The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer
-by Mark Twain
Background knowledge
What do you know about the
author Mark Twain?
On Nov. 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne
Clemens was born in Florida, Missouri
Born the same day that Halles Comet was
visible in the night sky
4 years later his family moved to Hannibal,
Missouri.
Where is Missouri?
Where is Hannibal?
When Samuel was 12, his
father died of
pneumonia.
At 13, Samuel left school
to become a printer's
apprentice.
After two short years, he
joined his brother
Orion's newspaper as a
printer and editorial
assistant. It was here that
young Samuel found he
enjoyed writing.
Mark Twain’s boyhood home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6zd1FqJN6A
http://earthcam.com/marktwain/#
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0fhh2p_NUY
At 17, he left Hannibal
behind for a printer's job
in St. Louis. While in St.
Louis, Clemens became a
river pilot's apprentice.
Clemens' pseudonym, Mark Twain, comes from his
days as a river pilot. It is a river term which means two
fathoms or 12-feet when the depth of water for a boat
is being sounded. "Mark twain" means that is safe to
navigate.
He became a licensed
river pilot in 1858.
Because the river trade was brought
to a stand still by the Civil War in
1861, Clemens began working as a
newspaper reporter for several
newspapers all over the United
States.
In 1870, Clemens married Olivia
Langdon, and they had four children,
one of whom died in infancy and two
who died in their twenties.
Their surviving child, Clara, lived to
be 88, and had one daughter.
Clara's daughter died without having
any children, so there are no direct
descendants of Samuel Clemens
living.
Twain began to gain
fame when his story,
"The Celebrated Jumping
Frog of Calavaras
County" appeared in the
New York Saturday Press
on November 18, 1865.
Twain's first book, The Innocents Abroad, was
published in 1869.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer in 1876
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in 1885.
He wrote 28 books and numerous short stories,
letters and sketches.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
When does the book take place?
1830-1840
What significant event came
after this time period? (20 years)
Civil War
The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer
What does Antebellum mean?
Ante- before
Bellum- war
What is dialect?
The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer
What was life like back
then?
Imagine Elizabeth in the
1800s. Do you think your
life would be the same?
Tom Sawyer Rules
Arrive to class with your Tom Sawyer book every day.
Always answer chapter questions on a separate piece of
paper. You may type or hand write your answers.
Save all of your answers because you will use it as a
study guide at the end of the unit!
Constantly use your vocabulary sheet as a guide when
reading Tom Sawyer.
Be prepared for pop quizzes on the previous night’s
reading assignment.
Tom Sawyer Rules Continued
If you like to LISTEN while you READ itunesU has a
free copy of the story that you can download.
It’s so simple!! Just go to the itunes store and search
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and it should pop right
up!
Chapter 1
Switch
Spare the rod and spile the child
Tom Sawyer collar trick
New Kid
Chapter 2
Whitewash
Bully Taw
Chapter 3
Busy at War and Love
Clods of dirt
Joe Harper
Chapter 3
“Adorned Unknown”
Sugar bowl incident
Chapter 4
Barlow Knife
Mr. Walters
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Model Boy
The ill-bred choir
Chapter 5
The Pinch Bug and His Prey
The pinch bug
His prey
Chapter 6
Monday mornings…
Huckleberry Finn
Tom’s “punishment”
Chapter 7
Tick – Running and heartbreak
Engaged
Chapter 8
A Pirate Bold to Be
Tom meditates
Joe Harper
Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Meow
At the graveyard
Muff Potter
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Muff Potter
Tom and
Aunt Polly