ct very different views of society during that era. Tom represents the innocent and playful side of life and Huck represents a darker and more serious side of life due to his social background. The way Mark Twain presents and develops these characters and their views of the world helps shape the meaning of the novel (LeMaster 110 129). The friendship of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn is one of the most celebrated friendships in literature. The friendship was built on imaginative adventures, shared superstitions, and loyalty that rose above the expectations of society (Rinaldo 8).Tom admires Huck for his freedom from adults and he knows that his association with Huck makes him appear daring. This is a reputation he relishes. Tom also cares about Huck, concerned that he is alone in the world. Hucks aloneness helps him make the decision to run away to Jackson Island with Tom. His needs are much different from Toms. Huck is not rebelling against being forced to attend school or to dress conventionally. Huck is rebelling against being physically abused by his father. He has been forced into the adult world by a need to take responsibility for his own life, while to Tom it is just one more romantic adventure. Huck has a pursuit of freedom that Tom does not share because he is already free in a way that Huck is not free. Pursue it, as he will; freedom remains an elusive promise for Huck. It is Hucks understanding that, unlike Tom, he can never fit into society and be completely free (Pinscher 642). Tom and Huck are the same age. Huck has always been held back in society by his birth and upbringing. Tom has been raised in comfort. Toms beliefs are a combination of what he has learned from the adults around him and the adventurous novels he has read. The boys share an admiration for the circus life. They want to be clowns when they are grown. The purpose of these references is to emphasize the innocence with which they approach the w...
