Tom Sawyer And Huckleberry Finn: Character Analysis

It is easy to act a certain way to ensure survival when one’s life is threatened. It is a completely different matter when an innocent bystander is added to the mix. In the book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain, readers witness two young boys struggling with fear as well as their own consciousness. When dangerous situations that could affect a person’s survival arise, the fight our flight reaction is triggered; however, when an innocent bystander is involved, it can become tricky when deciding how to act. The individual must weigh the odds, as well as their feelings towards the person in question. Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn were not immoral boys; however, without the prompting of an innocent’s life in danger, the two boys would not have overcome their fears to tell the adults about the truth of the murder. After Tom and Huck witnessed the murder of Dr. Robinson they made a promise …show more content…
Emotions tend to make things tricky in every situation; when added to a dangerous situation, it can play on one’s conscience and make the choice even more difficult. In the instance of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, readers can witness this internal struggle between fear and their conscience. In addition, readers follow the boy’s decisions on the innocent’s worth to their own selves. Tom remembers the times that Muff Potter has helped him, and Huckleberry Finn recalls when the widow Douglas was kind to him when others were not. Without these crucial realizations from the boys, they may not have put their lives in danger, risking the wrath of Injun Joe, in order to help these two innocent victims. By understanding the process Tom and Huck went through to make their decisions, readers can better understand how other people will act in the world when put in similar situations; whether that is to run out of fear, or to listen to their conscience and attempt to help the one they care