Tom Sawyer Social Commentary Essay

One of the other outstanding classic writers is none other than Mark Twain. Mark Twain’s exclusive style of writing is executed in his work. Two of the styles, Mark Twain is known for includes the use of social commentary and sarcasm. He demonstrates social commentary in one of his novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, chapter two. For example, Tom was told to whitewash a fence, but he did not want to.(CD) He saw one of his friends, Ben, passing by. Because Tom did not want to whitewash the fence, he decided to trick Ben into whitewashing the fence for him.(CX) “ ‘ What to do you call work?’ ‘Why ain’t THAT work?’ Tom resumed his whitewashing, and answered carelessly: ‘Well maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer!’

This passage is important because it shows that by making something seem interesting, you can make someone interested in it. By pretending to like whitewashing, Tom made it seem fun, so Ben would be jealous and want to also whitewash.(SPP) Moreover, Tom made Ben want to do something that was considered work by making it seem like it was not. The novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is still a classic because it teaches us that sometimes people want to have fun, so much or do something so interesting that they can be tricked or fooled into doing something because they are so focused on the fact that it is “fun.” Another style that Mark Twain is known for is his use of sarcasm. He shows this style in his novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. In chapter four, when the school superintendent was talking, the superintendent noticed a girl who was not paying attention and sort of called her out. “...I want you all to sit up just as straight and pretty as you can and give me all your attention for a minute or two… I see one little girl who is looking out of the window - I am afraid she thinks I am out there somewhere - perhaps up in one of the trees making a speech to the little birds”(1).