conflict is a social process in which one or more people attempt to remove the other party. Conflict is the most significant aspect in social existence. If two mottos appear at the same time, a conflict will occur. Every person can only serve or dampen one motive at a time. If this conflict cannot be resolved, the person involved in that motive may become a victim. Conflict in literary works can be defined as a conflict in the creation of a story or a conflict between two people, a conflict between a character’s side and himself, a dispute between a character and himself, or a conflict between a character and his environment.

Khushboo Sini points out:

Conflict can be defined in many ways and can be considered as an expression of hostility, negative attitudes, antagonism, aggression, rivalry and misunderstanding. It is also associated with situations that involve contradictory or irreconcilable interests between two opposing groups. Conflict is a type of social interaction in which two or more people. External conflict is defined as a conflict between a person and something outside of himself. External conflicts can arise between humans and one another, or between humans and their environment.

According to Martin Cavannagh:

External conflict refers to any challenge or opposition that comes from outside a character. For instance, a character might grapple with a rogue AI set on wiping out humanity, or a corrupt legal system bent on unjustly punishing someone they love. These kinds of tensions force characters to make difficult decisions, explore their strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately grow in the face of adversity.

External conflicts are separated into two categories: physical conflicts and social conflicts. Physical conflict is the conflict that arises between an individual and his surroundings. This conflict typically arises when an individual is unable to master, utilize and cultivate their natural environment as they should.

Tom is a multifaceted figure in Mark Twain’s novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Tom successfully pursues his life goals. He successfully transforms the village community’s perception of him. He perseveres in pursuing his love, despite being injured by the words of the woman he loves. Tom pushes hard and achieves his goals, including becoming a pirate in search of wealth. He successfully completes his journey to discover his true identity. Initially, Tom is considered a mischievous child. To prove his innocence and get recognition, Tom embarks on a journey to uncover his genuine identity. He handles conflicts with ease. External confrontations between Tom and others stem from differing opinions. However, Tom easily overlooks this.

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, one can come to know Tom’s life challenges, journey towards self-discovery and external conflicts. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer explores Tom’s challenges, which might help us understand our own or others’ struggles. Everyone has something to fight for.

Conclusion

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer explores Tom’s experience with external conflict, which can provide insights and parallels for everyday living. Mark Twain’s work, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, teaches us not to avoid people based on their familial background. To not look someone in the eyes. Choose someone who truly understands the idea of friendship. The present study analyzed the better understanding of struggles, adventures, conflicts, struggles and adventure seeking identities. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer explores Tom’s search for his genuine identity, highlighting the idea that not everyone can be judged solely on their actions. It’s possible for someone to hide their true identity, much like Tom. Tom’s journey to discover his true identity involves a series of adventures, including the pursuit of love, the discovery of murder cases and the struggle to rebuild his reputation..

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

None.

REFERENCES

Abrams, M. H. (2009). A Glossary of Literary Terms. Michael Rosenberg Managing Development.

Cavannagh, M. (n.d.). External Conflict Explained: Definition, Types, and Examples. Reedsy Blog.