The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Prereading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Prereading

The Adventures of Tom SawyerPre-reading

“Advice to Youth”“Always obey your parents. When they are present. This is the best policy in the long run. Because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgement.” -Mark Twain

What does this quote reveal about Mark Twain’s opinion of young people and adults? Also, what does it reveal about his sense of humor and style of writing?

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Pre-reading

“Advice to Youth”“Always obey your parents. When they are present. This is the best policy in the long run. Because if you don’t, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition than you can by acting on your own better judgement.” -Mark Twain

What does this quote reveal about Mark Twain’s opinion of young people and adults? Also, what does it reveal about his sense of humor and style of writing?

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NAME_____________________________________________________________

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 1

Author’s Craft-In Medias ResThis adventure begins in full action. You almost find yourself looking for Tom along with Aunt Polly. Unlike stories that generally begin with a more subtle exposition, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer begins in the midst of chaos! Namely this is- “In Medias Res”. To create less confusion for the reader, authors weave important background details into the story as it unfolds

Write down important background details that Mark Twain provides in this first chapter.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NAME_____________________________________________________________

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Chapter 1

Author’s Craft-In Medias Res

This adventure begins in full action. You almost find yourself looking for Tom along with Aunt Polly. Unlike stories that generally begin with a more subtle exposition, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer begins in the midst of chaos! Namely this is- “In Medias Res”. To create less confusion for the reader, authors weave important background details into the story as it unfolds

Write down important background details that Mark Twain provides in this first chapter.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft-Comparison

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft-Comparison

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft: Developing Theme

Superstitions For class discussion and upcoming activity, be able to:

Define superstition Explain why people believe in and use

superstitions to guide their lives Provide examples of various kinds of

superstitions found in the U.S. today and information regarding their backgrounds

Understand how to determine theme (review Reading Resource Notebook)

Identify 3 to 5 different key superstitions found in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft: Developing Theme

Superstitions For class discussion and upcoming activity, be able to:

Define superstition Explain why people believe in and use

superstitions to guide their lives Provide examples of various kinds of

superstitions found in the U.S. today and information regarding their backgrounds

Understand how to determine theme (review Reading Resource Notebook)

Identify 3 to 5 different key superstitions found in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft: Theme continued

Superstitions are important to Twain's themes in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Consider these words from the preface of the book:

"The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story -- that is to say, thirty or forty years ago. Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.” –Mark Twain

Twain is painting a portrait of an area and showing all the regional beliefs that control behavior that existed at the time in this area of the country. He is also demonstrating the hypocrisy and illogical nature of human behavior through the superstitions (we logically know they are not true--- but just in case…). As readers, our attention is called to the fact that these are silly beliefs. However, they do control the behavior of characters, showing how ridiculous humans can be.

With a partner or by yourself, devise two possible themes for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer that have their roots centered on Twain’s use of “hypocrisy and illogical nature of human behavior through the superstitions”.

Author’s Craft: Theme continued

Superstitions are important to Twain's themes in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Consider these words from the preface of the book:

"The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story -- that is to say, thirty or forty years ago. Although my book is intended mainly for the entertainment of boys and girls, I hope it will not be shunned by men and women on that account, for part of my plan has been to try to pleasantly remind adults of what they once were themselves, and of how they felt and thought and talked, and what queer enterprises they sometimes engaged in.” –Mark Twain

Twain is painting a portrait of an area and showing all the regional beliefs that control behavior that existed at the time in this area of the country. He is also demonstrating the hypocrisy and illogical nature of human behavior through the superstitions (we logically know they are not true--- but just in case…). As readers, our attention is called to the fact that these are silly beliefs. However, they do control the behavior of characters, showing how ridiculous humans can be.

With a partner or by yourself, devise two possible themes for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer that have their roots centered on Twain’s use of “hypocrisy and illogical nature of human behavior through the superstitions”.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Author’s Craft: Stereotypes and Hypocrisy

Group Stereotypes and Hypocrisies

Church-goers

Town Drunk

Injun Joe(Native

Americans)

African Americans

Teachers

Wealthy Judge

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Author’s Craft: Stereotypes and Hypocrisy

Group Stereotypes and Hypocrisies

Church-goers

Town Drunk

Injun Joe(Native

Americans)

African Americans

Teachers

Wealthy Judge

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Author’s Craft: ETHICS Ch23-24

Twain makes his readers “feel” Tom’s struggle regarding what is right, or ethical:1 : the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation 2: a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; a guiding philosophy; a consciousness of moral importance 3: a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness)

In your notebook, respond to the question regarding *** Tom Sawyer and two others (about 1-2 paragraphs for each response). Think about what you believe to be right or ethical.

***What do you think about Tom’s decision to tell the truth about what happened in the graveyard? Do you think he should have told the truth sooner? Do you think you would be able to tell the truth if your life depended on it, like Tom’s did?***

Also, choose 2 of the Following:

1. You discover Bill Gates’s wallet lying on the street. It contains $1,000. Do you send it back to him with all of the money, or do you keep some for yourself thinking he’ll never notice the difference? Do you send it back right away?

2. You are shopping and notice a woman stuff a bottle of perfume in her purse. Do you report her? Why or why not?

3. It is 3 am and you are late getting home. As you approach the intersection you notice that no one else is around. Do you run the red light? Why or why not? Why would it be wrong to run the red light?

4. You notice that a friend of yours has been upset lately. They tell you that their stepfather has been hitting them. They make you promise not to tell, but you feel like you should let someone know who might be able to help. What do you do?

Author’s Craft: ETHICS Ch23-24

Twain makes his readers “feel” Tom’s struggle regarding what is right, or ethical:

1 : the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation 2: a set of moral principles : a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group; a guiding philosophy; a consciousness of moral importance 3: a set of moral issues or aspects (as rightness)

In your notebook, respond to the question regarding *** Tom Sawyer and two others (about 1-2 paragraphs for each response). Think about what you believe to be right or ethical.

***What do you think about Tom’s decision to tell the truth about what happened in the graveyard? Do you think he should have told the truth sooner? Do you think you would be able to tell the truth if your life depended on it, like Tom’s did?***

Also, choose 2 of the Following:

1. You discover Bill Gates’s wallet lying on the street. It contains $1,000. Do you send it back to him with all of the money, or do you keep some for yourself thinking he’ll never notice the difference? Do you send it back right away?

2. You are shopping and notice a woman stuff a bottle of perfume in her purse. Do you report her? Why or why not?

3. It is 3 am and you are late getting home. As you approach the intersection you notice that no one else is around. Do you run the red light? Why or why not? Why would it be wrong to run the red light?

4. You notice that a friend of yours has been upset lately. They tell you that their stepfather has been hitting them. They make you promise not to tell, but you feel like you should let someone know who might be able to help. What do you do?

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft- Connotation and ToneIn Chapter 2, “The Glorious Whitewasher”, Twain uses positive connotations and to make the whitewashing of the fence appear to be fun- creating a very light and cunning tone:

“’Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.’

‘Oh come, now, you don’t mean to let on that you LIKE it?’ The brush continued to move.

‘Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?’

That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth — stepped back to note the effect — added a touch here and there — criticized the effect again — Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:

‘Say, Tom, let ME whitewash a little.’ Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: ‘No — no — I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben.’”

Whereas negative connotations are used in Chapter 26, “Real Robbers Seize the Box of Gold” to create a scarier tense tone:

When they reached the haunted house there was something so weird and grisly about the dead silence that reigned there under the baking sun, and something so depressing about the loneliness and desolation of the place, that they were afraid, for a moment, to venture in. Then they crept to the door and took a trembling peep. They saw a weedgrown, floorless room, unplastered, an ancient fireplace, vacant windows, a ruinous staircase; and here, there, and everywhere hung ragged and abandoned cobwebs. They presently entered, softly, with quickened pulses, talking in whispers, ears alert to catch the slightest sound, and muscles tense and ready for instant retreat

Find examples of where the Mark Twain has used both positive and negative connotations to create specific tones. Please note chapters and page numbers and describe the tone that was created.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft- Connotation and Tone

In Chapter 2, “The Glorious Whitewasher”, Twain uses positive connotations and to make the whitewashing of the fence appear to be fun- creating a very light and cunning tone:

“’Well, maybe it is, and maybe it ain’t. All I know, is, it suits Tom Sawyer.’

‘Oh come, now, you don’t mean to let on that you LIKE it?’ The brush continued to move.

‘Like it? Well, I don’t see why I oughtn’t to like it. Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day?’

That put the thing in a new light. Ben stopped nibbling his apple. Tom swept his brush daintily back and forth — stepped back to note the effect — added a touch here and there — criticized the effect again — Ben watching every move and getting more and more interested, more and more absorbed. Presently he said:

‘Say, Tom, let ME whitewash a little.’ Tom considered, was about to consent; but he altered his mind: ‘No — no — I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben.’”

Whereas negative connotations are used in Chapter 26, “Real Robbers Seize the Box of Gold” to create a scarier tense tone:

When they reached the haunted house there was something so weird and grisly about the dead silence that reigned there under the baking sun, and something so depressing about the loneliness and desolation of the place, that they were afraid, for a moment, to venture in. Then they crept to the door and took a trembling peep. They saw a weedgrown, floorless room, unplastered, an ancient fireplace, vacant windows, a ruinous staircase; and here, there, and everywhere hung ragged and abandoned cobwebs. They presently entered, softly, with quickened pulses, talking in whispers, ears alert to catch the slightest sound, and muscles tense and ready for instant retreat

Find examples of where the Mark Twain has used both positive and negative connotations to create specific tones. Please note chapters and page numbers and describe the tone that was created.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft- Poetic Justice

Poetic justice is a literary device in which ultimately virtue is rewarded and vice punished . In modern literature it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action.

Explain how Mark Twain’s verdict of Injun Joe’s fate could be considered poetic justice.

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Author’s Craft- Poetic JusticePoetic justice is a literary device in which ultimately virtue is rewarded and vice punished . In modern literature it is often accompanied by an ironic twist of fate related to the character's own action.

Explain how Mark Twain’s verdict of Injun Joe’s fate could be considered poetic justice.

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer