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Themes In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer

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Title “Maturity is that time when the mirrors in our mind turn to windows and instead of seeing the reflection of ourselves we see others.” -Anonymous. Tom Sawyer, the protagonist of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, gradually shifts his mirrors to windows through his experiences. The theme of maturity is prominent throughout Tom’s adventures in the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. One of the themes that Mark Twain explores throughout the novel is that people mature through their life experiences. Three examples that support this theme are Tom trying to help Huck feel more comfortable, Tom not telling Becky about Injun Joe being in the cave, and Tom testifying that he saw the murder happen. The first example of the theme of maturity is when Tom asks Aunt Polly to give Huck some attention. Tom, Huck and Joe Harper had escaped, and timed their return from exile in such a way that they would attend their own funeral. Tom and Joe get lots of attention, but Huck got just the opposite due to his status as an outcast. Tom notices this and tells Aunt Polly that “‘…it ain’t fair. Somebody’s got to be glad to see Huck” (107). In the passage, Tom puts himself in the Huck’s shoes, and thinks of how someone else might feel in their position. Tom could have easily basked in the attention that everyone was giving him. However, he …show more content…

First, Tom asks Aunt Polly to comfort Huck when nobody else does. Next, he carries the weight of knowing Injun Joe is in the cave alone. Last, Tom testifies to the court that he witnessed the murder of Doc Robinson. At the start of the book, Tom seems to be a selfish and immature boy, constantly searching for a way out of his chores, or lying to his aunt without regret. By the end of the story, Tom’s experiences teach him lessons and shape him into a more thoughtful and caring person. I suppose that you could say that his mirrors have finally turned to

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