An Adventure Begins

“TOM!” 
No answer. 
“TOM!” No answer. 
“What’s gone with that boy, I wonder? You TOM!”

Those are the opening lines of one of the most famous of American novels--Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. I was recently reminded, while boasting of the superiority of Huckleberry Finn over that earlier work, that it had been many years since I had last read that great American classic about the young Monsieur Sawyer. Having just finished my latest free book from Amazon Prime, it seemed like a good time to read some real literature. 

Although I remain singularly unqualified to review great literature--I've never read any critical treatment or even Cliff Notes on Tom Sawyer, have no relevant advanced degree or recognition, and I am woefully deficient in my stock of keen insights and witty observations--I've never let that stop me before. I do know what I like; I like Mark Twain's writings. (In the last year or two, I read for the first time Twain's Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc and found it an absolutely delightful contender with Huckleberry Finn for Twain's best work). Additionally, the protagonist in my nearly completed novel, Smoke, uses a few quotes from Mr. Clements' works (as well as from other authors) for his own inspirational purposes. I seem to have forgotten where I was going with this...except for the bit of self-promotion for my upcoming book...so I'll just get back to the story.

The person doing the hollering for Tom is Aunt Polly. (When I was a kid, my dad once pointed out to me that every Tom Sawyer movie that he has ever seen starts with Polly's hollering. I doubt that my dad ever read the book; if he had, he would know why the movies start that way). If I remember correctly, we'll follow Tom himself through most of the book, but here we are introduced to him through the viewpoint of Aunt Polly. She loves the boy, but is frustrated with him, and with herself for not disciplining him more severely--so she suffers for both Tom's sins and her own. Perhaps her view is flawed. Twain describes her spectacles as being "built for style, not service." Twain claims that "she could have seen through a pair of stove-lids just as well." That seems to be a pretty strong indication that Polly's myopic view is inaccurate at best.

Polly finds Tom, his mouth full of the fruits of his latest crime--he has been sampling the jam. She's about to take a switch to the boy. He directs her attention to something behind her...and makes his escape. She resolves to make Tom work tomorrow, Saturday, to make up for his dodging of discipline. 

At dinner, Polly resolves to make Tom reveal that he played hookey. Tom outmaneuvers her on that point, only to have his grand evasion scuttled by his hated half-brother Sid. Tom flees the scene once more. He forgets his troubles in remembering, and practicing, his newly acquired skill of whistling. 

All is well until Tom meets a well dressed boy. The prelude to the fight is fairly lengthy. The boys engage in an elaborate series of taunts and dares, including the threat of imaginary big brothers. At last the point of no return is reached when Tom says that for two cents he would lick the over dressed boy, and the boy proffers the two cents. Tom thrashes the boy, and chases him home. He waits there until the boy's mother orders him away, calling him a "bad, vicious, vulgar child."

Tom finally returns home quite late. He uncovers an "ambuscade" in the form of Aunt Polly as he slips through the bedroom window. I like that word "ambuscade." I thought that I had first seen it in chapter 3 of Huckleberry Finn, but here it is right at the end of chapter one of this earlier novel.

At the end of the first short chapter, we have met Tom, and understand that he is a rascal--the free spirit of the aptly titled song by Rush. We see Aunt Polly as well-meaning, but apparently ill suited to deal with her dead sister's son. We also meet Sid, the hated (by Tom), quiet boy without adventurous, troublesome ways. Sid is the half-brother, and antithesis of Tom. Tom is a fighter, he detests boys who dress well (especially during the week), and possesses an inveterate hatred of work. 

I believe the next chapter will address that move made famous in The Karate Kid, but first performed by Tom Sawyer, known as "paint the fence."