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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer QUOTES

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer QUOTES

1 " Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it -- namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. If he had been a great and wise philosopher, like the writer of this book, he would now have comprehended that Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. And this would help him to understand why constructing artificial flowers or performing on a tread-mill is work, while rolling ten-pins or climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service, that would turn it into work and then they would resign. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

2 " They said they would rather be outlaws a year in Sherwood Forest than President of the United States forever. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

3 " Diligence and attention soon gave him the knack of it, and he strode down the street with his mouth full of harmony and his soul full of gratitude. He felt much as an astronomer feels who has discovered a new planet—no doubt, as far as strong, deep, unalloyed pleasure is concerned, the advantage was with the boy, not the astronomer. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

4 " Tom's whole being applauded this idea. It was deep, and dark, and awful; the hour, the circumstances, the surroundings, were in keeping with it. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

5 " Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all. He had discovered a great law of human action, without knowing it -- namely, that in order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

6 " For a little while, hope made a show of reviving-not with any reason to back it, but only because it is its nature to revive when the spring has not been taken out of it by age and familiarity with failure. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

7 " he would now have comprehended that work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, and that play consists of whaterver a body is not obliged to do. And this would help him to understand why construcing artificial flowers or performing on a tread-mill, is work, whilst rolling nine-pins or climbing Mont Blanc is only amusement. There are wealthy gentlemen in England who drive four-horse passenger-coaches twenty or thirty miles on a daily line, in the summer, because the privilege costs them considerable money; but if they were offered wages for the service that would turn it into work, then they would resign. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

8 " Like it! Yes—the way I'd like a hot stove if I was to set on it long enough. No, Tom, I won't be rich, and I won't live in them cussed smothery houses. I like the woods, and the river, and hogsheads, and I'll stick to 'em, too. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

9 " Tom Sawyer the Pirate looked around upon the envying juveniles about him and confessed in his heart that this was the proudest moment of his life. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

10 " Looking' his last' upon the scene of his former joys and his later sufferings, and wishing 'she' could see him now, abroad on the wild sea, facing peril and death with a dauntless heart, going to his doom with a grim smile on his lips. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

11 " Maybe not, maybe not. Cheer up, Becky, and let's go on trying. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

12 " But old fools is the biggest fools there is. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

13 " No you can’t.” “I can.” “You can’t.” “Can!” “Can’t!” An uncomfortable pause. Then Tom said: “What’s your name?” “’Tisn’t any of your business, maybe.” “Well I ’low I’ll MAKE it my business.” “Well why don’t you?” “If you say much, I will.” “Much—much—MUCH. There now. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

14 " Well I ’low I’ll MAKE it my business.” “Well why don’t you?” “If you say much, I will.” “Much—much—MUCH. There now.” “Oh, you think you’re mighty smart, DON’T you? I could lick you with one hand tied behind me, if I wanted to.” “Well why don’t you DO it? You SAY you can do it.” “Well I WILL, if you fool with me.” “Oh yes—I’ve seen whole families in the same fix.” “Smarty! You think you’re SOME, now, DON’T you? Oh, what a hat! "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

15 " I ain’t everybody, and I can’t stand it. It’s awful to be tied up so. And grub comes too easy – I don’t take no interest in vittles, that way. […] Looky-here, Tom, being rich ain’t what it’s cracked out to be. It’s just worry and worry, and sweat and sweat, and a-wishing you was dead all the time. […] now you just take my sheer of it along with your’n, and gimme a ten-center sometimes – not many times, becuz I don’t give a dern for a thing ‘thout it’s tollable hard to git. […] No, Tom, I won’t be rich, and I won’t live in them cussed smothery houses. I like the woods, and the river, and hogsheads, and I’ll stick to ‘em, too. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

16 " The less there is to justify a traditional custom, the harder it is to get rid of it "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

17 " The choir always tittered and whispered all through service. There was once a church choir that was not ill-bred, but I have forgotten where it was, now. It was a great many years ago, and I can scarcely remember anything about it, but I think it was in some foreign country. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

18 " Life to him seemed hollow, and existence but a burden. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

19 " ...[I]n order to make a man or a boy covet a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to attain... Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do and... Play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

20 " As usual, the fickle, unreasoning world took Muff Potter to its bosom and fondled him as lavishly as it had abused him before. But that sort of conduct is to the world's credit; therefore it is not well to find fault with it. "

― Mark Twain , The Adventures of Tom Sawyer