- Joined
- Nov 5, 2006
- Messages
- 1,419
- Reaction score
- 55
I borrowed this book from the library and finished reading it within a few days. I enjoyed it very much and found it an excellent read.
However, I believe it could have been trimmed down a bit. For example, what was the point of the chapter where Tom tricked other boys into whitewashing a fence he was supposed to be painting himself? Or the one where the school children recite a bunch of quotes and poems in class before vacation?
Also, another problem was with the villain Injun Joe. Joe underwent absolutely no character development. He started off a bad guy and ended a bad guy. In every scene he appeared in, he was portrayed as "all black". Then again, this is something I see too much of in stories, movies, television, and games where shades of grey protagonists struggle against antagonists who are "all black" with absolutely nothing to like about them. I hate this.
Other than these issues, I still found this a very good read.
By the way, Mark Twain is just a pen name. His real name is Samuel Clemens.
However, I believe it could have been trimmed down a bit. For example, what was the point of the chapter where Tom tricked other boys into whitewashing a fence he was supposed to be painting himself? Or the one where the school children recite a bunch of quotes and poems in class before vacation?
Also, another problem was with the villain Injun Joe. Joe underwent absolutely no character development. He started off a bad guy and ended a bad guy. In every scene he appeared in, he was portrayed as "all black". Then again, this is something I see too much of in stories, movies, television, and games where shades of grey protagonists struggle against antagonists who are "all black" with absolutely nothing to like about them. I hate this.
Other than these issues, I still found this a very good read.
By the way, Mark Twain is just a pen name. His real name is Samuel Clemens.