Essay - Tom Sawyer Chapter Exegesis Scene One Chapter One of the...

Tom Sawyer

Chapter Exegesis

Scene One

Chapter one of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer encompasses four clearly distinct settings; each ***** these cleverly set the plot, tension, and tone for the rest of the book. From ***** beginning, therefore, you know who Tom Sawyer is — a mischievous, clever, precocious child with a good heart — from where he comes, ***** with whom he lives.

***** from the South — ***** reader need not know he lives in Mississippi to make t***** dialect connection — and parentless, he lives ***** an aging, sweetly vain aunt. Tom has a sense of community ***** ownership in his home *****wn ********** defends it from all 'c*****ified' newcomers:

His cap was a d*****inty thing, his close-buttoned blue cloth roundabout was new and natty, ***** so were his pantaloons. He had shoes on -- and it ***** *****ly Friday. He even wore a necktie, ***** bright bit of ribbon. He had a citified air about him that ate into *****'s vitals. The more

Tom stared at the splendid marvel, the higher he turned up his nose at ***** finery...

The first scene in Chapter ***** sets the relationship between ***** impish Tom ***** Aunt Polly; she a kind, simple-minded, honest, well-me*****ning victim to Tom's quick-witted, lightning fast reflexes, and response mechanisms - particularly when in trouble.

***** Two

***** two depicts Tom ***** a near-constant state of disregard for the rules by playing hooky from school. Regardless the inevitable consequences - and his intuitive understanding ***** just how far he can push Aunt Polly ***** he enters ***** situations willingly and with a boy's innocent he*****rt.

Although Mark Twain doesn't describe the hooky scene in this chapter, the reader is able to envision scenes of swinging on a rope out over the creek, stamping through every pile ***** dirt ***** mud he can find, and cramming a frog into ***** pocket ***** his w*****y *****.

Scene Three

***** offers a glimpse ***** the character of Sid, Tom's half-brother in Scene two:

Tom's younger brother (or rather half-brother) Sid was already ***** with his part ***** the work (picking up chips), for he ***** a quiet boy, and ***** no adventurous, troublesome ways.

By Scene three, the ***** is made aware ***** Sid has a sly side to his nature; in revealing Tom's re-sewing of his collar ***** an already suspicious Aunt, Sid instantly becomes the anti-hero in ***** story. A whining, insipid tattletale, one automatic*****y migrates to the *****-hearted but ***** Tom ***** sides with Tom in ***** innate dislike of his half-brother.

Scene Four

The fourth scene outlines Tom *****'s character and assertive nature while protecting his 'turf'. Alfred Temple, the new boy in *****wn, is dressed ***** in Sunday finery and his appearance alone taunts Tom. Despite Tom's lack of ***** for the reasons for the discomfort, he puts out the challenge to the new kid. After much banty-like posturing, Tom finally takes the verbal taunt challenge ***** begins pummeling Alfred in the