The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
by Mark Twain
Classics, Fiction, Adventure, Literature, Young-Adult, Historical-Fiction
Take a lighthearted, nostalgic trip to a simpler time, seen through the eyes of a very special boy named Tom Sawyer. It is a dreamlike summertime world of hooky and adventure, pranks and punishment, villains and first love, filled with memorable characters. Adults and young readers alike continue to enjoy this delightful classic of the promise and dreams of youth from one of America’s most beloved authors.
Recommendations from Common Sense Media
Age Recommendation: 12+
What Parents Need to Know:
Parents need to know that Mark Twain‘s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of this great American author’s best-loved novels. First published in 1876, it portrays childhood during the pre-Civil War 1840s in an affectionate but realistic way; Twain’s characters are full of wild ideas and antics that sometimes get them into trouble. Tom Sawyer is often avoided, and has at times been banned from schools, because of the characters’ use of the “N” word (which appears 10 times, often said by Tom and Huck) and the derogatory portrayal of Native Americans, especially in the form of the dangerous villain named Injun Joe. The novel is extremely enjoyable, full of humor and suspense, if readers can accept that its racist depiction of people of color is more a function of the characters’ views than the author’s.
Educational Value: 4/5
Teaches readers what life was like for White youngsters growing up in a small town on the Mississippi River during the mid-19th century, pre-Civil War era. Twain provides a vivid portrait of family life, school subjects, religious school, transportation, food, clothing, and attitudes that were prevalent at that time.
Positive Messages: 3/5
Although this book is sometimes avoided — even banned — because of its racist language, it also offers life lessons. Tom is a rascal with a conscience and a loving heart. Twain teaches readers that many times children’s careless antics are natural; a child can misbehave and still be “good” inside. The book also shows young readers that thoughtless actions have consequences, such as Aunt Polly’s despair when Tom and his friends go “pirating.”
Positive Role Models: 3/5
Tom’s guardian, Aunt Polly, loves Tom and treats him the same way she treats her own children, despite his antics. Much of Tom’s behavior makes him more real than role model, but when his conscience overrules his fear of Injun Joe, he sets a very good and brave example.
Violence & Scariness: 4/5
Not terribly violent by teen standards, but parents should be mindful of sensitivities of younger children. A knife murder takes place in view of two kids in the book, and a menacing villain talks graphically about cutting up face and ears of an older woman to exact revenge on her late husband.
Sex, Romance & Nudity: 1/5
Young Tom Sawyer (probably 11 or 12, but Mark Twain does not tell his age) flirts with girls and kisses the girl he likes best, Becky Thatcher.
Language: 3/5
No curse words, but offensive racist language, including the “N” word, which is used 10 times. Native Americans are also portrayed in a derogatory way. Not only is the villain called “Injun Joe,” the author attributes Joe’s ruthlessness to his race. And Tom uses the word “injun” in other ways, such as “honest injun” and “injun-meal” (referring to corn).
Products & Purchases: n/a
n/a
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking: 3/5
Injun Joe and Muff Potter drink whiskey to excess — enough to cause them to pass out. We don’t see Huckleberry Finn’s father, but readers are told that Huck is neglected and ill-behaved because he is “the son of the town drunkard.” Huck smokes and teaches his friends Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper to smoke a pipe.
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