Schoolday By Thomas Hughes Analysis

Every human being fights for what they believe in at some point in their lives. Throughout Thomas Hughes’ Tom Brown’s Schooldays, the reader learns that fighting for what is right has many benefits. Thomas Hughes writes “After all, what would life be without fighting. I should like to know? From the cradle to the grave, fighting, rightly understood, is the business, the real, highest, honestest business of every son of man. Every man who is worth his salt has his enemies, who must be beaten, be they evil thoughts, or habits in himself, or spiritual wickedness in high places, or Russians, or Border-ruffians, or Bill, Tom, or Harry, who will not let him live his life in quiet till he has thrashed them.” Tom, East, and Arthur all fight for what …show more content…
While Arthur is praying at night, the older boys made fun of him. While the boys call him names and throw things at him, Arthur remains calm and continues to pray. Tom observes Arthur doing this and sees that Arthur has pluck and is not affected by the other boys. Tom also sees that religion is something that matters. His conscience is affected watching this. Tom recalls that he made a promise to his mother to continue to pray while at Rugby and has not done that. Arthur is also very studious. Arthur holds Tom to a higher standard. He convinces Tom to stop using the vulgus books. The last encounter that Arthur has is with Slugger Williams. Williams said that he would beat up Arthur because he was crying. Arthur was not crying because he was upset, but rather he was moved by the passage he was reading. Tom does not agree with Williams and fights him. He does this to protect Arthur. Arthur is not big enough or strong enough to stand up against Williams. Ephesians 4:6 shows the importance of what Tom did. It states that “be angry, but sin not.” This means that one should fight for what they believe in. Arthur brings out the best in Tom and does so through his struggles in