Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn: Escape from Civilization to the Land of Freedom They were born under the pen of one writer, but became symbols of two different Americas. Tom Sawyer is a boy from a decent family who reads chivalric romances and dreams of heroism. Huckleberry Finn is an orphan, the son of a town drunkard, who sleeps in an empty barrel and cannot read. It seems that there could be nothing in common between these two boys. However, it is their friendship that became one of the most solid and significant in world literature. It reflects the essence of growing up, the clash of dreams with reality, conventions with truth, and loneliness with loyalty. Two Worlds Meeting on the Banks of the Mississippi St. Petersburg, the fictional town of Mark Twain, is the embodiment of provincial America in the mid-19th century. Here everyone has their place, their rules, and their prejudices. Tom Sawyer is the flesh and blood of this world. He is accepted by society, loved by Aunt Polly and Sid, he has a home and a bed. But inside him lives a rebel who cannot stand boredom and hypocrisy. Huckleberry Finn is the complete opposite. He is an outcast, feared and despised by "decent" people. His presence in school or church causes shock. But it is he who possesses what Tom so lacks — absolute freedom. Their first meeting on the banks of the Mississippi becomes a meeting of two universes. Tom sees in Huckleberry the embodiment of his dream: he owes nothing to anyone, he is not forced to wash or attend Sunday school. Huckleberry, in turn, looks at Tom with curiosity and even envy: Tom has a future, while Huckleberry has only today, which can end with a father's blow or a sheriff's bullet. This mutual attraction to what they do not have becomes the foundation of their friendship. Tom teaches Huckleberry to play "civilization," while Huckleberry teaches Tom to live truly. The Code of Boyhood Honor: What Matters More Than Rules Their friendship is built on an unwritten cod ... Read more