In 1876, one of Twain's most famous and popular works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, was published The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a combination of realism and romanticism. Realistically describing a small town, its sleepy, philistine life, Mark Twain contrasts him with the romantic world of Tom and his friends, their extraordinary adventures. The Mississippi River and surrounding nature are depicted in colorful tones, creating a romantic backdrop for the book. There is a lot of action in the story. The plot develops dynamically, the entertainment of which is facilitated by the adventure basis. The second period of Mark Twain's work, which falls: in the 80s and early 90s, is characterized by an increase in criticism. During these years, the class struggle intensified in the United States, the number of strikes and strikes increased, in which tens and hundreds of thousands of workers took part. If earlier there were still free lands in the country, which made it possible for the workers to engage in agriculture, now these lands have disappeared, seized by monopoly cliques and speculators, and an intensive process of ruin and impoverishment of farmers was going on in agriculture. Faced with these facts, the writer's petty-bourgeois illusions are gradually disappearing. American reality begins to be perceived in a completely different way. If in the first period Twain was dominated by an optimistic, cheerful perception of life, then in the second period it is replaced by a more critical and skeptical one. The most significant work of these years is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). Here Mark Twain again refers to the image of the past of America, to the days of his childhood, which were so colorfully described in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. but compared to "Tom Sawyer" the theme of the past now takes on a different sound. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the central image is the image of Huck Finn, on whose behalf the story is being told. The image of Tom Sawyer plays a secondary role here. Compared to the first book, we see a different, matured Huck Finn. His life is different than Tom Sawyer's, and he takes it more seriously. The big difference between Huck and Tom is that Tom Sawyer continues to be a boy who does not know the difficulties of life, and while Huck Finn grows up before our eyes, gains life experience, experiences a lot and sees a lot. The image of Huck Finn is close and dear to the author. Mark Twain especially appreciates the humanity of Huck, his humane attitude towards people. This humanity is manifested in Huck's attitude towards the Negro Jim. One of the most important features of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is that this book faithfully recreates the picture of life in America in the 50s of the XIX century. Compared to "Tom Sawyer" the scope of the narrative is being moved apart. Huck Finn no longer depicts a small town, but a significant part of America. Huck and Jim sail down the Mississippi, the busiest sub-floor of the United States, past towns and cities, numerous towns, lonely farms, and paint a broad picture of American life. Traveling with his heroes, the writer very critically evaluates everything that comes in their way. It is noteworthy that Huck and Jim rarely meet honest, decent people. Bandits, murderers, robbers, just crooks - such is the numerous gallery of faces they encounter. Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is rightly regarded as one of the first works of critical realism that was just beginning to take hold in the United States of America. In the 90-900s, Mark Twain's last illusions disappear. A cheerful humorist turns into a bitter satirist, and sometimes a pessimist. He writes journalistic works, pamphlets. The pamphlet The United Lynching States (1901) was written about racial discrimination and the cruel persecution of Negroes. A number of pamphlets are devoted to denouncing the imperialist policy of the United States, which has embarked on extensive colonial conquests. Twain's journalism does not contain the good-natured humor of the early years. Its basis is reproof. Evil irony alternates in it with bitter sarcasm. Satirical pamphlets directed against the imperialist policy pursued by the ruling circles of the United States become the predominant type of journalistic works.
"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" characterization of the characters Huck and Tom will help to understand the inner world of the characters.
He grows up as a homeless child and a ragamuffin. He sleeps in an empty sugar barrel, smokes a pipe, doesn't go to school, does nothing. He is completely on his own. The boy is alien to pretense, and all the conventions of civilized life are simply unbearable. For Huck, the main thing is to be free, always and in everything. “He didn’t have to wash or put on a clean dress, and he knew how to swear amazingly. In a word, he had everything that makes life beautiful, ”concludes the writer. Huck is attracted to entertaining games, but personal freedom and independence are most dear to him. Having lost them, he feels bad, and it is in order to regain them that Huck undertakes a dangerous journey, leaving his hometown forever. During the trip, Huck experiences many adventures, shows resourcefulness and ingenuity, but not out of boredom and a desire to have fun, as before, but out of vital necessity, in order to save the fugitive Negro Jim. It is the ability of Huck to think about others that makes him especially attractive.
Huck grows up faster, learns life earlier with its cruelty and injustice. For him, adventure very soon ceases to be a game. These games helped him gain life experience, adapted him to life. Huck gradually learns responsibility, a serious attitude towards people. Mark Twain saw him as a hero of the 20th century, when, from the point of view of the writer, there would no longer be racial prejudice, poverty and injustice.
An orphan, he is raised by his late mother's sister, the pious Aunt Polly. The boy is completely uninterested in the life that flows around, but he is forced to follow the generally accepted rules: go to school, attend church services on Sundays, dress neatly, behave well at the table, go to bed early, although he continually violates these rules, causing aunt's indignation. Enterprise and resourcefulness Tom does not hold. To play someone, to fool, to come up with something unusual - this is Tom's element. Reading a lot, he strives to make his own life bright, interesting, rich. It has energy in it. He is a charming guy, but he is a child of his time, of his city, accustomed to leading a double life. When necessary, he is quite capable of taking on the image of a boy from a decent family, realizing that everyone does this.
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TOM SAWYER AND Hucklberry Finn (eng. Tom Sawyer, Hucklberry Finn) are the characters of Mark Twain's novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884). Twelve-year-old boys, residents of a small provincial American town of St. Petersburg, comrades in games and fun, which every now and then gives birth to their irrepressible imagination. T.S. - orphan. He is raised by his late mother's sister, the pious Aunt Polly. The boy is completely uninterested in the life that flows around, but he is forced to follow the generally accepted rules: go to school, attend church services on Sundays, dress neatly, behave well at the table, go to bed early - although he breaks them every now and then, causing the indignation of his aunt . Enterprise and resourcefulness Tom does not hold. Well, who else, having received the task of whitewashing a long fence as a punishment, could turn things around so that other boys would paint the fence, and besides, paying for the right to take part in such an exciting event with “treasures”: some with a dead rat, and some with a fragment of a tooth buzzer. Yes, and not everyone will be able to receive the Bible as a reward for the excellent title of its content, in fact, without knowing a single line. But Tom did! To play a trick, to fool, to come up with something unusual - this is Tom's element. Reading a lot, he strives to make his own life as bright as the one in which the heroes of the novels act. He embarks on "love adventures", arranges games of Indians, pirates, robbers. Tom gets into whatever situations thanks to his bubbling energy: either at night in the cemetery he becomes a witness to a murder, or he is present at his own funeral. Sometimes Tom is capable of almost heroic deeds in life. For example, when he takes the blame for Becky Thatcher - a girl who is awkwardly trying to woo - and endures a teacher's spanking. He is a charming fellow, this Tom Sawyer, but he is a child of his time, of his city, used to leading a double life. When necessary, he is quite capable of taking on the image of a boy from a decent family, realizing that everyone does this. The situation is quite different with Tom's closest friend, Huck Finn. He is the son of a local drunk who does not care about the child. No one forces Huck to go to school. He is completely on his own. The boy is alien to pretense, and all the conventions of civilized life are simply unbearable. For Huck, the main thing is to be free, always and in everything. “He didn’t have to wash or put on a clean dress, and he knew how to swear amazingly. In a word, he had everything that makes life beautiful, ”the writer concludes. Huck is undeniably attracted to the entertaining games invented by Tom, but personal freedom and independence are most precious to Huck. Having lost them, he feels out of place, and it is precisely in order to regain them that Huck in the second novel is already undertaking a dangerous journey alone, leaving his hometown forever. In gratitude for saving Injun Joe from revenge, the widow Douglas took Huck to be raised. The widow's servants washed him, combed his hair with a comb and brush, laid him down every night on disgustingly clean sheets. He had to eat with a knife and fork and attend church. The unfortunate Huck survived only three weeks and disappeared. They were looking for him, but without Tom's help they would hardly have been able to find him. Tom manages to outwit the ingenuous Huck and return him to the widow for a while. Then Huck mystifies his own death. He himself sits in a shuttle and goes with the flow. During the trip, Huck also experiences many adventures, shows resourcefulness and ingenuity, but not out of boredom and a desire to have fun, as before, but out of vital necessity, primarily for the sake of saving the runaway Negro Jim. It is the ability of Huck to think about others that makes him especially attractive. Perhaps that is why Mark Twain himself saw him as a hero of the 20th century, when, from the point of view of the writer, there would no longer be racial prejudice, poverty and injustice.
Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn characters in Mark Twain's novel.
Living conditions of Tom and Huckleberry. (Both are orphans, but Aunt Polly takes care of Tom's life, who loves her nephew in her own way, although among the two boys, Tom and Sid, she singles out the obedient but vile Sid. She tries to educate Tom with harsh methods, makes him work, go to church and Huck lives on his own and has to take care of food and a roof over his head every day, he is more independent and serious than the mischievous Tom.)
Training Tom and Huck.(Tom studies at Sunday school, has to cram texts from the Bible. In addition, at home, Aunt Polly controls his behavior and requires him to do it right, in a Christian way. Huck does not study anywhere, any training is painful for him. Therefore, life becomes a real school for Huck, in in which Huck is taught by the people he met and circumstances.This training is sometimes quite dangerous, and you can learn anything on the street.For example, life taught Huck to smoke, so the first joys of freedom for Tom turned out to be the freedom of smoking, through which Tom became very ill. )
Adventure as learning.(Both boys value free life very much, but it brings dangerous adventures for both, and only Mark Twain saves his heroes every time. In real life, the guys at the first adventure would be crippled, or there would be lives left at all).
Characteristics of Tom and Huck.(Both are funny pranksters, but Huck is more experienced in everyday matters, he can survive in any situation, and Tom never knows where his new fantasies will lead. Huck is more independent than Tom, does not like to obey, do what he does not want. Tom is a home child, he is trying to find a compromise with the adult world, to arrange everything so that everyone is happy (A vivid confirmation of this is the case with painting the fence.)
Why are Tom and Huck friends? Both boys are from different social classes, so Aunt Polly does not allow Tom to be friends with Huck. However, they have common things that are very important for friendship: the same love for freedom and adventure, no perception of violence and coercion, a sense of justice, devotion.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
