Reviews with content warning for Animal cruelty - The Adventure of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain's “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is a classic tale of childhood wonder and adventure. Through the eyes of young Tom, we are transported to a world of youthful escapades, where the line between reality and imagination often blurs. Tom's adventures encapsulate the essence of childish rebelliousness and the allure of fantasy and escapism.

One of the standout aspects of the book is Twain's ability to capture the innocence and curiosity of childhood. Tom's adventures are a blend of mischief and heroism, from exploring caves to witnessing a murder, making the story both thrilling and endearing. We also catch glimpses of adult hypocrisy and societal norms, offering a critique of the world from a child's perspective.

However, reading the book today, certain elements can be incredibly jarring. Twain's depictions of Native Americans, African Americans, and women reflect the biases and prejudices of his time. These portrayals are troubling and serve as a reminder of the pervasive racial and gender discrimination in post-slavery 19th-century southern America. Twain's language and characterizations reveal his societal biases, which can be uncomfortable for modern readers.

Despite these issues, Twain's narrative is not without its merits. His droll and self-aware sense of humour shines through, particularly in quotes like this favourite of mine:

[Tom] had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it—namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. If he had been a great and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.

This quote encapsulates Twain's cleverness and insight into human nature, highlighting his ability to find profound truths in simple, everyday observations.

Overall, while “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” offers a delightful and adventurous story of childhood, it is essential to approach it with a critical eye, recognizing the dated and prejudiced elements that reflect the time and society in which it was written.

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ladyethyme's review against another edition

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Frankly the main character of Tom Sawyer is portrayed as having all the characteristics of the serial killer. He's deliberately tricks people into doing chores for him, he emotionally manipulates girls and physically abuses them, sexually harassing them. And this is supposed to be like an eight year old? They also physically torture animals, and for some reason it's supposed to be funny. And that's not even getting into all of the racism, and I mean like, serious racism. "All n@ggers are liars"; and that kind of thing. I don't know why this is considered a classic. Frankly I find Tom to be a complete asshole, and I'd love to see him end up in prison where he belongs. But I guess this is the kind of masculinity that was encouraged or even laughed about in the 1870s.

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idesofmarch's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

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fr_eddie's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

«"Se fosse stato run grande e savio filosofo, come l'autore del presente libro, si sarebbe reso conto, a questo punto, che il lavoro consiste in qualsiasi cosa una persona è costretta a fare, mentre il divertimento consiste in qualsiasi cosa una persona non è costretta a fare"»

Storia carina e leggera sulle avventure di Tom Sawyer e dei suoi amici, in un racconto di amore, amicizia e morte.

Libro interessante, che aiuta a vedere il mondo ottocentesco dagli occhi di un ragazzino astuto, sia per quanto riguarda le tradizioni e le superstizioni, sia per quanto riguarda il razzismo.
E non è che ne ci sia poco di razzismo: la n-word è ripetuta più volte, con Huck che chiede a Tom di non dire in giro che mangia in compagnia di un nero (Huck how could you), e omg guarda che caso il cattivo del libro è mezzo indiano. Incredibile.

Storia che spazia da Tom e amici che scappano di casa per fare i pirati a Tom e Becky che rimangono rinchiusi nel labirinto delle grotte e Becky che sembra pronta ad accettare la morte. Con calma.
Vengono affrontati temi giovanili e superstizioni , ma anche come le azioni che facciamo si riflettano sul mondo (tipo la parte divertentissima in cui Tom va a vedere il suo funerale. Fra. Credo che tua zia non si sia divertita) o come la ricchezza alla fine limiti (Huck che vuole essere sporco e dormire in barili è un patatone).

Lo consiglierei? È un libro corto e anche scorrevole, ma la voglia che avevo di riprenderlo era quasi inesistente. Se si vuole leggere storie di bambini, leggete "I ragazzi della via Pal", che almeno lì non ci sono n-word.

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sidjtu's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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teacupsandfirereads's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

My first time reading this beloved classic. I can't say it was for me. I did laugh at some of Tom's antics, but didn't connect beyond that. Where other classics have aged well, I don't feel certain this one did. I also was not a fan of the narration.

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whisper88's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

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moreau's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is so good. All the characters are so charming and believable, the language is super fun too considering the setting and era. Absolutely obsessed.

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