Comparison of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer essays

Comparison of Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer essays Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, is often considered to be the sequel of another Twain work, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Both tell the tale of young boys living in the small town of St. Petersburg on the Mississippi River. Huck appears in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, which was written first, and Tom appears in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These boys are good friends and have many adventures together in both novels. There are indubitably many things that Tom and Huck have in common, but they also, like all people, have their differences. How do these characters differ from one another, and more importantly who does Twain want us to prefer? Tom and Huck have a relationship built on mutual respect. They both respect the other to the point of envy. Tom wants to be like Huck and Huck wants to be like Tom. We learn about how much Tom wants to be like Huck by reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. We are told that Tom loves Hucks carefree ways and the fact that he does not have to answer to anyone. In the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck tells us: If I had Tom Sawyers head, I wouldnt trade if off to be a duke, nor mate of a steamboat, nor clown in a circus, nor nothing I can think of (91). Huck greatly respects Toms intelligenceTom seemingly has a plan for every situation and reads many booksand feels that it far surpasses his own. Tom Sawyer is a very meticulous person. Before doing anything, Tom always makes a plan, looking at all his options. He truly embodies the motto he writes on Jims coat of arms; Maggiore fretta, minore alto ... means, the more haste, the less speed (332). Huck, on the other hand is not a meticulous person. On the back cover we read a quote from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer which tells us: Huck waited for no particulars. He sprung away and sped down the hill as fast as his legs could carry him. He never ma...