Tom Sawyer Tom Sawyer movie clip

About Author “What’s in a name” – Shakespeare wrote this Importance of your name? “Mark Twain” is a pseudonym or pen name Real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Born in Missouri in Clemens worked on riverboat as a pilot and called himself “Mark Twain” a river term which meant “Safe Water”

Plot Summary Main Character, Protagonist, enjoys everything about growing up on the banks of Mississippi River, except going to school and sitting still. Adventurous boy: manipulates Ben to paint fence, wins Bible contest, explores with Huck Finn Boys witness murder of Dr. Robinson Tom struggles with the idea of innocent Muff Porter being wrongly accused when Injun Joe murdered him Huck and Tom seek adventure looking for treasures Becky sidetracks Tom, they get lost in cave Two boys become wealthy Huck discovers wealth is not as valuable as freedom.

Setting Beginning 1840s Rural Southern town Families worked/ lived on farms Along Mississippi River Missouri

Southern Dialect Dialect = a form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group The Adventures of Tom Sawyer speak a dialect that reflects the speech patterns of Missouri residents in the 1840s for example, that spile means “spoil,” that yallar means “yellow,” and that warn’t means either “weren’t” or “wasn’t.”

Major themes The Value of Honesty The Value of Companionship

What is a character Trait? External: –Physical characteristic, hair color –Healthy, Weak physically –Body dialect Internal? What is going on inside? –Courage –More emotional, spiritual (Mind and Soul)

Character traits in novel Love of freedom Feelings of conscience Love of adventure Concern for others Love of pranks or jokes Leadership ability Love of the dramatic Courage Desire to fit into society Resourcefulness or cleverness