| Book Name | : Bliss English Textbook For Class IX Second Language |
| Subject | : Bliss |
| Class | : 9th (Madhyamik/WB) |
| Publisher | : Prof. Nabanita Chatterjee |
| Chapter Name | : Tom Loses a Tooth (7th chapter) |
About the author
Mark Twain (1835-1910), pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was an American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and its sequel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He helped to create and popularize a distinctive line of American literature based on American themes and language.
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Introduction of the story
This text is an extract from Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The story is about the childhood pranks of a young boy who is looking for ways to avoid going to school but is caught in his own trap.
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Summary of the Story
“Tom Loses a Tooth” is a story about a mischievous boy named Tom who tries to avoid going to school. On a Monday morning, Tom searches for an excuse to stay home and pretends to have stomach trouble. When that doesn’t work, he remembers that one of his teeth is loose and could be used as an excuse. But he doesn’t want his Aunt Polly to pull it out, so he pretends his toe hurts instead. Tom’s brother Sid eventually calls for help when Tom’s groans become more intense. Aunt Polly and Tom’s cousin Mary rush to his side, thinking he is dying. Tom’s pretend ailment changes from his toe to his tooth, and Aunt Polly pulls out the loose tooth, leaving a gap in his teeth. Tom feels foolish for pretending and confesses that he just wanted to go fishing instead of going to school. Aunt Polly scolds him for his naughtiness but also loves him. The story shows Tom’s playful and imaginative nature and his love for adventures.
The theme of the story
The theme of the story is the consequences of lying and the foolishness of trying to avoid responsibility. Tom Sawyer tries to avoid going to school by faking an illness, but his lies escalate and he ends up causing unnecessary worry and panic to his family.
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Characters of the story
The story features the following characters:
- Tom Sawyer – the protagonist, a young boy who is looking for ways to avoid going to school.
- Aunt Polly – Tom’s guardian and caretaker.
- Sid – Tom’s younger brother.
- Mary – Tom’s cousin.
- Tom Sawyer is the main character of the book “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” by Mark Twain. He’s a mischievous and adventurous young boy who doesn’t like going to school and always tries to find ways to skip it. He’s smart and creative, but also impulsive and daring, which often gets him into trouble. Despite his naughty behaviour, he has a good heart and learns valuable lessons about life through his adventures. In short, Tom is a fun and interesting character who represents the adventurous spirit of childhood.’
- Aunt Polly is the strict but caring guardian of Tom in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. She loves him deeply and scolds him when he misbehaves. She sees through Tom’s lies when he pretends to be sick and tries to skip school. However, when Tom has a loose tooth, Aunt Polly uses a silk thread to gently remove it, showing her caring side. Aunt Polly is an important character who helps shape Tom’s moral development.
- Sid is Tom’s younger and obedient brother in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He is known for being a tattletale and often reports Tom’s mischief to Aunt Polly. Sid is not as adventurous as Tom, but they share a sibling bond and try to help each other. In the story, Sid is initially unresponsive to Tom’s feigned illness but eventually wakes up to check on him. Sid’s character contrasts with Tom’s daring and mischievous nature.
- Mary is Tom’s kind and caring cousin in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. She is close to Aunt Polly and helps take care of Tom and Sid. Mary is a voice of reason and guides Tom towards good behaviour. She is concerned for Tom’s well-being and rushes to his side when he is ill. In the text, Mary accompanies Aunt Polly to Tom’s bedside and helps with the tooth extraction. Mary serves as a positive influence on Tom and helps to balance out his mischievous nature.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tom tries to stay home from school by pretending to be sick, but his aunt Polly finds out the truth and pulls out his loose tooth. Despite his mischievous behaviour, Aunt Polly still loved him and scolded him in a loving manner.
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