Student Question
What is Tom's viewpoint on ignoring Ben in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?
Quick answer:
Tom Sawyer's viewpoint on ignoring Ben Rogers is strategic. Faced with the daunting task of whitewashing a fence, Tom feels vulnerable and fears ridicule from Ben, who represents the carefree life Tom desires. By ignoring Ben initially, Tom pretends whitewashing is a privileged and enjoyable activity. This ruse effectively manipulates Ben into envying the task, leading him to trade his apple for a chance to paint. Tom's trick highlights his cunning and strategic thinking.
Ben Rogers is an adventurous, imaginative, outgoing boy like Tom Sawyer and therefore a rival. When Tom has to whitewash his aunt's fence as a punishment from Aunt Polly instead of playing as he wishes, he is filled with dread when Ben comes by. Tom feels vulnerable. He doesn't want Ben to ridicule him. Tom wants to be the top dog.
Ben, munching on an apple that Tom wishes he could eat and pretending to be a steamboat in a happy, carefree manner, represents everything that Tom wishes he could be that beautiful morning. He doesn't wanted to be taunted or humiliated by this rival. Therefore, as Ben goes by, Tom pretends not to see him. It appears his first wish is for Ben to pass by without greeting him at all.
That doesn't work. Ben stops and begins to jeer at Tom for having to work. Tom won't have...
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that and responds with, "What do you call work?"
Tom goes on to respond to Ben's making fun of him by pretending that he wants to whitewash as a privileged activity he doesn't get to do everyday. He treats it as if he is painting a picture. Soon enough, Ben is feeling envious and wanting to paint himself, even offering Tom his apple if he can be allowed to paint.
This is a classic trickster tale in which Tom, at a disadvantage, uses his wits to best a rival boy.
What is Tom's view on ignoring Ben in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?
Chapter 1 of The Adventures ofTom Sawyer finds the title character being punished for skipping school. He is forced to paint thirty yards of a fence. Tom would clearly rather be out on one of his Saturday adventures. When Ben Rogers comes along to tease him, Tom hatches a plan.
Tom decides to ignore Ben's taunting. He focuses intently on the task of painting the fence as if there is nothing else in the world he would rather be doing. Even when Ben gets right up next to him chewing on an apple, Tom ignores him. He would love a bite of that apple, but he remains focused on his subterfuge. From Tom's point of view, for his ruse to work, Ben must feel as though nothing is as interesting or thrilling as whitewashing a fence. When Tom finally does acknowledge Ben, he pretends to be surprised to see him and acts as though he had not noticed him before.
Tom's plan works. It convinces Ben that there is nothing more enjoyable to do on a hot summer day than paint a fence. Ben even trades Tom his apple for the opportunity to take over the whitewashing. Before too long, Tom has convinced a number of boys to take over this chore.
Tom is greatly pleased with himself. He clearly has some sort of rivalry with Ben; he would have liked to have responded directly to Ben's taunts. Instead, this episode of Tom ignoring Ben shows the reader that Tom is a patient and strategic thinker. He knows that he can use his skills in acting and persuasion to manipulate Ben and the other boys. In the end, it pays off.