The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was written by Mark Twain. The book takes place in the mid 19th century in Saint Petersburg, Missouri. The story tells of the adventures of a young boy by the name of Tom Sawyer. Mark Twain chronicles Tom’s childhood and adventures in a humorous and satirical way. Clearly, from the context of the story, we can tell that Mark Twain thought of childhood as a time of imagination, rebellion, and superstition. Tom’s imagination is a key theme throughout the story. Tom and the other boys draw the basis for their imaginative games and play mostly from books they have read, particularly Robin Hood. They use these made up fantasies and adventures as a way to escape the tedium of everyday life. Mark Twain presents the reader with actions from the boy’s imagination that seem to be really happening. For example, Mark Twain says, “Tom’s army won a great victory, after a long and hard-fought battle. Then the dead were counted, prisoners exchanged, terms of the next disagreement agreed upon, and the day for the necessary battle appointed; after which the armies fell into line and marched away, and Tom turned homeward alone.” (Twain 16) Scattered through the book we find more places then not where Tom’s imagination comes to life. He and his friends become pirates, robbers, soldiers and bandits. Tom’s imagination serves him well until the time comes that even his fantasy world cannot take him away from the harsh realities of life. From the very start of the story, Mark Twain begins to show us how rebellious Tom Sawyer is. Most children go through a phase of testing boundaries and rebellion, but Tom’s seams never ending. Tom is a constant source of disappointment to his Aunt Polly. He repeatedly gets in fights with other boys, always finds a way to get out of his chores, and constantly steels treats from his Aunt. In addition, he frequently sneaks out of the house. The only character in the novel who