"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain. Tom Sawyer's Birthday Key characters in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Mark Twain is a writer who made great contributions to journalism and social activism. His creativity was not limited to a certain direction. He wrote humorous and satirical works, journalism and even science fiction. On the other hand, the author always adhered to a democratic and humanistic position. The description of life should begin with the fact that Mark Twain’s real name is completely different. The initials by which he is known throughout the world are his pseudonym. The history of its origin is quite interesting. The real name of the writer is Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

The appearance of a pseudonym

How did the idea of ​​creating a different name come about? Samuel Clemens himself said that "Mark Twain" was taken from river navigation terminology. In his youth he served as a pilot's mate on the Mississippi. Each time the message that the minimum mark had been reached, which was acceptable for the passage of river boats, sounded like “Mark Twain”. It turns out there is nothing unusual in this story.

However, there is another version why the writer changed his real name to Mark Twain. In 1861, the Northern Star magazine published a story written in a humorous direction by Artemus Ward. One of the main characters was named Mark Twain. Clemens really liked the humorous section, and for his early performances he chose stories from this particular author.

Childhood and adolescence

Samuel Clemens (real name Mark Twain) was born on November 30, 1835 in the small town of Florida, which was located in Missouri. When the boy was 4 years old, his parents, in search of a way to improve their lives, decided to move to the city of Hannibal. He was in the same state. The image of this particular town and its inhabitants was later reflected in most of Mark Twain’s published books.

Clemens's father died of pneumonia in 1847, leaving him with a large amount of debt. To improve the family's financial situation, the eldest son decided to publish a newspaper, to which young Samuel made a major contribution. The boy was engaged in typing, and sometimes published as an author of articles. The most lively and interesting works were written by the future Mark Twain. Usually such materials were published when his brother was away. Clemens also traveled occasionally to St. Louis and New York.

Pre-literary activity

The biography of Mark Twain is interesting not only for his literary creations. Before devoting himself to the work of a writer, he worked as a pilot on a steamship ship. Clemens himself later said that if it had not been for the Civil War, he would have continued to work on the ship. Since private shipping was prohibited, the young man had to change his type of activity.

May 22, 1861 is marked in the biography of Mark Twain by the fact that he joined the Masonic fraternity. The writer knew firsthand about the people's militia, which he vividly described in 1861. In the summer of that year he went west. Interesting facts from his biography include his experience as a miner in Nevada, where silver was mined. But his mining career did not work out, so Clemens decided to try himself as a newspaper employee.

Beginning of a literary career

In a Virginia newspaper, Clemens (Mark Twain's real name was indicated just above) was first published under a pseudonym. In 1864, he moved to San Francisco, where he began collaborating with several newspapers at once. The year 1865 was marked by the fact that Mark Twain achieved his first success as a writer. His story, written in a humorous genre, was published and recognized as the best.

In the spring of 1866, Twain went on a trip to Hawaii. On behalf of the newspaper, he had to tell in letters about what happened to him during the trip. After returning to their native lands, these descriptions were a huge success. Soon the writer received an offer to go on a tour around the state with interesting lectures, which the public listened to with pleasure.

Publication of the first book

Twain received his first real recognition as a writer for another book, which also contained his travel stories. In 1867, he went to travel around Europe as a correspondent. Clemens also visited Russia: Odessa, Yalta, Sevastopol. Interesting facts about Mark Twain include his visit as part of a ship’s delegation, when he visited the residence of the Emperor of Russia.

The author sent his impressions to the editor, then they were published in the newspaper. Later they were combined into one book called "Simps Abroad." It was released in 1869, which was an immediate success. Throughout his creative career, Twain visited Europe, Asia, America and Australia.

In 1870, when Mark Twain was at the height of his popularity, he married and moved to Buffalo, then to Hartford. At this time, the writer gave lectures not only in America, but also abroad. Afterwards he began to work in the genre of sharp satire, criticizing the American government.

Creative career

Mark Twain's books are still loved by readers all over the world. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn made the greatest contribution to American literature. It is difficult to find a person who would not be familiar with this work. “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, “The Prince and the Pauper” and other books also enjoy popular love and success. Today they are in the home libraries of many families. Most of his public appearances and lectures have not survived.

Interesting facts about Mark Twain include the fact that some works were banned from publication by the writer himself during his lifetime. The lectures were interesting to the audience because Clemens had a talent for speaking in public. When he achieved fame and recognition, he began to look for young talents and helped them take their first steps in the literary field. The writer used useful contacts in literary circles and his own publishing company.

For example, he was very friendly with Nikola Tesla. Mark Twain was interested in science, which is confirmed by the descriptions of various technologies in the books. From time to time his works were banned by censorship. Some works that could offend people's religious feelings were not published at the request of the writer's family. Mark Twain himself, with his characteristic sense of humor, took censorship lightly.

The last years of the writer's life

Mark Twain experienced the loss of three of his four children and the death of his wife. Despite his depressed state, he never lost his ability to joke. His financial situation was not in the best condition. Most of the savings were invested in a new model of the machine, which was never released. The rights to Mark Twain's books were stolen by plagiarists.

In 1893, the writer was introduced to the famous oil magnate Henry Rogers. Soon their acquaintance grew into a strong friendship. His death greatly upset Twain. Samuel Clemens, who is known throughout the world as Mark Twain, died on April 21, 1910. This is the same year that Halley's Comet passed by.

Mark Twain's biography is rich in bright events, ups and downs. However, he always treated everything with humor. And his contribution to literature - not only American, but also worldwide - is great. And now all the boys, and girls too, as well as adults, continue to read about the adventures of two mischievous children - Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

A book about adventures Tom Sawyer written by a wonderful American writer Mark Twain . He was born on November 30, 1835 on the banks of the Mississippi River, in the south of the United States of America, in the small town of Florida, Missouri. Mark Twain is the writer's pseudonym, his real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens . He came up with the pseudonym in memory of his youth, when Clemens was a pilot on river ships, and he had to often repeat the word “twain” (twain - “dozen fathoms”, i.e. sufficient depth). The writer spent his childhood in the small town of Hannibal, where his family moved in search of a better life (in the photo on the right, the house where Mark Twain spent his childhood and youth is now a museum. Hannibal, Missouri). Subsequently, it was Hannibal who would serve as the prototype for the town of St. Petersburg in famous novels "Adventures of Tom Sawyer" And "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" .

Huckleberry Finn , closest friend Tom, this is an accurate portrait Blenkenship Toms , boys from Hannibal. His father was a drunkard and paid little attention to his son. Tom Blenkenship lived in a dilapidated shack on the outskirts of the city, slept in barrels or in the open air, was always hungry, walked in rags, and, of course, did not study anywhere. But he liked it: he despised “vile and stuffy houses.” “He didn’t have to wash or put on a clean dress, and he could swear amazingly. In short, he had everything that makes life wonderful."- the writer writes about him. Boys from “good families” were forbidden to be friends with him, but he was fun, interesting, he was kind and fair. And became a true friend Tom Sawyer.

There is also a prototype Becky Thatcher - This Laura Hawkins , daughter of a neighbor. The Hawkins lived directly across from the Clemens house in a large two-story house. This house still stands there today on Hill Street in Hannibal (pictured at right). They are going to renovate it and open “Becky Thatcher’s house” for tourists to visit.

If you happen to find yourself in Hannibal, you will be able to see that little has changed here since the days of Mark Twain. “There are no skyscrapers or high-rise buildings here(on the picture) . Tourists are shown the places where events from Mark Twain's novels took place: the two-story house where the Clemens family lived, the legendary fence that the cunning Tom had to paint, Dr. Grant's pharmacy - in difficult times for the family, the Clemens lived with him and the writer's father died here. The shack of drunken parent Huck Finn did not survive; it was demolished in the 40s of the last century. However, in its place there is a memorial plaque.”, say tourists and travelers.

In Mark Twain's notes there are lines that he thought to continue the story about his heroes. He did not fully realize his plan: in 1894 he published the novel "Tom Sawyer Abroad" (or "Tom Sawyer - Balloonist" ), in 1896 - "Tom Sawyer - Detective" , three more unfinished works - "On School Hill" (eng. Schoolhouse Hill), "The Tom Sawyer Conspiracy" (eng. Tom Sawyer's Conspiracy) and "Huck and Tom among the Indians" (English: Huck and Tom Among the Indians) - were published after the death of the writer. For us, the heroes of his books remain forever young. The author of unforgettable children's works died on April 24, 1910. He left behind more than 25 volumes of works of various genres.

1. What did Tom decide to become?
A. A pirate.
b. A clown in the circus.
V. A soldier.

2. What was in the treasure cache?
A. Gun.
b. Barlow knife.
V. Alabaster ball.

3. What was buried at the edge of the forest in a pile of brushwood behind a rotten tree?
A. Homemade knife and pistol.
b. Homemade bow, arrow, wooden sword and tin pipe.
V. Homemade saber, hat and feather.

4. Joe Harper and Tom started a game - a battle. Who has Tom turned into?
A. Robin Hood.
b. Brave pirate.
V. Injun Joe.

1. In what country did Tom Sawyer live? (In America.)

2. Genre of the work about Tom Sawyer? (Novel.)

3. Tom Sawyer's favorite hobby? (Reading books.)

4. What was the name of the river on which the city stood? (Mississippi.)

5. On what day of the week did Tom feel the most unhappy? (On Monday.)

6. What kind of punishment was accepted in families and schools in the era of Mark Twain? (Rods.)

7. Who saved Muff Potter from the gallows? (Volume.)

8. In what city did Tom Sawyer live? (St. Petersburg.)

9. What remedy did Huck consider to be the most effective for removing warts? (Dead cat.)

10. What was Tom Sawyer “sick” with when his aunt gave him a painkiller? (Laziness.)

11. How many days has Tom been in love with Amy Lawrence? (7.)

12. How did Tom save Becky Thatcher from punishment for torn book? (Took the blame.)

13. Tom Sawyer - Black Avenger of the Spanish Seas, and Huck Finn? (Bloody hand.)

14. Robbers password... (Blood.)

15. Name the famous translator of the novel about Tom Sawyer? (N. Daruzes.)

16. How long did Tom keep his diary during the holidays? (3 days.)

17. Did Tom get to attend his funeral? (Yes.)

18. Why did the boys judge the cat? (For killing a bird.)

19. Who killed the doctor in the cemetery? (Injun Joe.)

20. Complete the saying “Time is...” (Money.)

21. What time of day is best to dig for treasure? (At midnight.)

22. In what country did Robin Hood live? (In England.)

23. What did Becky want to put under her pillow to see Tom in her dreams? (Pie.)

24. What animals were found in McDougal's cave? (The bats.)

25. Who was walled up in the cave? (Injun Joe.)

26. What sign helped the children find the treasure? (Cross from candle soot.)

27. How many thousand dollars did the young treasure hunters get? (12 thousand.)

28. What angered Huck most about living in the Widow Douglas's house? (Purity.)

In America, on the Mississippi River, there is a small city of Hannibal, where the famous writer Mark Twain spent his childhood. In the center of the city stands the great Cardiff Hill. And on the hill there is a monument to two barefoot boys in torn pants, setting off in search of their next adventure - Tom Sawyer And Huckleberry Finn. The guys are depicted as they are obviously represented by many generations of readers - carefree, mischievous, childishly spontaneous. In addition to this, Huck is holding a dead cat slung over his shoulder by the tail. This famous cast iron sculpture was unveiled on May 27, 1876. Sculptor Frederick Hibbard .

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“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” in which the main characters take place during the American Civil War, is perhaps the story with which readers associate the author’s name. Mark Twain, like John Tolkien, wrote several works united by one theme. Tom Sawyer is the central character of a number of books: “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, “Tom Sawyer Abroad”, “Tom Sawyer - Detective”. The same character appears on the pages of the book about Huckleberry Finn.

Let's talk about the plot of the book

The place where the main characters of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer live was invented by the writer. This is an imaginary town under the strange and funny name of St. Petersburg. The name is funny because the town is located in the state of Missouri, in America.

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The plot centers on the life and adventures of a boy named Tom Sawyer. The young man is approximately 12 years old and is being raised by his aunt. The reader is informed that Tom's mother has died. The time period covered by the events of the book is several months. Despite such a short period of time, the main character manages to gain a varied and rich experience: the boy falls in love, watches a crime being committed, assists in revealing the identity of the criminal... Tom also runs away from his aunt’s house, dreaming of living a pirate’s life on the island, but during his travels the boy gets lost and ends up in a cave. After emerging from the cave trap, Tom Sawyer shows that he is blessed with luck, because the boy finds the treasure - just like a pirate. Tom shares the found treasures with his faithful friend and comrade, Huckleberry Finn.

Genre of Mark Twain's work

The writer's book "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", whose central characters constantly find themselves in various troubles, belongs to adventure literature. The work is intended for a children's audience: indeed, probably every child's parents or grandparents gave this book to read in childhood.

The adventure genre took shape in literature at the end of the 19th century, and “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” was written by the author in 1876. Romanticism and neo-romanticism are two movements that influenced the development of this genre. The goal is the desire to escape from reality, a peculiar form of escapism.

The idea of ​​an adventure tale (in this case we are talking about a fairy tale) is to entertain the reader. Of course, the book is replete with a significant number of episodes that teach children what good and bad deeds, true friendship, love, danger and loyalty are.

Key characters in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Tom Sawyer

The reader can easily guess from the title of the book who the main character and central character of the work are. Tom Sawyer is a twelve-year-old boy who lives in his aunt's house. The aunt is the sister of the young man’s mother, who has already died.

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Tom cannot be called a well-mannered and obedient boy: he is a cocky young man who constantly gets into trouble. Tom is a naughty boy, and pranks are a common way of life for a boy. The hero is curious and inquisitive. These traits lead Tom to adventures: the young man loves to “poke his nose into other people’s affairs”, to learn what “you don’t need to know.” The boy's adventures often turn into troubles and dangerous situations.

Meanwhile, Sawyer has many positive traits: a heightened sense of justice, kindness and honesty, and responsiveness. Tom shows himself to be a devoted and generous friend, a reliable and generous comrade, a noble "pirate", a prudent gentleman.

The events of Mark Twain's work unfold against the backdrop of the American Civil War. Since the author talks about Americans, the main character of the book shows a typical American trait - a desire for entrepreneurship and the ability to get out of any situation.

In the first chapter of the book, the writer gives an extensive description of the hero: Tom shows cunning and wit, he is a rogue and a lazy person, however, he is also adventurous and savvy. Sawyer is an avid reader. Most of the books the boy reads also belong to the adventure genre.

The author frees the reader from the need to come up with a portrait of the hero: the writer talks about the boy’s appearance. Tom is a short young man with blue eyes and brown, curly hair. There is a scattering of freckles on the boy's nose.

Huckleberry

Bosom friend of the main character. In the book, Tom and Huck (as he is sometimes called in the work) Finn is constantly together. The boys help those who need help and oppose the atrocities of other characters. The guys' lives are full of adventures and changes, both are restless and curious.

Huck has a father, who, however, does not participate in his son's life. In essence, the hero leads a homeless life, the boy is left in his own care. Therefore, Huck is used to taking care of himself; the young man shows unconventional thinking and has an extraordinary mind. Huck, older than Tom, often acts as a ringleader and entertainer, showing a practical attitude to life and business.

Huck is a wise, experienced boy; life has taught Huck to be pragmatic and reasonable. The hero is distinguished by independence. Despite this, the boy still likes to play pranks - just like his friend Tom. Huck does not go to classes, parents have a negative attitude towards their children's friendship with Huck. In the end, the young man’s father leaves for a better world and Huck is left alone: ​​the boy has no other relatives.

These are the central characters of the book “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, but there are also minor figures.

Polly

Tom Sawyer's aunt. After the death of her sister, Polly took her son in to raise her. The aunt loves her nephew like a son. Polly wants to give Tom a good upbringing so that he grows up to be a respected and worthy man.

Tom is a naughty man and an entertainer, so his aunt is often strict with him, showing demands and toughness. Polly eradicates Tom's laziness, teaches him to love work, to be a decent and honest boy.

Aunt has such qualities as kindness, wisdom, and therefore Polly manages to form positive character traits in Tom: responsiveness and generosity, sympathy, devotion...

Sid

Aunt Polly's son, Tom's cousin. Sid is the opposite of the main character. Tom is not friends with his cousin; the boys often compete and conflict. Sid cannot be described as a positive character: the young man lies, misbehaves and puts the burden of responsibility on others. Sid can easily lie and commit meanness.

Sid's appearance matches the character's nature. The hair is slicked down and the clothes are unnaturally clean. Sid is used to, as they say, “raking in the heat with someone else’s hands.” A cheat, a hypocrite, a cunning, vindictive egoist and a liar, Sid often denounces his brother.

Jim

A dark-skinned guy whom the writer describes as a comrade and ally of the main character. Among the other key characters in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Jim is perhaps the most interesting figure. The slave, Jim, however, thinks a lot about the nature of freedom. This is relevant, because the Civil War revolved around the issue of slavery in America.

Tom treats Jim as an equal. Jim is distinguished by his superstitiousness and simplicity, honesty, naivety and openness. These traits are the reason for frequent jokes about Tom's character. But the jokes are light and good-natured: Tom has no intention of offending his friend. Jim calls Tom "mass", that is, "master".

Joe

Injun Joe appears before the reader's eyes in the chapter "Murder in the Cemetery." Joe is a negative hero, an antagonist. Tom witnesses Joe committing a crime - murder.

As befits a negative, evil character, Joe is distinguished by his ferocity and vindictiveness. The hero embodies everything that is associated with evil: cruelty, meanness, betrayal, composure, inhumanity. Joe thinks about revenge, wanting to kill every person who has ever done him wrong or interfered.

The reader says goodbye to the hero in the chapter “The Death of Injun Joe.” The death of a criminal is worthless and pathetic. Joe dies painfully when the cave rubble literally buries the killer alive.

Becky

Tom falls in love with a well-bred girl named Becky Thatcher. The girl comes from a judge's family. Since childhood, Becky has been pampered and indulged in every whim. The book describes a situation that clearly outlines the degree of spoilage of “sweetheart” Tom: one day, having learned that Tom was once in love with someone else, Becky quarrels with her lover.

Becky worries about the ruined book, pleasantly surprised at how noble and brave Tom can be, since the boy admitted himself to be guilty of it. The girl perceives Sawyer as a spontaneous, daring boy. These traits cause Becky's sympathy for Tom.

Becky is characterized by emotionality and impressionability. Tom takes care of his beloved and helps the girl. Trapped in the cave, Tom finds a way out and gives Becky food.

Rebecca has the appearance of a typical beauty: golden curls, blue eyes.

In addition, Tom also has a cousin, Mary, as well as his main school friend, Joe Harper.

Tom Sawyer is the owner of a rebellious character, a fidget, a prankster and a great adventurer, who settled in four books by the writer. The former journalist went through a path of creative torment before he found the right form for the work and, in fact, the hero who was destined to become a favorite of young readers. Funny adventures created the author's reputation as a great humorist and master of intrigue. Unbridled imagination, enthusiasm and mischievous actions - the life of a boy from the town of St. Petersburg will be the envy of any child.

History of creation

Mark Twain gave children four novels in which exciting events unfold: “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, “Tom Sawyer Abroad” and the detective story “Tom Sawyer - Detective”. The author never finished another work called “The Tom Sawyer Conspiracy.”

The first book was born with difficulty: Twain began it in 1872, and finished it only by the summer of 1875. An interesting fact is that the author wrote this work on a typewriter for the first time in his creative biography. The autobiographical novel is based on the writer’s childhood, when the worries of adulthood had not yet burst into a serene world filled with dreams of exploits and accomplishments. Mark Twain admitted that, like the heroes of his novels, as a boy he wanted to find a treasure, build a raft, and settle on a desert island.

The author borrowed the name of the character from an acquaintance, Thomas Sawyer, with whom fate brought him together in California. However, the prototypes were three boy friends from distant childhood, as Twain talks about in the preface. That's why the main character turned out to be such a contradictory character.

The prose writer wrote not so much for children, but for their parents, trying to convey to moms and dads that children do not have enough roof over their heads and clothes. You need to try to understand the magical world of a child, and not evaluate his actions only negatively - behind every action there is a “great” idea. Indeed, simple language, a huge number of curiosities and sparkling humor made the novels excellent reading for adults.

The dates of writing of subsequent books are 1884, 1894 and 1896. At least a dozen writers tried to translate novels into Russian, but the translation was recognized as the best work. The writer presented the work to Soviet children in 1929.

Biography and plot

Tom Sawyer lives in the small town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, on the banks of the Mississippi River in the family of his aunt - after the death of his mother, she took the boy in to raise him. Days fly by studying at school, fighting and playing on the street, and Tom also makes friends with a street child and falls in love with a beautiful peer, Becky. In general, everything is like an ordinary teenager.

An incredible optimist, Tom can turn every problem into a profitable event. Thus, whitewashing the fence, which the boy was assigned by his aunt as punishment, becomes a profitable business. Tom works with a brush with such gusto and pleasure that his young acquaintances also want to try it. In this case, Sawyer made a whole “fortune”, adding glass marbles, a one-eyed kitten and a dead rat to the piggy bank of his boyish treasures.

One day, the main character of the novel met Finn on the street, and a controversy broke out between the boys about the effectiveness of treating warts. Huckleberry revealed a new method that requires a dead cat and a trip to the cemetery at night. From that moment on, the exciting adventures of friends began.

The boys witness a murder in a cemetery, decide to become pirates, and together with their school friend Joe, build a fleet and set off on a journey to a nearby island. The friends even managed to find a chest of gold and become the richest boys in the city.

The adventures of the friends continue in the next book, where Huckleberry Finn comes to the fore. Tom helps his friend save Jim's slave by pulling off a whole scam. And in the third novel, the friends find themselves in a hot air balloon - a series of trials awaits them on a journey across America, over the Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean.

Later, Tom Sawyer was to visit Arkansas, where, again with Finn, the boy became involved in a murder investigation and the theft of diamonds.

Film adaptations

Mark Twain's works were used several times by famous directors. William Taylor first brought the adventures of the young prankster to film in 1917. However, the film was not a success. But the next film, directed by John Cromwell in 1930, became a box office leader. 40 years later, the Americans repeated the success - the musical film directed by Don Taylor was nominated three times for an Oscar and twice for a Golden Globe. The main role went to Johnny Whitaker.

The French decided to approach the adventures of an American boy on a grand scale, releasing the series “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” (1968), albeit in a mini-format. Roland Demongeau transformed into the restless Tom.

In the country of the Soviets, the directors also paid attention to Mark Twain's novel. Based on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the black-and-white film was created by Lazar Frenkel and Gleb Zatvornitsky in 1936. However, the film “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn”, which appeared on Soviet movie screens in 1981, gained great fame. He tried on the image of Tom, and his friend Huckleberry was a future celebrity, for whom the role became his debut.

Govorukhin gathered famous actors on the set. The characters from the American book were played by (Aunt Polly Sawyer), (Muff Potter). The role of Tom's beloved Becky was played by his daughter. The film crew traveled around the world: the geography of the film included Ukraine, the Caucasus, Abkhazia, and the Dnieper convincingly appeared in the image of the Mississippi River.

The director's new interpretation of Twain's books was presented to the audience by Hermine Huntgeburt. In Tom Sawyer (2011), the roles are given to Louis Hoffman (Tom) and Leon Sidel (Huckleberry).

Producer Boris Shenfelder said in an interview:

“The idea to make a film about Sawyer came to me after watching “Hands Off the Mississippi” and “Brilliant Con artists.” Thinking about these two films, I decided to make a film for children and young adults that would not blindly pander to children's tastes and would be out of our time."

The plan turned out to be realized quite successfully.

The last film adaptation of Mark Twain's literary creation happened in 2014. The film "Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn" was co-produced in Germany and the USA and directed by Joe Kastner. The restless boy-inventor was played by Joel Courtney.

• Hidden under the name St. Petersburg is the hometown of Hannibal, where Mark Twain was born and raised. Tom Sawyer's entourage has real-life prototypes. For example, Aunt Polly is “based” on the writer’s mother, and Becky is based on the neighbor girl Laura Hawkins.
• In 2005, the Children's Musical Theater for Young Spectators staged the sparkling musical Tom Sawyer. The music and lyrics for the performance were written by composer Viktor Semenov; the audience especially likes the composition “Star River.”

• The two-story house of the Hawkins family still adorns the street of the writer’s hometown. Hannibal officials are planning to renovate the building and open a Becky Thatcher Museum. Nearby, according to fans of Twain’s work, stands “the same” fence that Twain had to whitewash, and a block from the street rises Cardiff Hill, where the children’s games described in the novel took place. The caves in which Tom once got lost with Becky are also located in the vicinity of the village.
• Various artists undertook to illustrate Mark Twain's books, but the best work is considered to be the pictures of Robert Ingpen.

Quotes

“It often happens that the fewer justifications there are for some ingrained custom, the more difficult it is to get rid of it.”

“There is no worse fool than an old fool. No wonder they say: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

“What will you do with your share, Tom?
- I’ll buy a drum, a real saber, a red tie, a bulldog puppy and get married.
- Are you getting married?
- Well, yes.
“Tom, you... you’re out of your mind!”

“The only thing that’s nice is that it’s hard to get.”

“The main thing is to believe. If you believe, then everything will definitely be fine - even better than you can arrange for yourself.”

“Fame, of course, is an important and valuable thing, but for real pleasure, a secret is still better.

“In the Middle Ages, the difference between humans and locusts was that locusts were not stupid.”

“You can tell everything about girls by their faces - they have no self-control.”

Thomas "Tom" Sawyer gets into various troubles every now and then. Going in search of the treasure, Tom sees with his own eyes how a murder is committed. He subsequently helps the authorities expose the criminal. He runs away from home and lives on a desert island. He "walks" at his own funeral. For three days and three nights, a hungry Sawyer wanders around the cave and finds a way out only thanks to his inexhaustible optimism...

Sawyer is the main character in Mark Twain's 1876 novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Sawyer also appears in three other Twain novels: "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1884), "Tom Sawyer Abroad" (1894), and "Tom Sawyer the Detective" ( "Tom Sawyer, Detective") 1896.

Sawyer appears in at least three of Twain's unfinished works: Huck and Tom Among the Indians, Schoolhouse Hill, and The Tom Sawyer Conspiracy. "Tom Sawyer's Conspiracy"). All three of these works were published after the writer's death, but only in "The Tom Sawyer Conspiracy" the plot is set out in full. Sawyer renounced the other two books, writing only a couple of chapters for each of them.

The literary character probably got his name in honor of the real-life Tom Sawyer, a cheerful and prominent fireman whom Twain met in San Francisco, California, where the writer worked as a reporter for the San Francisco Call newspaper. Twain listened to Fireman Sawyer's funny stories about his youth with great interest and from time to time wrote something down in his notebook. Sawyer stated that one day Twain came up to him and said that he was going to tell about Sawyer's days in his book. The fireman agreed, but only on the condition that his name would not be sullied on the pages of the novel.

Twain admitted that he created the image of the character by putting together the characters of three people. The other two were John B. Briggs, who died in 1907, and William Bowen, who died in 1893. Twain chose himself as the third real image. Then, even later, the writer changed his “testimony” and claimed that Tom Sawyer was completely a figment of his imagination. In response to this attack, Robert Graysmith said that Twain, the great appropriator, simply liked to pretend that his characters sprang entirely from his fertile imagination.

Be that as it may, on the pages of the novels Tom appears as a boy full of energy and wit, just beginning to walk the path of adolescence. The enterprising Sawyer was left an orphan and is being raised by Aunt Polly, a stern and prim Christian. Polly, the sister of Tom's late mother, studied the Holy Scriptures, in which she discovered that not punishing a child and “sparing the rod” means deliberately spoiling his character. Tom's aunt also raised his half-brother Sid and cousin Mary. Pretending to be a good boy, Sid is ready to denounce Tom at any opportunity, while Mary is distinguished by kindness and patience. Nothing is mentioned about Sawyer's father. However, Tom has another aunt, Sally Phelps, who lives in Pikesville.

From Twain's novels it turns out that Sawyer's best friends are Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the writer reveals that Tom is passionately in love with his classmate Rebecca "Becky" Thatcher. Twain endows his hero, a carefree boy with freckles and his pants hanging around his waist, with a penchant for adventure and adventurousness. Sawyer, like most tomboys, doesn’t want to fail at school, but craves romance - he craves to show the reader how wonderful childhood was in the mid-19th century.