The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Hopes, Plans, and Dreams Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

There comes a time in every rightly-constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure. This desire suddenly came upon Tom one day. […] Presently he stumbled upon Huck Finn the Red-Handed. Huck would answer. Tom took him to a private place and opened the matter to him confidentially. Huck was willing. (1.1)

Here, again, we see that Tom has the same fantasies that most any boy of his age would have. Thing is, he ends up fulfilling this one.

Quote #8

"Say, Huck, if we find a treasure here, what you going to do with your share?"

"Well, I'll have pie and a glass of soda every day, and I'll go to every circus that comes along. I bet I'll have a gay time."

"What you going to do with yourn, Tom?"

"I'm going to buy a new drum, and a sure-'nough sword, and a red necktie and a bull pup, and get married." (25.48-9; 53-4)

The childishness of Tom's dream is only emphasized by his inclusion of marriage in what is otherwise a rather silly list of desires.

Quote #9

Judge Thatcher hoped to see Tom a great lawyer or a great soldier some day. He said he meant to look to it that Tom should be admitted to the National Military Academy and afterward trained in the best law school in the country, in order that he might be ready for either career or both. (35.4)

Judge Thatcher's hopes for Tom are rather childish and unreasonable in their own way; he wants Tom to have the best of everything, regardless of what Tom wants.