...He sees right through everyone and their lifestyle. He shares lots of his opinions about the characters in the book although, he never actually says them. In Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, Nick writes, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . . . (Fitzgerald, 179)” Everyone loves Tom and Daisy. They come off as the perfect rich couple but they have their flaws. They’re a messy couple and their perfect life is too good to be true. The whole novel Tom is having an affair and Daisy falls for Gatsby again. They have the perfect American Dream but with a twist. Barbara Hochman, a novel critic, wrote, “Nick's wish to separate voice from body can be related both to his motivation for telling his story in writing and to the functions, for Fitzgerald, of employing the figure of Nick as his own voice, his primary narrating presence in this book.” Nick does not live for the roaring 20s lifestyle because he sees it's ugly truth. It’s his relationship to Gatsby and everyone else that he learns what it’s like to live amongst the rich who only care about themselves and protecting their money. He goes from being someone who never judges to evaluating everyone and separating himself from them after Gatsby’s...
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...After reading the last section of Huckleberry Finn’s story, I have concluded that almost everyone involved in the story from the beginning, is essentially just a puppet in Tom Sawyer’s adventures. Throughout the story of Huck’s adventures, we see how Huck is a victim of circumstance and we learn that if anything can go wrong, it can and it will, especially if it involves Huck (he is evidently the most unlucky person). However, the victim of circumstance, misfortune on Huck’s part, and strange points we read about through the story prove how the irony and further support the claims of a victim of circumstance and misfortune on Huck’s part. For example, of all the places of Huck to find and end up at in the conclusion of the story, it just happens to be Tom Sawyer’s extended family? That was obviously strange and almost extremely unlikely to occur if it happens in the real world, but above all of that is Huck thinking on several occasions about Tom’s role in Jim’s escape and this adventure. Huck wonders why Tom would...
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...Throughout The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, Tom goes on a roller coaster of emotions. Most of the time Tom is laughing, playing pranks, and telling jokes with his friends. In chapter 8 however, Tom is severely depressed because of his troubles with Becky, and questioning the idea of his death or disappearance. Tom wonders that if he were to go missing, become a soldier, become an Indian, or even a pirate, and not be seen for several years, if anybody would miss him, or even notice that he was gone. If aunt Polly would grieve, or if his friends and townspeople would search day and night for him, and if everyone would give up their search, or if they would continue searching until they found him. “Soon he had another idea. What...
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...thinks of the time he spent with Jim on the river, of Jim’s kind heart, and of their friendship and decides, to steal Jim back and help him. Huck finds the Phelps’s house, and the white mistress of the house, Sally, comes outside, delighted to see Huck because she is certain he is her nephew, Tom...
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...relate to the characters. An author that does this successfully with the characters is Mark Twain. In one of his more famous novels, Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain gives credibility to the characters by presenting them with major flaws, which helps readers relate to these characters. These characters include Tom, Huck, and Jim. Tom Sawyer has flaws which come to surface early in the novel. “Because it ain’t in the books so—that’s why. Now Ben Rogers, do you want to do things regular, or don’t you?—that’s the idea. Don’t you reckon that the people that made the books knows what’s the correct thing to do?...No, sir, we’ll just go on and ransom them in a regular way” (p. 12). Twain presents Tom as a character who portrays romantic ideals. When he says he wants to go by the book, he reveals that he is taking many of his ideas from fictitious works. This results in his absurd ideas, such as his suggestion of starting the band of robbers. His romantic notions create a sense that he lacks much reasoning or common sense. This lack of common sense can easily be viewed as a character flaw, as it may potentially be a threat to his survival, among other things. This also gives Tom Sawyer credibility as a character, since the...
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...who perceived too late that they themselves had contributed to this hated splendor by trading tickets to Tom for the wealth he had amassed in selling whitewashing privileges.” Tom shows how cunning he is when he tricks other kids into whitewashing the fence for him by making it sound like he was privileged for doing it. Sawyer, even though at times it does not seem like it, is very smart. He is smart enough to get out of all the chores he is assigned to do. “Tom was about to take refuge in a lie, when he saw two long tails of yellow hair hanging down a back that he recognized by the electric sympathy of love; and by that form was the only vacant place on the girls' side of the school-house. He instantly said: "I stopped to talk with Huckleberry Finn!"” At this point Tom proves that even if you tell the truth, it can...
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...After witnessing the murder of Dr. Robinson, Huck and Tom swear an oath; “Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer swears they will keep mum about this and they wish they may drop down dead in their tracks if they ever tell and rot” (71-72). Tom is being faced with these thoughts that are eating him up, and he cannot decide whether he should tell the sheriff about the murder or keep quiet. Though this is a tough decision, the best thing to do would be to tell the sheriff. If Tom was to tell the sheriff about this murder then he would not have to be faced with all of the thoughts tearing him up inside, and he would know that what he did was right. Tom would be seen as trustworthy and more people would trust him. Tom might even get more friends! Though this...
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...is the main character, and the narrator of the book. After a while of Huck traveling, he finds his friend Tom Sawyer. Along with Tom, Huck is the one that ends up saving Jim, the black slave who escaped with Huck. Huck and Tom never really agreed on much throughout the story. One of the two always thought that they had the better idea. Huck’s character changes throughout the book as he matures, whereas Tom’s character stays the same as a rebellious boy, even though it is obvious that they are similar. Huckleberry Finn's character is very different from Tom Sawyer, as far as maturity levels. Huck always tried to make the right decision in every situation....
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...My Friend, Mark Twain By Owen Pangilinan Dr. Hemington English 001A 21 July 2015 Owen Pangilinan 7/20/15 July 20, 2015 My friend, Mark Twain What are the characteristics of a good friend? A good friend is someone that is giving, not only with physical possessions but with their intellect as well. Someone that will loan you money without expecting to be repaid, let you borrow their clothes, and give you good advice. A true friend is honest and loyal. They will protect your secrets and “tell it like it is.” They will not mislead you because they have your best interests in mind. A real friend is a person who accepts you as you are. They know you are not perfect, because no one is. Flaws, imperfections and fears, are what make friendships such a beautiful thing, and these things are one of the many reasons why they love you. They aren’t expecting you to change and are understanding when you make mistakes. They are also always there for you, through the best and worst times in your life. Your true friends will be there by your side on the most boring of afternoons, and will be the first to come to your aid in the event of a disaster or in times of crisis. Mark Twain is a man that possessed many of the characteristics of a true friend. Through his books, articles, movies and personal friends you can get an insight as to what he was like in real life. Some people might argue you that his sarcasm and tenacity are not the makings of a true friend rather than a trouble...
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...frauds and has the crowd bring the real and the fraudulent Wilks brothers to a tavern for examination. The frauds draw suspicion when they fail to produce the $6,000 from the Wilks inheritance. A lawyer friend of the deceased then asks the duke, the dauphin, and the real Harvey to sign a piece of paper. When the lawyer compares the writing samples to letters he has from the real Harvey, the frauds are exposed. The dauphin, however, refuses to give up and claims that the duke is playing a joke on everyone by disguising his handwriting. Because the real William serves as scribe for the real Harvey and cannot write due to his broken arm, the crowd cannot prove that the real Wilkses are indeed who they say they are. To put an end to the situation, the real Harvey declares he knows of a tattoo on his brother’s chest, asking the undertaker who dressed the body to back him up. But after the dauphin and Harvey each offer a different version of the tattoo’s appearance, the undertaker surprises everyone by telling the crowd he saw no tattoo. The mob cries out for the blood of all four men, but the lawyer instead sends them out to exhume the body and check for the tattoo themselves. The mob carries the four Wilks claimants and Huck with them. The mob is in an uproar when the $6,000 in gold is discovered in the coffin. In the excitement, Huck escapes. Passing the Wilks house, he notices a light in the upstairs window and thinks of Mary Jane. Huck steals a canoe and makes his way to the raft,...
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...and Extrinsic Rewards & Motivation August 6, 2011 Mark Twain wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876. One of the most famous stories in the novel is whitewashing the fence. It was a chore that Tom’s aunt Polly had assigned him but Tom found a way to get others to do the work and his first convert was Ben. When Ben told Tom he was going swimming and stated “Don’t you wish you could? But of course you’d druther work, wouldn’t you? Course you would!”. That was the start of a powerful lesson. Tom replied “Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suites Tom Sawyer” and he informed Ben that is it was not every day that a boy gets a chance to whitewash a fence and then proceeded to convince Ben that it was a privilege and only a few boys were even capable of doing such a job. Now the situation changed and Ben was willing to give Tom his apple in exchange for a chance for him to have the privilege of whitewashing the fence. “Tom gave up the brush with reluctance in his face, but alacrity in his heart. And while the late steamer Big Missouri worked and sweated in the sun, the retired artist sat on a barrel in the shade close by, dangled his legs, munched his apple, and planned the slaughter of more innocents. There was no lack of material; boys happened along every little while; they came to jeer, but remained to whitewash. By the time Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for a kite, in good repair; and when he played...
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...the life that many teenagers dream of, no parents to watch you or tell you what to do, but when Huckleberry finds himself in the care of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson things start to drastically change. Widow Douglas and Miss Watson are two relatively old women and think that raising a child means turning him into an adult. In order for Huckleberry to become a young man, he was required to attend school, religion was forced upon him, and a behavior that was highly unlike Huck became what was expected of him by the older ladies. Not to long after moving in, Huckleberry ran away. When he finally came home he respected the ladies wishes and did what they wanted, but was never happy with it. When Tom Sawyer enters the picture, he is the immediate apple of Huckleberry's eye. Huckleberry sees Tom as the person that he used to be and was envious of Tom's life. Huckleberry saw freedom and adventure in this young man and soon became very close friends with him. Huck then joins Tom's little "group" to feel that sense of belonging and adventure that he misses out on due to living with the two older ladies. Soon enough Huck realizes that all of Tom's stories are a little exagerated and that...
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...the life that many teenagers dream of, no parents to watch you or tell you what to do, but when Huckleberry finds himself in the care of Widow Douglas and Miss Watson things start to drastically change. Widow Douglas and Miss Watson are two relatively old women and think that raising a child means turning him into an adult. In order for Huckleberry to become a young man, he was required to attend school, religion was forced upon him, and a behavior that was highly unlike Huck became what was expected of him by the older ladies. Not to long after moving in, Huckleberry ran away. When he finally came home he respected the ladies wishes and did what they wanted, but was never happy with it. When Tom Sawyer enters the picture, he is the immediate apple of Huckleberry's eye. Huckleberry sees Tom as the person that he used to be and was envious of Tom's life. Huckleberry saw freedom and adventure in this young man and soon became very close friends with him. Huck then joins Tom's little "group" to feel that sense of belonging and adventure that he misses out on due to living with the two older ladies. Soon enough Huck realizes that all of Tom's stories are a little exagerated and that...
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...Twain used the novel to reach into deeper meanings and taught the readers about morals and the inner conflicts everyone faces. Huck overcame his inner demons and helped a slave, while realizing after his adventures that the truth is better than lying. The novel also demonstrates the influence people have on each other as Huck was influenced by his Pap and Miss Watson. Although some may argue that the child’s point of view is unfit, by having a child’s point of view it allowed Twain to let Huck grow as a character. Young and naive children follow the impressions left before them, leading to traditional values, like slavery, lasting for...
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...Everyone around him seemed clueless about what decent behavior should be. Many people of that time would have seen the book as being ridiculous because of those elements and would have not seen it for the truth it held. Even with his natural smarts, one of Huck's biggest weaknesses came when he followed Tom Sawyer at the end and unnecessarily prolonged Jim's captivity and even put the three of them in danger just to humor Tom's selfish need for adventure. This was especially bad in light of the fact that Tom had the knowledge that Jim had been freed by his owner, Miss Watson, who had died three months before. This was a perfect example of how people at that time, even Huck, were not ready to treat African Americans as equals. Huck had definitely formed the opinion that Jim was very human while listening to him cry over missing his family and feeling deep remorse over beating his daughter for not listening to him and then realizing she was deaf and couldn't hear him. Twain pointing these things...
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