Introduction The novel is set in a small Missouri town on the banks of the Mississippi River in the mid-1800s. Tom is a lively and daring boy who lives with his Aunt Polly in the calm vicinity of St Petersburg, Missouri. Tom Sawyer is the chief character of the novel and is an average boy who is fed up with his cultured life and breaks away from these limitations by playing pranks. Tom is presented as a practical and influential boy and is gentle and affectionate, but can also be mean, dull, and deceitful at the same time. The novel is about a child maturing from a whimsical menace to a compassionate young man. With Huck Finn, Tom discovers himself a part in many adventures concerning a murder, the framing of a man called Muff Potter, the wicked Injun Joe, and an accidental three-day stopover in a cavern with his beloved Becky Thatcher. With the development of the story, Tom demonstrates signs of maturity. Main body The author employs a variety of ways in which he characterizes Tom and brings him to maturity. At the beginning of the novel, Tom is a naughty boy, constantly getting into danger and running away from it, an instance when Tom flees the penalty of stealing jam. Later, Tom exhibits development by maneuvering Ben Rodgers into whitewashing his fence by giving him the impression that it isn’t working but a work of fine art. This move of Tom’s is a smart one as he finds out that he can get people to do his work and at the same time even get paid for it. Tom is extremely adventurous and never misses a chance to play pirates, robbers, or soldiers. Tom meets Huckleberry Fin and the two become good friends. One night the two boys go to the cemetery and witness the murder of the town doctor, Mr. Robinson. The two observe a tussle that erupts between three men following which Robinson is murdered by Injun Joe while potter is unconscious. Afraid out of their wits, they vow never to speak of the murder again as they fear that if Injun Joe were to ever find out about their presence at the crime scene, their lives would be in grave danger. But when Tom hears that Injun Joe had very cunningly put the entire blame of the murder on Muff Potter, who Tom knew was innocent, Tom’s guilt and sense of responsibility instigate him to testify against Injun Joe in order to save the innocent Potter. This incident aids Tom in stepping forward towards being a truthful and responsible adult of society and marks the onset of adulthood and maturity. The murder of Doc Robinson also helps make Tom bolder and take his first steps towards his conscientiousness towards society symbolized by Muff Potter. Subsequently, Tom falls in love with Becky Thatcher, his new neighbor. At first, Tom’s acts in love are childlike and immature. Tom is bowled over at the first sight of Becky Thatcher, “The fresh-crowned hero fell without firing a shot”. “A certain Amy Lawrence vanished out of his heart, and left not even a memory of herself behind” (24). Tom’s fascination for Becky tempts him to try to win her. Tom’s showing off is generally aimed at Becky Thatcher. When he shows off in the beginning, we estimate that he actually swaggers about and does aerobics. Tom manages to woo Becky and they mutually decide to get engaged. Howeve