The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Essay ExampleAlthough Twains story is largely focused on the world from the perspective of little boys, he also gives the reader various insights into the adult world which runs par wholeel to it. The motive of superstition and religion may be seen throughout the narrative. Toms phantasmal opinions and superstitions are compatible with each other and reflect adult alliances religious hypocrisy. Toms religious beliefs are very superficial. He names David and Goliath as two disciples (Twain, Ch.IV). As it is compulsory to hornswoggle five verses, Tom chose part of the Sermon on the Mount, because he could find no verses that were shorter (IV). Sunday school is a place that Tom hated with his unit heart (IV). Tom compares the boring church unfavorably with a circus, stating that Church aint shucks to a circus. Theres things going on at a circus all the time (VII). It is not his love of Scripture, but his love of glory, and his need to show-off in front of Bessie Thatcher, which leads him to barter his little knick-knacks for the colored tickets which earn him the prize of a Bible. Toms religious beliefs are compatible with superstitions. ... suddenly spirits, the only prayer Tom can manage is the bedtime Now I lay me wad to sleep. When Injun Joe falsely accuse Muff Potter of murdering Dr. Robinson, Tom expects Gods lightening upon Injun Joes head as punishment (XI). Tom and his friends say their prayers before sleeping on the pirate jaunt only because they fear lest they might call down a sudden and special thunderbolt from heaven (XIII). Toms religious beliefs are very alike superstitions. Toms life is filled with superstitions, which often dictate the course of his actions. An effective cure for warts ranges from spunk-water and charms, to split beans and blood. Of course, the efficacy of dead cats is the superstition which leads to the biggest of Toms adventures. Tom uses incantations to look for lost marbles. When the stair s creak at night, it is evidence that spirits were abroad (IX). An oath is to be swear in blood for it to be binding. A dog howling is a sign of approaching death. Buried treasure is to be found under a tree when the shadow of the limb falls at midnight, a guarded by a dead man (XXV). Witches have no power in the daytime and Fridays are unlucky days. Here again, the boys meld religion and superstition. Old Mother Hopkins bewitches people by saying the Lords Prayer backards (VI). The holiness of the Sabbath ensures that Devils dont slosh about much of a Sunday, I dont reckon (VI). Finally, it is clear that Toms superstitions serve the main purpose of making life more interesting and banishing the ennui of daily routine. When Huck tires of life with the Widow Douglas, Tom prevents him from running away by promising adventures as part of his gang of respectable robbers. It is the anticipation of an origin