Tom Sawyer: What it takes to be a little boy

In Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, we see the little boy thriving in the country. In class we mentioned all different things that tie little boys to the country and how the country is their ideal place. We see the character of Tom as this smart little boy when it comes to people, but would we consider Tom the next Valedictorian of his class? I think not. We see Tom take the pansy his new love throws over the fence, take it and put it in his jacket “…next to his heart—or next his stomach, possibly, for he was not much posted in anatomy…” (419). I honestly get from this that he doesn’t have to necessarily have to be the brightest crayon in the box. I think that boys have more of a focus placed on them being tough little boys, not on being intellectual.

From that same selection we see Tom being the typical little boy that doesn’t want to be caught with emotions. When he picks up the flower, he “…stops within a foot or two of the flower, and then shaded his eyes with his hand and began to look down street as if he had discovered something of interest…disappeared round the corner.” (419). Why would Tom be so scared to just pick up a simple flower? I think that Twain is teaching little boys to not show emotion. He also is putting a major emphasis on being cool, which Tom was the epitome of. Tom was good at manipulating people, not being manipulated by a girl. I think that Twain, without knowing it, is telling boys to be the one’s in charge of the situation, and not let people know what they are feeling.