Tom Sawyer
Thomas "Tom" Sawyer, based on the young Samuel Clemens, is a cunning and playful boy of about 12 years of age, and the protagonist of the story. His best friends include Joe Harper and Huckleberry Finn. He has a half-brother, Sid Sawyer, a cousin, Mary, and an Aunt Polly, the sister of his dead mother. He lives with them in the town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. Also, he has another aunt, Sally Phelps, who lives considerably farther down the Mississippi River, in the town of Pikesville. Tom loves to go on adventures and wants to become a Native American pirate. He fell in love with his classmate Becky Thatcher and was once "engaged" to Amy Lawrence. Tom is imaginative and obsessed with stories. Despite his mischief, Tom is good-hearted and has an active moral code as well.Tom's relatives
Sally and Silas Phelps
Tom and Sid's other aunt, Sally Phelps, lives considerably farther down the Mississippi River, in the town of Pikesville. She is married to Silas Phelps.Aunt Polly
Mary's mother and Tom and Sid's aunt, the sister of their dead mother. Tom and Sid live with Aunt Polly and her daughter Mary. She does at first seem a bit controlling and abusive, but in spite of the relentless discipline and spiritual guidance she dispenses, she comes off as a caring, noble character. When Tom points out that nobody seems to care about Huck's being alive after they were both presumed dead, Aunt Polly generously gives her love to Huck as well, saying, "And so they shall. I'm glad to see him, poor motherless thing!" and the "loving attentions Aunt Polly lavished upon him were the one thing capable of making him more uncomfortable than he was before". In fact, the last impression we get of Aunt Polly is of a similar nature: "There was something about Aunt Polly's manner when she kissed Tom, that swept away his low spirits and made him lighthearted and happy again". She is a very bright woman and she cares about Tom, Sid, Mary and Huck. She always falls for Tom's pranks but is always able to laugh at herself when she realizes.Mary
Aunt Polly's daughter, and Tom and Sid's cousin. She is gentle and good-natured and has great patience with Tom despite his tricks. It is unsaid whether or not she is older than the siblings, but due to her mature personality we are led to believe so.Sid Sawyer
Tom's whiny half-brother; who also lives with aunt Polly and Mary. He behaves well, but enjoys getting Tom into trouble and tattles on Tom. He appears to be around nine years old and lies; he also seems to annoy Tom frequently.Other characters
Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry "Huck" Finn is the protagonist and narrator of ''Pap Finn
Huck's abusive, drunken father. He had vanished prior to the beginning of ''Joe Harper
Joseph "Joe" Harper is one of Tom's best friends. He joins Tom and Huck as a pirate when they run away from home to Jacksons Island. He makes a few other small appearances in the novel, including playing Robin Hood in the woods and getting caught not paying attention in class with Tom, and Joe also plays war with Tom. But he gradually disappears as the plot of the novel ensues. His mother is Sereny Harper and his sisters are Susan and Faith Harper. He is the first to get homesick while on the island with Tom and Huck.Injun Joe
Injun Joe is the primary antagonist in ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'', described as a "half-breed" Native American. He, Muff Potter, and Dr. Robinson visit the town cemetery one night to steal a body from a grave at Robinson's request. Injun Joe then kills Robinson to settle an old grudge and frames Potter for the crime, unaware that Tom and Huck have witnessed it. When the case comes to trial, Tom testifies on Potter's behalf and identifies Injun Joe as the actual killer, prompting the latter to flee the courtroom. He and another confederate later find a hoard of stolen gold and hide it in a cave, where Tom briefly encounters him while trying to find a way out with Becky Thatcher. After Tom and Becky escape the cave, Becky's father has it sealed; Injun Joe is later found just inside the entrance, having starved to death.The Ragged Man
Injun Joe's partner in crime. The two use an abandoned house as a hideout and discover a chest of gold coins buried in one of its rooms, which they believe to be loot from robberies committed by John Murrell and his gang. About the time of Injun Joe's accidental death in the cave, the body of the "ragged man" is found near the town's water landing-after apparently drowning. His name was Emmett in Disney's 1995 film '' Tom and Huck''.Jim
Jim flees slavery with Huck, who was escaping his drunken father, but he may have chosen to accompany Huck out of mere boredom. Jim hopes to reach the free states and buy his family's freedom. He is polite and good-natured, and accompanies Huck throughout the story. At the end of the book, Tom reveals that his owner had died since they left home, and she had freed Jim in her will. Of Jim, Russell Baker wrote: :"The people whom Huck and Jim encounter on the Mississippi are drunkards, murderers, bullies, swindlers, lynchers, thieves, liars, mows, frauds, child abusers, numbskulls, hypocrites, windbags and traders in human flesh. All are white. The one man of honor in this phantasmagoria is 'N-word Jim,' as Twain called him to emphasize the irony of a society in which the only true gentleman was held beneath contempt." Contrary to popular report, Jim is never referred to in the text as "Nigger Jim." He is always just "Jim." He is once referred to descriptively as "a nigger slave named Jim," and Huck remarks that it was hard for him "to humble myself to a nigger, but I done it, and warn't never sorry for it afterwards." But Jim is just Jim."The King" and "the Duke"
Two con men whom Huck meets in his adventures down the Mississippi and the main antagonists of ''Amy Lawrence
Amy is Becky Thatcher's rival for most of ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'', and dislikes Becky. Amy is Tom's first love, but is swept from his thoughts the moment he sees Becky. After a little slip-up from Tom, he returns to Amy to make Becky jealous.Muff Potter
Muff Potter is a friendly fisherman who drinks heavily, loves children, and is a close friend of Tom and Huck. He often mends the children's kites and helps them fish. He and Injun Joe are hired by Dr. Robinson to dig up a grave one night in order to steal its corpse, but Joe kills Robinson and then convinces Potter that he himself committed the murder while drunk. Potter is tried for the crime, but Tom's eyewitness testimony results in his acquittal.Dr. Robinson
The doctor who wanted the grave dug up. He was subsequently murdered by Injun Joe, who framed Muff Potter for the crime. A different character of the same name in ''Ben Rogers
Benjamin "Ben" Rogers is another child, Tom's age. In chapter 2, Tom convinces Ben to whitewash the fence for him. He gives Tom an apple to do so. Tom wants Ben to be in his crew of robbers.Becky Thatcher
Rebecca "Becky" Thatcher is Judge Thatcher's daughter, known for beingJudge Thatcher
Although Judge Thatcher plays a minor role in ''The Adventures of Tom Sawyer'', he plays a substantial role in ''The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn''. Judge Thatcher shares responsibility for Huckleberry Finn with the Widow Douglas, and it is to Judge Thatcher that Huckleberry Finn signs over his fortune in order to keep it from his father.Mr. Dobbins
The hated schoolmaster at Tom's school, who has taken the job after failing to become a doctor. He is easily angered and is described as "short-tempered." He is a victim of a plot by his pupils, who secretly paint his bald head gold while he is napping and then use a cat to remove his wig during a public display of his pupils' knowledge. When Becky Thatcher tears a page in Mr. Dobbins' anatomy book, Tom claims responsibility and receives a beating in her place, winning her admiration.References
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