Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Author: Mark Twain
Subjects: Fiction; Classic; Adventure; Children; Humor
The book is about the joys of childhood. Full of satire, talk about racism, childhood and teaching loyalty and courage without fearing about the cost of it. Regarded as most popular fiction in America. Its in the list of must read, always.
To My Wife This Book is Affectionately Dedicated
PREFACE
Most of the adventures recorded in this book really occurred; one or two were experiences of my own, the rest those of boys who were schoolmates of mine. Huck Finn is drawn from life; Tom Sawyer also, but not from an individual—he is a combination of the characteristics of three boys whom I knew, and therefore belongs to the composite order of architecture.
The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story—that is to say, thirty or forty years ago.
Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.
THE AUTHOR.
HARTFORD, 1876.
CONTENTS
Y-o-u-u Tom-Aunt Polly Decides Upon her Duty
—Tom Practices Music—The Challenge—A Private Entrance
Strong Temptations—Strategic Movements
—The Innocents Beguiled
Tom as a General—Triumph and Reward
—Dismal Felicity—Commission and Omission
Mental Acrobatics—Attending Sunday—School
—The Superintendent—“Showing off”—Tom Lionized
A Useful Minister—In Church—The Climax
Self-Examination—Dentistry—The Midnight Charm
—Witches and Devils—Cautious Approaches—Happy Hours
A Treaty Entered Into—Early Lessons—A Mistake Made
Tom Decides on his Course—Old Scenes Re-enacted
A Solemn Situation—Grave Subjects Introduced
—Injun Joe Explains
The Solemn Oath—Terror Brings Repentance
—Mental Punishment
Muff Potter Comes Himself—Tom’s Conscience at Work
Tom Shows his Generosity—Aunt Polly Weakens
The Young Pirates—Going to the Rendezvous
—The Camp—Fire Talk
Camp-Life—A Sensation—Tom Steals Away from Camp
Tom Reconnoiters—Learns the Situation—Reports at Camp
A Day’s Amusements—Tom Reveals a Secret—The Pirates
take a Lesson —A Night Surprise—An Indian War
Memories of the Lost Heroes—The Point in Tom’s Secret
Tom’s Feelings Investigated—Wonderful Dream
—Becky Thatcher Overshadowed
—Tom Becomes Jealous—Black Revenge
Tom Tells the Truth
Becky in a Dilemma
—Tom’s Nobility Asserts Itself
Youthful Eloquence—Compositions by the
Young Ladies—A Lengthy Vision
—The Boy’s Vengeance Satisfied
Tom’s Confidence Betrayed
—Expects Signal Punishment
Old Muff’s Friends—Muff Potter in Court
—Muff Potter Saved
Tom as the Village Hero—Days of Splendor
and Nights of Horror—Pursuit of Injun Joe
About Kings and Diamonds—Search for the Treasure
—Dead People and Ghosts
The Haunted House—Sleepy Ghosts
—A Box of Gold—Bitter Luck
Doubts to be Settled—The Young Detectives
An Attempt at No. Two—Huck Mounts Guard
The Pic-nic—Huck on Injun Joe’s Track
—The “Revenge” Job—Aid for the Widow
The Welchman Reports—Huck Under Fire—The Story Circulated
—A New Sensation—Hope Giving Way to Despair
An Exploring Expedition—Trouble Commences
—Lost in the Cave—Total Darkness—Found but not Saved
Tom tells the Story of their Escape
—Tom’s Enemy in Safe Quarters
The Fate of Injun Joe—Huck and Tom Compare Notes
—An Expedition to the Cave—Protection Against Ghosts
—“An Awful Snug Place”—A Reception at the Widow Douglas’s
Springing a Secret—Mr. Jones’ Surprise a Failure
A New Order of Things—Poor Huck—New Adventures Planned