Tom Sawyer Research Paper

Tom Sawyer: A Dishonest Boy
Famous Theoretical Physicist, Albert Einstein once said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.” This means to be a good role model, show a good example. Good role models tend to show good examples, even if they make a mistake they known the right way to fix it. A good role model is honest, trustworthy, responsible and caring, Tom lacks many of the criteria. Tom shows this bad behavior when Aunt Polly tends to catch him, setting Tom’s tendency to lie. In the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, the main character Tom is a bad role model because Tom is dishonest and irresponsible. To start off with, Tom skips school to go swimming. Tom has done this before and does many things like it later on in the book. For example, when Aunt Polly knew Tom’s been playing hookey, Aunt Polly questions him. “Didn’t you want to go in a-swimming, Tom?”A bit of scare shot through Tom-- a touch of uncomfortable suspicion. He searched Aunt Polly’s face, but it told him nothing. So he said: “No’m--well, not very much.” (p. 5). As a rule, a good role model must be honest, unlike Tom. Also, when Tom runs into a boy he does not like, Tom and

When Tom and Becky want to go explore the cave, Becky says, “Oh, that will be fun!” Then Becky reflected a moment and said: “But what will mamma say?” “How’ll she ever know?” (p. 164). Usually a good role model, would never tell someone to lie about where they will be, as Tom is. Another example is, Tom is suppose to whitewash the fence. Tom says, “Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day? … Aunt Polly’s awful particular about this fence … Jim wanted to do it, but she wouldn’t let him; Sid wanted to do it, and she wouldn’t let Sid.” Generally a good role model will be responsible and finish their own chores without trickery, unlike