Tuesday, October 29, 2019
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Essay Example Although Twainââ¬â¢s story is largely focused on the world from the perspective of little boys, he also gives the reader various insights into the adult world which runs parallel to it. The theme of superstition and religion may be seen throughout the narrative. Tomââ¬â¢s religious opinions and superstitions are compatible with each other and reflect adult societyââ¬â¢s religious hypocrisy. Tomââ¬â¢s religious beliefs are very superficial. He names ââ¬Å"David and Goliathâ⬠as two disciples (Twain, Ch.IV). à As it is compulsory to memorize five verses, Tom ââ¬Å"chose part of the Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorterâ⬠(IV). à Sunday school is ââ¬Å"a place that Tom hated with his whole heart (IV). Tom compares the boring church unfavorably with a circus, stating that ââ¬Å"Church ain't shucks to a circus. There's things going on at a circus all the timeâ⬠(VII). It is not his love of Scripture, but his love of glory , and his need to show-off in front of Bessie Thatcher, which leads him to barter his little knick-knacks for the colored tickets which earn him the prize of a Bible. Tomââ¬â¢s religious beliefs are compatible with superstitions. ... dead spirits, the only prayer Tom can manage is the bedtime ââ¬Å"Now I lay me down to sleep.â⬠When Injun Joe falsely accuse Muff Potter of murdering Dr. Robinson, Tom expects ââ¬Å"God's lightening upon [Injun Joe's] headâ⬠as punishmentâ⬠(XI). Tom and his friends say their prayers before sleeping on the pirate jaunt only because they fear ââ¬Å"lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from heavenâ⬠(XIII). Tomââ¬â¢s religious beliefs are very alike superstitions. Tomââ¬â¢s life is filled with superstitions, which often dictate the course of his actions. An effective cure for warts ranges from ââ¬Å"spunk-waterâ⬠and charms, to split beans and blood. Of course, the efficacy of dead cats is the superstition which leads to the biggest of Tomââ¬â¢s adventures. Tom uses incantations to look for lost marbles. When the stairs creak at night, it is evidence that ââ¬Å"spirits were abroadâ⬠(IX). An oath is to be sworn in blood for it to be binding. A dog howling is a sign of approaching death. Buried treasure is to be found under a tree when ââ¬Å"the shadow of the limb falls at midnight, a guarded by a dead manâ⬠(XXV). Witches have no power in the daytime and Fridays are unlucky days. Here again, the boys meld religion and superstition. Old Mother Hopkins bewitches people by ââ¬Å"saying the Lord's Prayer backardsâ⬠(VI). The holiness of the Sabbath ensures that ââ¬Å"Devils don't slosh around much of a Sunday, I don't reckonâ⬠(VI). Finally, it is clear that Tomââ¬â¢s superstitions serve the main purpose of making life more interesting and banishing the boredom of daily routine. When Huck tires of life with the Widow Douglas, Tom prevents him from running away by promising adventures as part of his gang of ââ¬Å"respectableâ⬠robbers. It is the anticipation of an initiation
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