Reading for Literary Appreciation

Mid-Term Project

Name : Ahmad Syifa Fuadi

SRN : 2319010118

I. Title and Author

Title : The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author : Samuel Clemens or also known as Mark Twain. He was
born in Florida, a town in Missouri, USA, in 1835 and he then
lived in Hannibal, Missouri.
(Last page, paragraph 1)

II. Themes

Childhood and Coming of Age: The novel explores the adventures and
misadventures of Tom Sawyer, a young boy growing up in a small town. It delves
into the experiences, friendships, and challenges that shape Tom's character as he
navigates the transition from childhood to adolescence. (Page 1)
Treasure and Adventure: Tom and his friend Huck Finn embark on a quest to find
hidden treasure, leading them to encounter dangerous situations and mysterious
characters. The theme of treasure and adventure adds excitement and suspense to
the story. (Page 2)

Family and Community: The novel also explores the dynamics of family and
community life in St. Petersburg. Aunt Polly, Tom's guardian, plays a significant
role in his upbringing, while other characters, such as Becky Thatcher, Joe
Harper, and Injun Joe, contribute to the sense of community and the challenges
faced by the residents of the town. (page 1 and page 3)
 Social Satire: Mark Twain uses humour and satire to critique societal norms and
hypocrisy. Through Tom's antics and observations, the novel offers a satirical
commentary on various aspects of society, including education, superstition, and
the justice system
(All information can found in Page 1, 2 and 3.)

III.Plot of the story/book/novel

1. Exposition

The exposition of "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain occurs in the
opening chapters of the book, and it provides the necessary information about the
characters, setting, and context of the story. Here's a breakdown of these elements
in the exposition:

a. Characters and Characterization.

• Tom Sawyer: The protagonist of the story, a young boy who is

mischievous, adventurous, and clever. He's introduced as a troublemaker who
lives with his
Aunt Polly. (page 1)

• Aunt Polly: Tom's aunt and guardian, who is strict and caring. She is
responsible for Tom's upbringing and tries to keep him out of trouble. (page 1)

• Injun Joe: A mysterious and dangerous character, Injun Joe is one of

the antagonists in the story. He is involved in criminal activities and poses a
threat to Tom and his friends. (page 6)

• Joe Harper: Another friend of Tom, Joe Harper is often part of their
adventures. He is loyal and supportive of Tom. (Page 7)
 • Becky Thatcher: A new girl in town who becomes the object of Tom's
affection. She is described as pretty and quickly catches Tom's eye. (Page 5).

• Huckleberry Finn: Tom's best friend, who is an outcast in society. Huck

is characterized as carefree and independent, often living on his own without
adult supervision. (Page 4)

b. Settings:

“On Monday morning Tom didn't want to go to school, but Aunt Polly got him
out of bed, and then out of the house. In the street near the school he met his
friend Huckleberry Finn. Huck had no mother, and his father drank whiskey all
the time, so Huck lived in the streets. He didn't go to school, he was always dirty,
and he never had a new shirt. But he was happy.” (page 4/8)

“The summer holidays came, and there was no school. Tom didn't want to think
about Muff Potter and Injun Joe, but it wasn't easy. At night, when he was in bed,
he saw Injun Joe's face in the dark, and he couldn't sleep. But he couldn't talk to
anyone about it. One hot summer's day he and Joe Harper were down by the
Mississippi River. They sat and watched the boats, and fished and talked. 'Let's
get away from here!' said Tom, suddenly. 'Let's go and do something exciting
somewhere.” (page 9/13)

From these page suggest that the story takes place during a time when Tom is
attending school and during the summer holidays. The weather is described as hot
and the atmosphere is one of adventure and escapism.

c. Introduction of the Plot/Context:

“On Monday morning Tom didn't want to go to school, but Aunt Polly got him out
of bed, and then out of the house. In the street near the school he met his friend
Huckleberry Finn. Huck had no mother, and his father drank whiskey all the time,
so Huck lived in the streets. He didn't go to school, he was always dirty, and he
never had a new shirt. But he was happy. The mothers, of St Petersburg didn't like
Huck, but Tom and his friends did.” (Page 4-8)

From this page introduces the main characters, Tom and Huck and their
contrasting backgrounds. It also sets the context of the story, including Tom’s
reluctance to go to school and the social dynamics of St Petersburg.

2. Raising Action

“They dug for an hour or two, but they didn’t find any treasure. Then they stopped
and Tom looked down at an old house at the foot of the hill.” (page 13-14)
From this page marks the raising action as Tom and Huck dig for treasure but are
unsuccessful in finding any. It sets the stage for further events and conflicts in the
story. (page 17-18)

3. Conflicts : Internal and/or external conflicts

1. Conflict:
- "At night, when he was in bed, he saw Injun Joe's face in the dark, and
he couldn't sleep." (Page 9/13)
- "Tom slept badly for weeks. The slow summer days went by. Injun Joe
did not come back to St Petersburg, and Tom began to forget." (Page 13/17)

These excerpts highlight Tom's internal conflict as he struggles with fear and
anxiety related to Injun Joe. He is haunted by Injun Joe's face in the dark and has
trouble sleeping. This internal conflict continues as Tom sleeps badly for weeks
and tries to forget about Injun Joe.

2. External Conflict:

"Tom didn't want to think about Muff Potter and Injun Joe, but it wasn't easy."
(Page 9/13)
"Tom told his story, and St Petersburg sat and listened to him with open mouths.”
(Page 13/17) and then Muff Potter fell, and Injun Joe jumped with the knife and
Crash! Injun Joe jumped through the window, and was out and away in a second."
These excerpts depict the external conflict involving Muff Potter and Injun Joe.
Tom tries to avoid thinking about them, but it proves to be challenging. The
conflict escalates when Tom tells his story about Muff Potter and Injun Joe,
leading to Injun Joe's sudden escape, creating tension and danger.

4. Climax

"Tom told his story, and St Petersburg sat and listened to him with open mouths. '.
. . and then Muff Potter fell, and Injun Joe jumped with the knife and — ' Crash!
Injun Joe jumped through the window, and was out and away in a second." (Page
13/17).
This excerpt marks the climax of the story as Tom reveals the truth about Muff
Potter and Injun Joe's involvement in the murder. The dramatic moment occurs
when Injun Joe escapes through the window, creating a sense of danger and
suspense.

5. Falling Action

"Then, late that evening, there was a sudden noise in the streets. People began to
run to the Thatcher’s house." (Page 19/23).
This excerpt marks the falling action as the villagers hear a sudden noise and rush
to the Thatcher’s house. This suggests that there is a resolution or conclusion to
the search for Tom and Becky, leading to the resolution of the conflict.

6. Resolution (Ending of the story)

The resolution of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is Tom's attempt to console

Huck by telling him that they will go on another adventure soon--this time,
involving a robber band. Tom does this to persuade Huck to keep staying with the
Widow Douglas, who makes Huck miserable by trying to civilize him.
At the end of the book, Injun Joe is out of the picture. Tom and Huck are
hometown heroes. Huck has saved the Widow Douglas's life, and Tom has
managed to escape from the caves with Becky. The boys have even managed to
strike it rich.

IV.Narrative Technique (first person or third person)

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the point of view is third person, which means
the use of third person pronouns in the narration. The narration is obviously not
through the eyes and voice of a participant in the narrative, but in an objective
observer's voice. his actions are a bit more interesting than his thought processes,
and the story occasionally requires scenes that Tom Sawyer isn't in.

V. Moral Value of the Story

The narrator reveals Aunt Polly’s inner turmoil as she becomes conflicted
between self-interest and morality. When she falsely accuses Tom of something
that Sid did, Aunt Polly realizes her mistake, but feels afraid to apologize as such
an action might undermine her authority over Tom. Adults in this story often
contradict the code of conduct they impose on the youth, such as following rules
and admitting your mistakes. Here, Aunt Polly demonstrates moral cowardice by
feeling badly about mistreating Tom but choosing not to own up to her mistake.

The narrator describes the scene in which Tom finally tells the truth about what he
and Huck saw in the graveyard. Tom’s inner struggle and Huck’s loss of
confidence highlight the theme of morality. Despite knowing he made a solemn
promise to Huck, Tom’s conscience finally convinces him to tell the truth about
Injun Joe murdering the doctor. While this decision brought great mental anguish
to both boys, Tom’s actions reveal his good moral character.
Huck Finn’s morality matures over the course of this novel as he learns to listen
to his conscience. After Huck follows Injun Joe and his accomplice from the
haunted house and comes across their plan to get “revenge” on the Widow
Douglas, he becomes terrified and wants nothing more than to run away.
However, as revealed by the narrator here, Huck’s conscience wins over his fear
this time as he wants to help the Widow Douglas, who has shown him kindness.
Readers later learn that Huck’s actions save Widow Douglas’s life, a clear detail
revealing how morality wins over fear.