Hett Patel

Ms. Gibson

English 8

November 11, 2020

Changing of American Childhood from the 1850’s

Childhood has changed over the years. Children now have more restrictions and less freedom now as to 100 years ago. 100 years ago, children used to do mostly whatever they want, especially if they don’t have parents that care about them. They could sleep under a massive tree in front of the sunset without a care in the world. But now children could not do such a thing even if they don’t have parents. Either the cops will make you move, or a gang will beat you up, or if you have parents, they will get very mad at you. In the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, the American childhood had changed dramatically 1850’s to now.

In Tom Sawyer, Tom is a rebellious and somewhat free kid. He doesn’t give a care in the world about anything. He goes around doing whatever he feels like doing. Although he does have a guardian named Aunt Polly, he does get disciplined sometimes. He also has a friend named Huckleberry Finn whose mother is gone and his dad a drunk. Huck literally does whatever he wants, doesn’t go to school, has no guardians, and all the townspeople don’t like him very much. Huck is a free man than can do anything he wants. Mark Twain shows Huck as a free man by writing him and saying, “Huckleberry came and went at his own free will. He slept on door-steps in fin weather, and in empty hogshead in wet; he did not have to go to school or church; or call any being master; or obey anybody; he could go fishing or swimming when and where he chose, and stay as long as it suited him; nobody forbade him to fight; he could sit up as late as he pleased; he was always the first boy that went barefoot in the spring and the last to resume leather in the fall; he never had to wash, nor put on clam cloths; he could swear wonderfully” (Twain 57).

All of these activities would be restricted to all children except for maybe swimming if your parents let you. You can’t even go outside without telling your parents anymore. And if you climb out your window to go meet some friends your parents would freak out and call you a bunch of times and yell at you on the phone. But if you don’t have a phone, then they will call the cops, which will start looking for you. None of that would happen back in the 1850’s unless if you were gone for a whole week without saying a word. You could even wear clothes that are way too big for you and that are very dirty, and nobody would care. Mark Twin said, “Huckleberry was always dressed in the cast-off clothes of full-grown men, and they were in perennial bloom and fluttering rags” (Twain 57). But the townspeople don’t like Huck and think he is a bad influence and don’t want their children going near him. Mark Twain says, “Aunt Polly, Mary, and he Harpers threw themselves upon their restored ones, smothered them with kisses and poured out thanksgiving, while poor Huck stood abashed and uncomfortable, not knowing exactly what to do or where to hide from so many unwelcoming eyes” (Twain 166). Tom also says, “Aunt Polly, it ain’t fair. Somebody’s got to be glad to see Huck” (Twain 167).

The American childhood has changed dramatically from the 1850’s to now, and the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain shows the American childhood from back then. Both of the childhood from back then and now seem great because back then you have so much freedom and you could do really whatever you want. Now you have a lot of restrictions, but you have people who care about you more and take care of you. So, I think both of the childhoods where great.

 

 

Work Cited

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Puffin Books; London, 1950.