Sunday, October 16, 2011

What does Tom tell Becky he plans to be when he grows up in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

Tom tells Becky that he is going to be a circus clown when he grows up, and they make a lot of money. 


Tom is quite infatuated with Becky.  He tries to impress her.  He asks her if she has ever been to a circus, and then tells her his plans for the future. 



"I been to the circus three or four times—lots of times. Church ain't shucks to a circus. There's things going on at a circus all the time. I'm going to be a clown in a circus when I grow up."


"Oh, are you! That will be nice. They're so lovely, all spotted up." (Ch. 7) 



Apparently, Becky approves of circus clown as an occupation.  Tom tells her that they make “slathers of money,” almost a dollar a day, according to Ben Rogers.  Actually, back then a dollar a day was pretty good money. 


Tom asks Becky if she wants to get married right after telling her this.  Apparently, he thinks now that he has told her he is going to be rich when he grows up, she will think he is a pretty good catch.  She doesn’t understand what he means by “engaged,” and when he explains, she tells him "I reckon so. I don't know. What is it like?"


He tells her he loves her and she runs away.  Then he says it’s done, “all over but the kiss,” and she shouldn’t be afraid of that.  Becky is frazzled, and tells him she loves him but is never going to marry anyone and he shouldn’t marry anyone either. 


Tom offers her his best possession “a brass knob from the top of an andiron,” and she throws it on the floor.  He pouts and marches off, and she calls after him to come back.  Their engagement is not off to a good start.

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