The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Theme of The Supernatural
In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, superstition may be a bunch of bunk, but it's also a mode of communication and a tool for understanding the scary, spooky, confusing world. Tom and Huck believe a lot of crazy things, but it's not what they believe that matters, it's that they believe. Of course, a lot of their superstitions are ridiculous and, for us, hilarious, but they treat it seriously.
Questions About The Supernatural
- Why does Tom cling to his superstitions even when they're proven wrong?
- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is, in many ways, a fantasy. How would things change if one of Tom's superstitions came true?
- Many of the superstitions in Tom Sawyer are bad omens – Tom and Huck are always seeing signs of their own death. Why are they, a couple of kids, so afraid of dying?
Chew on This
Superstition provides a lens through which Tom and Huck can view and make sense of an often bewildering world.
Through superstition, Tom and Huck can not only explain the unknown; they can give life to their own thoughts and imaginings, too.