Guide-O-Rama



Guide-O-Rama

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,

Chapters Sixteen to Twenty-Three

Chapter Sixteen: First Pipes—I’ve Lost My Knife

-In this chapter, the boys struggle with homesickness. In fact, both Joe and Huck take off for home—that is, until Tom reveals his secret plan to sit in on their own funerals.

-Joe and Tom want to learn how to smoke a pipe to impress their friends. Huck is used to smoking, but they are complete novices! As a result, their first pipes absolutely sicken them. The boys concoct an excuse—“I’ve lost my knife” (112)—so they can separate from the pack and be sick on their own.

-A terrifying storm besieges the camp. The boys escape to the shelter first of their tent and then the great oak. The sycamore under which they had previously been sleeping is completely demolished? (They play up this fact to their friends after they return home.)

Chapter Seventeen: Pirates at Their Own Funeral

-The town is in mourning over the assumed death of the three “pirates.” Low and behold, mid-funeral, the boys come walking in through the church door. This situation perfectly suits Tom’s self-centered, dramatic personality. Can you think of another time he has sought out the attention of a group?

-Unlike Tom and Joe, Huck has no one to make a fuss over him. Aunt Polly lavishes her affection on him, making Huck very uncomfortable. Gradually, Tom is going to come to discover that being Huck Finn as not as great as it might appear. Be on the look-out. Tom is going to start pushing Huck, ever so subtly, to start finding a legitimate place for himself in society.

-What do you think of Tom’s decision? Would you yourself put your relatives through such pain and suffering for a trick? Do you think that Tom has taken things too far?

Chapter Eighteen: Tom Reveals His Dream Secret

-Apparently, Tom has not learned his lesson! He goes on to tell his aunt that he dreamed of her while playing pirates. The “dream” Tom describes, however, is precisely what he saw while he was hiding under the bed. Aunt Polly is impressed with the accuracy of Tom’s dream, figuring he must have the gift of prophesy. Sid, though, realizes something is up. He thinks to himself, “Pretty thin—as long a dream as that, without any mistakes in it!” (124). It’s only when Aunt Polly talks to Sereny Harper (Joe’s mother) about the dream that she realizes her mistake.

-Tom and Becky try to get one another’s attention through this portion of the book. As you read about their on-again, off-again romance, think about how their behavior compares to what kids today might do to win one another’s hearts.

-First, Tom decides he’s had enough of Becky’s indifference, so he flirts with Amy Lawrence. (Remember, Tom’s first fiancée?) Becky tries to reel him in again by offering an invitation to her picnic. She wants “everyone that’s friends to me—or wants to be” (126) to attend. Tom doesn’t take the bait, so she looks as a picture book with Alfred Temple. (Alfred is the “Model Boy” who gets a beating from Tom in chapter one! Remember, “I’ll lick you!”)

-Alfred is no dummy. He catches on to what Amy’s doing and retaliates against Tom. What does he do on page 129 to get Tom in trouble?

Chapter Nineteen: The Cruelty of “I Didn’t Think”

-Why is Aunt Polly so mad at Tom as the chapter begins? Do you think her evaluation of Tom on page 130 is fair? Though Aunt Polly is angry now, this emotion subsides when she finds Tom’s secret message in his pocket.

-What do you think of Aunt Polly’s parenting style? Is she effective as Tom’s guardian? How do you think Aunt Polly feels about Tom? And Tom about her?

Chapter Twenty: Tom Takes Becky’s Punishment

-If you were Becky, do you think that you would have let Tom get punished for the spilled ink? Would you have tried to right the situation, or would you have let him get whipped?

-Why does Tom admit to tearing the book? Would you have done the same thing? How does this one event help repair the relationship between Tom and Becky?

Chapter Twenty-One: Eloquence—and the Master’s Gilded Dome

“Eloquence” means using words in a flowery way, as the girls do during the school recital. “The master’s gilded dome” refers to the prank the students play on Mr. Dobbins. “The gilded dome” refers to Mr. Dobbin’s head, which by the end of the chapter has been painted gold, hence the words from the title “gilded” (gold) and dome (head).

-Have you ever wanted to get revenge against a teacher? Well, in this chapter, the students in Tom’s school play a clever trick on Mr. Dobbins, embarrassing him in front of the entire community. See if you can piece together what they do.

-Does Mr. Dobbins deserve what he gets? What do you think of him as a teacher?

-In this chapter, Mark Twain is providing a bit of satire, or social commentary. He is criticizing the long-winded, preachy compositions that are often written and then read aloud in school. It’s not really important that you grasp the content of the essays and poems in the chapter (140-143). Mark Twain is just making the point that these kinds of compositions are tedious to endure. So, if you find them long and boring, you are getting the point! (

Chapter Twenty-Two: Huck Finn Quotes Scripture

-As the chapter opens, Tom toys with the idea of becoming a Cadet of Temperance. (Think of this as something like a Boy Scout.) Tom wants to join the group because of the dramatic red rash they get to wear! (Remember, Tom always wants to be the center of attention!) He has trouble following the rules, though, and he drops out. What are the rules of the Cadets? (145)

-The rules of the Cadets make Tom all the more eager to do the things he’s not supposed to do. Do you think it’s true that “to promise not to do a thing is the surest way in the world to make a body want to go and do that very thing” (145)? How does this relate to the fence-painting scene earlier?

-On page 146, the murder is mentioned. Tom’s conscience is still bothering him. Do you think that he is wise to continue to remain quiet about what he knows?

-This chapter has to do with a religious revival that takes place in St. Petersburg. (Tom has been down with the measles for some time, and he arises to find St. Petersburg much changed!) A religious revival means that the town, as a whole, takes the preacher’s sermons more seriously. Everyone is on his or her best behavior. Joe studies the Bible and Ben passes out tracts (religious pamphlets). But, when Tom encounters Huck Finn and hears him quoting scripture, he can’t believe his ears! (Eventually, they return to their old ways, though!)

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Salvation of Muff Potter

-At last, the conflict of conscience comes to a head. As the chapter opens, Tom is struggling to keep his oath to remain silent about the murder. He renews his oath with Huck to try to bolster his courage, but eventually, Tom finds it necessary to tell what he knows.

-What do you think causes Tom to finally come forward? Given the possibility that Injun Joe might come and seek revenge, why do you think makes it impossible for him to remain silent? How do you suppose Huck Finn is going to react to this?

-Mark Twain does not tell us directly that Tom has confessed to Muff’s lawyer. (That’s where Tom was on page 151, when he was out late.) Instead, he makes it appear as if Muff’s lawyer is providing no defense (152-153). The lawyer does this because he doesn’t need the others’ testimony; Tom is his trump card! This creates some suspense for the reader. Were you surprised about Tom’s testimony, or were you expecting it?

-At the end of the chapter, Injun Joe knows his moment of reckoning has come. In response, he jumps out the window. While Tom has saved the day and (yet again) becomes the hero of the town, do you suppose that Tom will live in fear of Injun Joe’s return?

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