Temptation and Exploitation in “Strong Temptation” by Mark Twain Essay (Critical Writing)

Introduction

Mark Twain is a true word painter who can precisely convey the emotions and motives of characters in the Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The author seems to express his attitude toward the characters through the depiction of their actions, behavior, language, and clothes. However, there is no sign of condemnation or disapproval in Twain’s writing. On the contrary, the writer shows what reality and people can be, thus encouraging readers to arrive at conclusions themselves. Thus, the ‘Strong Temptations’ story reveals the themes of temptations and exploitation of others through deceit, which are realistically depicted and encourage readers to draw their own conclusions regarding good and evil.

Discussion

The theme of temptation is deeply rooted in Chapter II as it demonstrates what people are ready to do to receive the desired object or result. The central tempter of the story is Tom Sawyer because he is ready to give something valuable to the other boy rather than paint a thirty-yard fence (Twain 10). At the same time, the main character can hardly vanquish the temptation of dalliance and seeks different ways to abandon work. As one can see, the theme of temptation in the story is multi-faceted because it is depicted from the sides of the tempter and those who tried.

The reason for the inability to withstand temptation seems to have a range of explanations. Temptation is usually pre-conditioned by a specific context, and as a rule, it means the potential inability to have something wanted. Here, one can look at Jim, a slave boy, who was sent to fetch the water from the pump and was ordered

…not stop foolin’ round wid anybody (Twain 10).

Although Jim could be punished for disobedience, he stops and talks with Tom, who in turn tries to buy him:

Jim, I’ll give you a marvel. I’ll give you a white alley (Twain 10).

Besides, Tom also tries to involve Jim by promising to show him the sore toe. Instead of proceeding to the pump, Jim draws all his attention to Tom’s toe because

Jim was only a human — this attraction was too much for him (Twain 11).

Mark Twain hints not only at temptation but also at the simple desire of a child to discover something unseen before. Thus, it is possible to argue that the word ‘temptation’ is used not with some Biblical or adult implications but to emphasize the importance of curiosity and having something that none has, which are the patterns pertaining to children. This is a common situation when children try to assert themselves and show their uniqueness in such ways before their friends.

Through the characters, Mark Twain shows that the more complicated way to obtain something increases the temptation to have it. Tom deliberately demonstrates to Ben Rogers that painting the fence is entertainment or something not reachable to others, saying:

Does a boy get a chance to whitewash a fence every day? (Twain 13).

Here, readers can notice that Ben is not able to cope with his desire to meet a challenge, which in turn demonstrates his spunky disposition. Ben’s behavior demonstrates that the obstacles on the way to a wanted object or outcome increase their values. However, it depends on the person because someone other than Ben could not be interested in Tom’s offer. This situation also allows for the recognition of Sawyer’s acuteness and ability to find an individual approach.

Another vivid theme of the story is the exploitation of others through deceit. Noteworthy, Mark Twain does not give any hint of judgment to Tom’s contrivances. Instead, he shows the readers what reality and people pursuing their desires can be. Here, Tom’s successful intentions to use others as a workforce can also be explained by contextual aspects. On the one hand, fence whitewashing was a punishment to be endured on a Saturday morning when all boys and girls spent free time. Due to this, “a deep melancholy settled down upon his spirit”, and thus the main character tried to improve his situation in any possible way (Twain 10). Tom had no motivation to do his job, and it is another reason why he opted to trick other boys. Moreover, one can assume that for Tom, it was critical to have the fence painted, which suggests that this character is focused on the result. Here, the word ‘deceit’ can be reshaped into the ‘ability to involve and attract others to do a particular job’.

Conclusion

To conclude, Mark Twain is not only a unique writer but also a psychologist who has a fine appreciation of his characters. In ‘Strong Temptations’, the author depicts the true nature of temptation in people, especially children. Another important theme of the story is the exploitation of others through deceit. However, one cannot admit any signs of the direct author’s disapproval of Tom Sawyer’s actions. In such a way of depicting realistic situations, the writer encourages readers to define themselves as what is good and evil. Therefore, Mark Twain can be considered a genius author because he describes realistic characters, which helps the readers build associative links between themselves and the characters.

Works Cited

Twain, Mark. “Strong Temptations.” Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The American Publishing Company, 1884, pp. 10-14.