How Is Tom Sawyer Selfish

In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the protagonist, Tom Sawyer, has many distinct and complex character traits that rapidly develop before the reader’s eyes throughout the story. Tom Sawyer is primarily portrayed as a young, immature boy with a love for adventure and mischief. As the plot progresses, the complexity of Tom’s emotions are relatable and spark empathy in readers of all ages. Tom is mischievous, clever, creative, brave, and caring. Twain’s tactful writing communicates the true complexity of Tom’s character, and identifies Tom as a fully developed, round character. From the beginning of the story, Tom is causing trouble. His boyish, carefree ways take little consideration for other people’s emotions. Aunt Polly is the main victim of Tom’s selfish tendencies. The most prominent example of this is when Tom runs away from home to Jackson’s Island with Huckleberry Finn and Joe Harper. Tom lets his Aunt Polly believe he is dead until he returns at his own funeral (Twain 95). Finally, Tom’s guilty conscious and lies

Shelley Fisher Fishkin commented on Tom Sawyer’s character stating, “Twain’s Tom is full of youthful energy, to be sure, but his character is more complicated than that” (Lighting Out for the Territory). Tom could be considered unpredictable, but his unpredictable decisions somehow make his character more believable. It represents his internal conflict and his ability to distinguish right from wrong in the heat of the moment. One recurring character trait that Tom possesses is bravery. After keeping the murder he and Huck witnessed in the graveyard a secret for weeks, Tom courageously comes forward and reveals the truth about Injun Joe (Twain 123). Another example of Tom’s bravery is taking responsibility for Becky Thatcher when she tore the teacher’s book (Twain 109). These situations reveal that Tom Sawyer possesses a respectable moral