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TOM’S MATURITY PROCESS AS THE RESULT OF CONFLICTS SEEN IN MARK TWAIN’S

THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofSarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

LENI ANDRIANI

Student Number : 034214121

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

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This undergraduate thesis is dedicated to:

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My first gratitude goes to Allah SWT for blessing me in my life and for guiding me in writing and completing my undergraduate thesis.

I would like to express by best gratitude to my advisor, Dra. Th. Enny Anggraini, M. A. I thank her for taking the time to guide me and for sharing her knowledge with me. I also thank my co-advisor, Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum for reading my undergraduate thesis and giving me suggestions in order to make it better. And I also thank all my lecturer for their guidance and their time to share their knowledge during the years of my study.

My best gratitude goes to my beloved family for supporting me in writing my undergraduate thesis. My deepest gratitude and love goes to my wonderful father, H. Heru Suyono and my mother Hj.Endrastutik for their love, support and prayers. My special gratitude goes to my beloved sisters and brother; Luqi Hermawanti, S.P for always supporting me, Lucia Herlinawati, S.E, Lutfi Hervianti, and Faisal Lukman Nugroho, I love them all.

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Many thanks are to my boarding house friends, Cumi and Lindut,. Thanks for being true friends for me. Thanks for a lot of things, for the laughter, love, tears, and silly things you have shared. Keep our friendship forever. I love you all. My special thanks go to ‘Ant’ for being such a good boyfriend. Thanks for your endless support and love.

Last but not least, my thank goes to friends in “Sekar Jepun” for giving me happiness and helping me to leave my tension awhile in the writing process of my undergraduate thesis.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. Background of the study ... 1

B. Problem Formulation ... 6

C. Objectives of the study ... 6

D. Definition of Terms ... 6

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW... 8

A. Review of Related Studies ... 8

B. Review of Related Theories ... 10

1. Theory on Character and Characterization ... 10

2. Theory on Conflicts ... 14

3. Theory on Maturity ... 15

C. Theoretical Framework ...18

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY... 20

A. Object of the Study ... 20

B. Approach of the Study ... 21

C. Method of the Study ... 21

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS... 23

A. The Characteristics of Tom Sawyer ... 23

B. The Conflicts Experienced by Tom ... 30

C. The Result of Conflicts toward Tom’s Maturity Process ... 47

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION... 58

BIBLIOGRAPHY... 60

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ABSTRACT

LENI ANDRIANI. Tom’s Maturity Process as the Result of Conflicts Seen in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2009.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is one of Mark Twain’s best novels. This undergraduate thesis focuses on the novelThe Adventures of Tom Sawyerwritten by Mark Twain. It became a best-seller novel when it was first published. The story of the novel is about a boy who likes to have some adventures in his life. The name of the boy is Tom Sawyer. The novel tells about Tom’s life which is full of extraordinary experiences and conflicts. Although he is a boy, he already has ability to face all the experiences. It shows that he is able to reach maturity in his very young age.

There are three problem formulations in this undergraduate thesis; (1) What are the characteristics of Tom? (2) What are the conflicts experienced by Tom? and (3) How do the conflicts influence Tom’s maturity process?. The objectives of this undergraduate thesis are; first, to explore the characteristics of Tom Sawyer as the main character, second, to find out the conflicts experienced by Tom during his childhood, and third is to show Tom’s maturity process as the result of his conflicts.

This undergraduate thesis uses library research. The writer collects all the data from books and theories which are found from documents, either printed or on-line. The psychological approach is applied to analyze the novel.

Through the analysis, the writer finds that Tom Sawyer is a mischievous boy who often gets and out into troubles. He is also an imaginative, lazy, full of curiosity, and cowardly. Most of them are clearly seen in his speech, his attitude, and his thought in facing his life. Moreover, the analysis shows that the boy experiences some conflicts with other characters; they are Aunt Polly, Huckleberry Finn, and Becky Thatcher. Those are the most important conflicts which help him mature.

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ABSTRAK

LENI ANDRIANI. Tom’s Maturity Process as the Result of Conflicts Seen in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2009.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer adalah salah satu novel terbaik karangan Mark Twain. Skripsi ini berfokus pada novel yang ditulis oleh Mark Twain. Novel tersebut merupakan novel yang sangat disukai ketika pertama kali novel tersebut diterbitkan. Cerita dari novel ini berkisah tentang seorang anak laki-laki yang sangat menyukai petualangan di kehidupannya. Nama anak laki-laki tersebut yaitu Tom Sawyer. Novel ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan Tom yang penuh dengan pengalaman-pengalaman luar biasa serta banyak konflik. Walaupun dia masih tergolong seorang anak, dia mampu menghadapi semua pengalamannya. Hal tersebut menunjukkan bahwa Tom telah sampai pada kedewasaan di usianya yang masih sangat belia.

Ada tiga pokok permasalahan dalam skripsi ini; (1) Apa sajakah karakteristik yang dimiliki oleh Tom? (2) Apa sajakah konflik-konflik yang dialaminya? (3) Bagaimana konflik-konflik tersebut mempengaruhi proses kedewasaannya? Tujuan dari penulisan skripsi ini adalah; pertama, untuk mengeksplorasi karakteristik Tom Sawyer sebagai tokoh utama, kedua, untuk menemukan konflik-konflik yang dialami oleh Tom, dan ketiga adalah untuk menunjukkan proses kedewasaan Tom sebagai akibat dari konflik-konflik yang dialaminya.

Skripsi ini menggunakan metode studi pustaka. Penulis mengumpulkan semua data dari buku dan teori yang ditemukan dari dokumen, baik itu dari media cetak ataupun media on-line. Pendekatan psikologi diterapkan untuk menganalisa.

Melalui bagian analisis, penulis menemukan bahwa Tom Sawyer adalah anak yang nakal yang selalu membuat masalah. Ia juga anak yang mempunyai banyak imajinasi, malas, penuh dengan keingintahuan dan penakut. Penggambaran tokoh Tom Sawyer ini terlihat jelas dari perkataannya, tingkah lakunya serta dalam pemikirannya dalam menjalani kehidupan. Lebih lanjut, analisis ini menunjukkan bahwa ia mengalami banyak konflik dengan karakter-karakter lain; mereka adalah Aunt Polly, Huckleberry Finn, dan Becky Thatcher. Konflik-konflik tersebut merupakan konflik yang paling pokok dalam cerita ini yang nantinya dapat mendewasakan Tom.

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

As we know that every human being changes from time to time. His growth proceeds in the physical change and at the same time, it changes in his behavior as the direct consequences of the growth. As human beings, they undergo stages of development from their process to become an infant, a child, a teenage, an adult and an elder person.

Human beings always get their childhood. It becomes one of human’s life stages of development that has to be faced by everyone. As they grow, they always learn and interact with others from their surroundings. Those learning and interacting processes often influence or change their characteristics. Basically, they face some kinds of developmental changes in their childhood and one of them is maturity development. They will reach their physical change, categorized as the external growth, and reach mental maturity, categorized as the internal growth, in their age after facing some experiences in life. Being mature according to R. Guys Lefrancois is “related to development which includes growth and learning as a relatively permanent change in the behavior of individual resulting from experience” (Psychological Theories and Human Learning, 1982:107).

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Jackson stated in her article “Conflict and Change”, conflict is the challenge a character must face and, in the end, overcome. Think of "conflict" as another word for "problem." The characters need to struggle a bit to resolve a difficulty. This problem of facing challenges and figuring out how to overcome them makes for exciting reading. If the characters do not have a problem to solve, they have no basis for an adventure. As the author, we want our readers to care about our characters, and to remain curious about the way the problem will be solved. Thus, the author must devise a story problem and then intensify it by throwing difficulties in the way of our characters. When our main character is confronted by an unpleasant event – the death of a pet, a fight with a friend, parents divorcing–he changes. Maybe they are not in the right away, but eventually. The author’s job is to show that change and to make the process seem believable <http://www.ellenjackson.net/work36.html> (March 26, 2007).

In real life, conflict also becomes an important aspect in human life. To develop, sometimes people deal with conflicts which then lead them into their changes or help them shape their maturity.

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be a person in young age but very mature in their mental and emotional. As human beings grow from infant to adult, they have more experiences helping them to develop and to understand those events that occur in life. As mature person, we become more flexible. There are some greater capacities to find peaceful solutions when human faces the differences with others. It results a more independent attitude, ultimately achieving interdependence. In addition, greater maturity will produce more kindness, compassion, and respect toward others, along with self-confidence and clarity of purpose.

Sometimes maturity is used to indicate person’s response to the circumstances or environment in an appropriate manner. As Overstreet said in his bookThe Mind Alive, that to label someone becomes mature, he or she must know the appropriate behavior toward his age, and his power over his environment is matched by a growing awareness of what is involved in what he does (1949:44).

One example of literary works which requires a story about children developmental changes in their maturity is in Mark Twain’s work,The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. This analysis is going to discuss the main character’s maturity process as the result of conflicts in Mark Twain’sThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

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The Adventures of Tom Sawyer can be a good sample of American literature to analyze.

The second is because of the content of the story. The novel itself concerns about childhood experience. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about a boy maturing throughout a span of adventures in love, treasure, and everyday life that make him more of an adult, then a boy. The name of the boy is Tom Sawyer. He is described as a boy from the beginning of the story. Although there is no specific description about Tom’s age, it seems that Tom is a boy which is approximately more than 6 years old. It is very important to categorize Tom to that age, because it will help the writer to give the limitation to know his maturity development for the analysis. According to Hurlock, he states “the late childhood for girls occurs in the range between 6-13 years old and for boys in between 6-14 years old” (2000:146). Based on the explanation above, Tom can be categorized in the late of childhood phase.

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The main character in the story is Tom Sawyer. He and its story represent everything about childhood. Twain’sThe Adventures of Tom Sawyeris filled with Tom's adventures playing pirates and wars with his friend Joe Harper and Huck. It is a story filled with adventures, imagination, love, superstition, and mischievousness. The whole story is seemingly a complication of what people do or wish they do during their childhood.

Furthermore there are a lot of conflicts occur between the characters in the story. The writer found it as an interesting topic to be analyzed. Tom experiences some conflicts which then lead him into his maturity in his age. As Tom Schenk <http://www.af.mil.news/story/asp?storyID=123011237> (November 16, 2007) stated in his article, that immature people tends lack of understanding when dealing with conflicts. But a mature person tends to expect and respect conflict. Therefore, to improve his or herself, a mature person utilizes conflict while respecting its danger, they appreciate its benefit.

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B. Problem Formulation

Based on the explanation above, the writer formulates the following questions as problems to answer in the analysis:

1. What are the characteristics of Tom?

2. What are the conflicts experienced by Tom?

3. How do the conflicts influence Tom’s maturity process?

C. Objectives of the Study

Considering the problem formulation above, there are three objectives in this study. The first objective is to explore the characteristics of Tom Sawyer as the main character.

The second objective is to find out the conflicts experienced by Tom during his childhood, which then lead him to his maturity. The last objective is to show Tom’s maturity process as the result of his conflicts.

D. Definition of Terms

In this study, the writer needs to define some terms in order to get better understanding of the title and to make the discussion clearer.

1. Maturity

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2. Conflict

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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

Mark Twain was born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835. He got his first success in 1869 after he wrote his novel The Innocents Abroad.The next major published work The Adventures of Huckleberry Finnconsidered him as the great American literature writer at that time. Another example of his well-known book of his is Life on the Mississippi in 1883. In 1876, he published The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and it became the most well-known novel and made him soon famous all over the world.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was first published in 1876, and after its publishing, he received some criticisms, appreciations and comments toward Twain himself and his literary works from other writers. Those are very important for the writer to support the analysis of this study.

The writer obtains criticism from articles in Nation magazine on May, 12 1910. In that article, Sherman states that a good reputation among the other American literature writers at that time.

No American writers have ever enjoyed a more purely democratic reputation than Mark Twain. From village celebrity to international renown, he has been advanced stage after stage by popular suffrage. The plain, unbookish burgess holding both his sides at public lecture has helped roar to him into eminence<http://extext.virginia.edu/ration/sc_as_mt/obitmags.html>

(October 16, 2007).

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reflection of Mark Twain himself. The character of Tom Sawyer is the representation of Mark Twain when he was a child. The events happened in the life of Tom Sawyer were based on Mark Twain’s own childhood and it really happened in his real life.

Tom was the Sam Clemens who sought the violence and excitement of life in a frontier town, Huck the sensitive dreamer who puzzled over man’s in humanities. The two were never reconciled in the boy of Hannibal nor in the man who lectured and was read around the world; but through them he did his best writing (1957: 120).

The Adventures of Tom Sawyerbecomes a great novel to read and also an interesting literary work to be analyzed. The study about Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer had been conducted before by student of English Letters Department and student of English Language Department of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta. They were approved and successfully defended.

Yulius Yoma Preston, student of English Letters Department of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta in his undergraduate thesis entitled The Influences of Peers and Family on Tom Sawyer in his Social Development as Depicted in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyerstates that Tom’s social development as the main character is mostly influenced by his society which is represented by peers and family. The existence of peers and family give either bad or good influences on Tom’s character during his social development (2003: 62).

Discussing more about the character with its development and other intrinsic elements in which in this analysis is presented by conflicts, Linda Novita Sugiono, student of English Language Department in her undergraduate thesis

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Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, proves that the internal and external conflict experienced by Tom in his childhood have change him into mature and responsible boy in his age (2001: 59-60).

From those reviews and comments, the writer finds that the character of Tom Sawyer is interesting to be analyzed. The writer finds also that there is no study which talks about the child maturity process. Because of that the writer intends to discuss more about the maturity process that is reflected in Tom’s characteristics after facing some conflicts.

B. Review of Related Theories

To support this study, the writer presents some theories that would deal with the topic about maturity process of Tom Sawyer as the main character seen in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The theories are theory of character and characterization, theory of conflicts and theory of maturity. The writer would like to use those theories in order to get appropriate answer of problem formulation in this study.

1. Theory on Character and Characterization

Characteristic according to Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction

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Still according to Stanton, characterization is “the traits of a character, or his development, or his attitudes toward others, or his effects upon them (and vice versa), or his similarities to and differences from them” (1965:70).

Roger B. Henkle states that a character can be described as major and secondary characters. Major characters are the most important and complex characters in the novel. They can be identified as such through the complexity of their characterization, the attention given to them (by author and other characters) who deserve our fullest attention because they perform the key of structural function. Secondary characters are the characters who perform more limited functions. They are limited in ways that the major characters are not. They may be less sophisticated, so their responses to the experience are less complex and interesting (Reading the Novel: An Introduction to the Techniques Interpreting Fiction, 1965:60).

According to Baldick in his book The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms, character is a person in a narrative or dramatic work. It is different from characterization, in that characterization is the way in which a character is presented. Therefore, character is the result, while characterization is the process (1991:83).

Characters according to Abrams in A Glossary of Literary Terms

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In addition, still according to Abrams, characters are also divided into flat character and round character. Round characters are fully developed in the story. They appear as the central of the story and possess all the characteristics of real human beings. While flat characters are not fully developed as the major characters. They are static and do not change the story.

As Murphy states in his Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students says that characterization is how an author conveys to the reader what sort of people they are, how an author makes the reader get to know and understand them. According to Murphy, a character can be understood from 9 ways: “personal description, character as seen by another, speech, past life, conversation by another characters, reactions, direct comment, thought, mannerisms” (1972:162-173).

a. Personal description

The author describes a person by giving details of appearance. The author can tell the readers the details of the color of the skin and of the hair, the shape, or the clothes used, which may keep the readers to visualize the person and to know characters as well.

b. Character as seen by another

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c. Speech

The author can give the readers an insight into a person’s character through what the person says. Whenever a person speaks in a conversation, or it gives an opinion, he gives a clue that the reader may know how his character is. d. Past life

It suggests that the author may picture a person’s past life permitting the readers to obtain a clue to events that have helped to shape his character. This can be done by direct comment by the author, through the person’s thought, through his or her conversation or through the medium of another person. e. Conversation of other characters

The author uses this way to give a description of a person through the conversation of other people and things they say about him. People do talk about other people and the things they say often served as a clue to the character of the person that is spoken about.

f. Reaction

To describe a person, the author can show how the person reacts to various situations and events which allow the readers to get a clue to his character. g. Direct comment

It means that the author can explicitly give direct description or comment on a person’s character.

h. Thoughts

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i. Mannerism

It suggests that the author can convey something about a person by describing his mannerism, habits or idiosyncrasies.

2. Theory on Conflicts

According to Redman (Second Book of Plays, 1964:363), there are two kinds of conflicts. Firstly, it is inner or internal conflict, it means that the conflict occurs within one’s character. For example, in a certain situation the character feels that she should take an action which is good according to her, but her belief prevented her to take it. In that situation, the clash occurs between her desire and her belief. Secondly, it is external conflict. This kind of conflict occurs between a character and his/her outside aspects. It can be the other characters, the setting, or society. Those outside forces are different from the character’s belief, desire or way of thinking which then create clash between them.

Perrine also states in his book Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, “conflict is a clash of actions, ideas, desires and will between two individuals, or among people in the story” (1974:44).

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3. Theory on Maturity

According to Justin Pikunas in Human Development, An Emergent Science, maturity is defined as “the state of maximal function and integration of a single factor or a total person; also applied to age-related adequacy of development and performance” (1976: 48).

In addition, he states that there are nine criteria of maturity. They are “differential responsiveness, interdependence, participate activity, in the term of application of knowledge and experience, communication of experience, sensitivity to the needs of others, ability of dealing constructively with frustration, willingness to assume adult responsibilities and perceive a moral character” (1976: 300-304).

a. Differential responsiveness

The author states that a child and adolescent have a different kind of responsiveness if compared to the mature person. Mature person seems more responsive toward surrounding than a child and adolescent.

b. Interdependence

It means that in this case, the main point is not become fully independent but more on self-realization of becoming self-reliant individual.

c. Participate activity

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The ability to evaluate and to self-examine is one of the most important criteria of maturity. That ability will help a mature person gains his or her appropriate decision in life.

e. Communication of experience

The author points out that communicating one’s needs and experiences with others shows the level of maturity in each individual.

f. Sensitivity to the needs of others

A mature person is a person who realizes the needs of others in his or her life. g. Ability to deal with frustration

The ability to deal with frustration is important to apply in life of a mature person. A mature person should be able to examine and draw positive lessons from his or her past frustration.

h. Willingness to assume adult responsibilities

The author believes that this criterion involves with sacrifice and courage to overcome fear of failure, disregard moods, feeling of disgust and also involves readiness in ignoring others comments when he or she should meet with responsibilities in life.

i. Perceive moral character

Pikunas states that people will be influenced by moral value of a certain society and a mature person will be able to behave mannerly according to those values.

As Jayaram V stated in his article Maturity of Mind and Adult Behavior

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to a complete physical and mental growth or the state of adulthood. People can make an intelligent guess of what complete physical growth means. Physical growth is visible, measurable, and does not continue beyond a particular age except in certain other ways. Every individual undergoes physical maturity, but few individuals fail to grow normally because some exceptional conditions or circumstances. In case of mental maturity, an individual can grow mentally for long. It is difficult to say when an individual actually stops growing mentally. Mental growth varies from each individual. Some people develop in their mental maturity and rationality much earlier in their lives compared to others.

Furthermore, he states that maturity does not necessarily come with age, but with awareness and understanding, borne out of individual perception and cognitive experience. To be mature according to him does not necessarily mean just a fully grown up individual. It becomes a combination of many things that includes age, awareness, intelligence, decision making ability and more.

Worchel says in his book, Psychology: Principles and Applications, in their development, people sometimes deal with conflicts that they have learned from their experience of life. A mature person will not avoid problems or conflicts, he or she will accept it to develop his or herself. In addition, he or she must be able to solve problem without always depending on other’s help. He or she has a good amount of responsibility of life. A mature person is a people who “grows and accept responsibility” (1985:109).

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facing the difficulties and sometimes he has to make a decision in order to make his life better (Overstreet, 1949:51). Furthermore, when he deals with problems and conflicts, he will make a mature solution of such conflict that would involve a mutual out of the situation and the reaching of an agreement. So it can be said that a mature person will not avoid problems. But, he will attack the problems by developing the capability. This kind of person is the one who is mentally mature (Overstreet, 1949:24).

According to Santino in her article “Level of Maturity” <http://www.naturalhelathweb.com/articles/santino1.html> (November 14, 2007), one can be a fully grown person but immature or, on the contrary, they can be a person in young age but very mature in their mental and emotional. As human beings grow from infant to adult, they have more experiences helping them to develop and to understand events that occur in life.

C. Theoretical Framework

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the story. In this analysis, the concept of maturity is going to be used to explain Tom’s changes in his maturity as the contribution of conflicts with other characters in the story.

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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of the study is a novel entitled The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

which is written by one of America’s most popular authors, Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Mark Twain is the pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was first published in 1876. The writer uses the novel which was published by P. F. Collier and Son Company, New York in 1920. It consists of 291 pages. The story is divided into 35 chapters. The novel itself has been translated into many languages and became very popular all around the world.

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B. Approach of the Study

The study focuses on Tom Sawyer’s maturity development, which is closely, related to psychological aspects especially his attitude and behavior, therefore, the writer considers that the psychological approach is the appropriate one to use in analyzing the novel. This approach is used to analyze Tom’s maturity when he encounters with conflicts in his life.

Based on Rohrberger and Woods, psychological approach is an approach to literature which involves the effort to locate and demonstrate certain recurrent pattern, and which refers to a different body of knowledge, that is psychology. It is applied when the attention is focused on psychological interpretation for enhancing the understanding and appreciation of literature. In applying this approach, psychology is a study of man’s life together with his mind and behavior (Reading and Writing about Literature, 1971: 13-15).

C. Method of the Study

The writer used library research in analyzing Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It means that the data and other sources, both primary and secondary were collected and found from library. In this study, the writer used Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as the primary data. The secondary data are the theories, references and other important information from articles or internet related to this study.

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reread it again in order to get better understanding about the novel. It was very useful for the writer to read the story as a whole in order to get some details and ideas presented inThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The second step was searching and collecting data from some books reference and important information related to its topic of the analysis. The writer read some books on the theories of character and characterization, theories of conflict, theories of maturity and also about how conflict leads into maturity which all of them supported in the work’s analysis. The writer took notes the information from its book and put it in the right order to support the analysis. In addition, the writer also looked for some information and criticism about the novel on internet.

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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS

This part contains the analysis on the Tom’s maturity process as the result of conflicts, which is divided into three parts of discussion based on the problem formulations. The first discussion is the analysis on Tom’s characteristics. The writer tries to observe the characteristic of the main character. The second one is the analysis on the conflicts between Tom and other characters. This part is important to analyze because it will be the basis of the discussion of maturity process. The last discussion will show how those conflicts lead Tom into his maturity.

A. The Characteristics of Tom Sawyer

Before analyzing his maturity process, the writer needs to find his general characteristics. The writer uses the theory of character and characterization to answer the first problem formulation. It will be done according to Murphy’s theory about character.

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Here, in the novel,The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Thomas Sawyer is the main character. He is often called as Tom Sawyer. His speech, action, point of view, attitudes and the way he thinks are explored in the story. The following paragraphs are the analysis of Tom’s characteristics.

In the novel, Tom Sawyer is clearly described as a boy who lives in St. Petersburg, the town of the Mississippi River. He lives in a house with his Aunt named Aunt Polly, his half-brother named Sidney Sawyer and his cousin, Mary.

The first description of Tom Sawyer as the main character in this novel is that he is described by the author as a mischievous boy. It can be observed through his manner and action. He likes to play tricks on people around him including his aunt and his friends. He is described as an escape master, and a professional trickster. By some tricks, many times he could escape from punishments.

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Tom’s mischievousness makes him considered as a troublemaker. It seems that Tom really likes into and out of trouble. This bad behavior is proven when there is a newcomer in the village.

“Well why don’t you do it then? What do you keep saying you will for? Why don’t you do it?...Another pause, and more eyeing and sidling around each other. Presently they were shoulder to shoulder. Tom said: “Get away from here!” “Get away yourself!” “I won’t.”

“I won’t, either” (p. 8-9).

Based on the quotation above, it can be seen clearly that he seems too much arrogant to show his ability to fight and his capability as the leader of the boys in the village. Tom challenges the boy to fight at that moment.

Because of his mischievousness and his disobedience, Aunt Polly sometimes gives him punishment in order to keep him under control and get him learn from his faults.

He got home pretty late that night, and when he climbed cautiously in at the window he uncovered an ambuscade in the person of his aunt; and when she saw the state his clothes were in, her resolution to turn his Saturday holiday into captivity at hard labour became adamantine in its firmness (p. 11).

When Tom returns home late in the evening, Tom finds Aunt Polly waiting for him. He comes home with his dirty clothes. Aunt Polly sends him out to whitewash the fence on Saturday morning.

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be seen when Jim, one of Tom’s friend passes him by, Tom convinces him that whitewashing is a great interesting work to do. Tom offers Jim a white alley to replace his job.

“Say, Jim, I'll fetch the water if you'll whitewash some.” Jim shook his head, and said: “Can't ,Mar's Tom. Ole missis, she tole me I got to go an' git dis water and not stop foolin' roun'wid anybody...” “Oh, never you mind what she said, Jim. That's the way she always talks... Gimme the bucket...” “Oh, I dasn't, Ma'rs Tom...” “She! she never licks anybody -whacks 'em over the head with her thimble... Jim, I'll give you a marvel. I'll give you a white alley!” (p. 13)

From the quotation, it can be seen that Tom tries to convince Jim to whitewash the fence. At the first time, Jim refuses it because he has an important task, that is to get water. Then, Tom tries to convince him once more by giving a white alley and finally, Jim wants to replace him to wash the fence.

“Say, Tom, let me whitewash a little.” Tom considered; was about to consent; but he altered his mind: “No, no; I reckon it wouldn’t hardly do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s awful particular about this fence–right here on the street…that can do it the way it’s got to be done. “No – is that so? Oh, come now; lemme just try, only just a little (p. 17).

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After Ben Rogers, Tom seems still have some tricks to deceive other boys who pass him by like Billy Fisher and Johnny Miller, who also get finally get tricked. As can be seen from the quotation, “By the time Ben was fagged out, Tom had traded the next chance to Billy Fisher for a kite in good repair; and when he played out, Johnny Miller bought in for a dead rat, and a string to swing it with; and so on, and so on, hour after hour” (p. 18).

There is also a description of Tom as mischievous boy which is said by another character, Aunt Polly. It can be considered in Murphy’s second theory about character seen by another (1972:162). “But as I was saying.” said Aunt Polly, “He wasn’t bad, so to say – only mischievous…” (p. 130).

Tom likes to discover a new thing and then learn it in order to make him proud of himself. In this case, his action can be taken as the example that actually Tom is a curious boy. Because of willingness to learn, he can master new things quickly. His curiosity makes him able to find a new thing that he never learns before. In this intended quotation, he is able of mastering the way of whistling quickly.

This new interest was a valued novelty in whistling, which he had just acquired from a Negro, and he was suffering to practice it undisturbed. It consisted in a peculiar bird-like turn, a sort of liquid warble, produced by touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth at short intervals in the midst of the music. The reader probably remembers how to do it if he has ever been a boy. 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 (p. 6).

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showing the fights or stunts in the schoolyard. Sometimes, he gets to do silly things in order to get her attention.

The boy ran around and stopped within a foot or two of the flower, and then shaded his eyes with his hand, and began to look down the street as if he had discovered something of interest going on in that direction. Presently he picked up a straw …and he hopped away with his treasure, and disappeared around the corner (p. 23).

Tom is described as a lazy boy. He always tries to avoid school. As can be seen from the quotation:

Suddenly he was discovered something. One of his upper teeth was loose. This was lucky; he was about to begin to groan, as a ‘starter’, as he called it, when it occurred to him… and threatened to make him lose a finger. So the boy eagerly drew hi sore toe from under the sheet and held it up for inspection. But, it seemed well worth while to chance it, so he fell to groaning with considerable spirit (p. 50).

On that Monday morning, Tom finds that it is so miserable for having time to study in school after holiday. He tries to find some ways to stay at home. Tom feigns sick with the hope of staying home from school. He pretends that he has a sore toe, but Aunt Polly does not believe him. Seeing that his ploy fails, he complains of a toothache. Unfortunately, his aunt knows his tricks. She pulls the loose tooth and sends Tom to school.

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He is also described as an imaginative boy. It is proven when he is in his adventures. Some imaginative ideas come to his mind when he plays with his friends, for example, in the game of Robin Hood, he acts as Robin Hood, or in Jackson’s Island, imagine himself becomes a pirate.

“I, indeed! I am Robin Hood, as thy caitiff carcass soon shall know.” “Then art thou indeed that famous outlaw? Right gladly will I dispute with thee the passes of the merry wood. Have at thee!” (p. 78).

He pretends to be Robin Hood. He and Joe, one of his bosom friends, play this game as have read the story. They try also to use the real British English dialect that Robin Hood used in his time.

“Hold! Who comes here into Sherwood Forest without my pass?” “Guy of Guisborne wants no man's pass. Who art thou that – that –” “Dares to hold such language,” said Tom, prompting - for they talked “by the book,” from memory. “Who art thou that dares to hold such language?” (p. 78). It seems that their imagination is inspired by the book they have read. They try to imitate and bring it into reality. In another time, they manage to have their adventure in Jackson’s Island. Once, they plan to have an adventure to live like real pirates.

Three miles below St. Petersburg, at a point where the Mississippi River was a trifle over a mile wide, there was a long, narrow, wooded island, with a shallow bar at the head of it, and this offered well as a rendezvous. It was not inhabited; it lay far over toward the further shore, abreast a dense and almost wholly unpeopled forest. So Jackson's Island was chosen (p. 112).

Tom and his friend named Huck believe firmly in superstition. It can be seen in their discussion of how to rid a person of warts.

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when they’re taking that feller away, you heave your cat after ‘em and say, ‘Devil follow corpse, cat follow devil, warts follow cat, I’m done with ye!’ That’ll fetch any wart” (p. 58).

It is described that Huck carries a dead cat. He intends to take the dead cat to the graveyard that night for the ritual of curing warts. Tom agrees to go with Huck. According to superstition, when the devil comes to take the corpse of a wicked person, the dead cat will follow the corpse, and the warts will follow the cat.

At the same time, they witness a murder in the graveyard. They know the murderer of Dr. Robinson. They swear to keep mum about the incident because they feel scared of what they have seen that time. They feel scared facing this situation. They prefer to keep silent rather than tell others about it. It is proved with their oath: “Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer swear they will keep mum about this and they wish they may drop down dead in their tracks if they ever tell and Rot” (p. 92).

From this fact, it can be concluded that Tom is such a cowardly boy. He does not dare enough to tell the truth about the murder of Dr. Robinson. Both of them fear to tell the truth, because they fear that the murderer will kill them. Tom always refuses his conscience to tell the truth. They keep it as a secret, and avoid people’s talking about the incident.

B. The Conflicts Experienced by Tom Sawyer

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In a literary work, conflicts that appear make readers more interested to read. That is why conflict becomes an important aspect of an author’s imagination when creating a literary work. An author presents conflicts in his/her story as natural as possible through the characteristics of the characters.

According to Redman (Second Book of Plays, 1964:363), there are two kinds of conflicts. Firstly, it is inner or internal conflict, it means that the conflict occurs within one’s character. For example, in a certain situation the character feels that she should take an action which is good according to her, but her belief prevented her to take it. In that situation, the clash occurs between her desire and her belief. Secondly, it is external conflict. This kind of conflict occurs between a character and his/her outside aspects. It can be the other characters, the setting, or society. Those outside forces are different from the character’s belief, desire or way of thinking which then create clash between them.

Redman’s description on conflicts is parallel to Perrine’s statement in his book

Literature: Structure, Sound and Sense, that “Conflict itself is a clash of action, ideas, desires, or will between two individuals, or among people in the story” (1974:44).

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In the analysis, the writer tries to show those conflicts that occur within Tom, and between him and other characters in the story.

The following discussion is mainly focused on Tom’s conflict with others. Nonetheless, Tom’s internal conflicts are also presented within the discussion. The part is divided into some subtopics in order to give clear explanation.

1. Tom’s Conflict with Aunt Polly

The first conflict is between Tom Sawyer and Aunt Polly. Aunt Polly is Tom’s Aunt. She is a kind-hearted woman who loves and cares about him. From the beginning of the story, there is no exact information of Tom’s parents. He is already taken in by Aunt Polly during the story. It is stated that Tom is an orphan boy. As can be seen in his Aunt’s statement, “ He’s my own dead sister’s boy ” (p. 3).

Aunt Polly is described as a woman with strict discipline. Discipline is Aunt Polly’s way of teaching her nephew the moral behavior by giving certain punishments. The goal of this way is to mold her child for having a good attitude. Aunt Polly needs playing her role as a disciplinarian in order to make Tom be a good boy and not violate the rules and regulations set down by Aunt Polly or his surroundings. Since Tom is considered as mischief and trouble maker, many times she tries to punish him for his misbehavior. On page 2, Tom’s delinquency is seen when he steals the jam and eat it.

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The quotation above shows that Tom is found by Aunt Polly for stealing the jam. Aunt Polly gives him admonition because of his bad attitude. Tom gets into Aunt Polly’s punishment again when he has gone swimming and playing hockey instead of going to school. He gets punishment to whitewash the fence on Saturday (p.12).

Those certain punishments are given only for the sake of Tom’s future. Tom never realizes his own mistakes: he thinks that Aunt Polly always regards that all the blames belong to him.

The contradiction between Tom and Aunt Polly becomes sharper because Tom’s egoism. He does not care about Aunt Polly’s good intention, but he only thinks for his pleasure without considering his duty for his own future. Aunt Polly has a purpose to teach and change him to be an obedient boy. Unfortunately, Tom never knows and does not want to know her purpose. He thinks that Aunt Polly is too diabolical. He also thinks that her Aunt never loves him. Aunt Polly’s anger makes him assume that she does not care with him anymore. He feels disappointed facing this situation.

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troublesome ways” (p. 4). Sid is presented as an obedient boy, diligent, and never has bad attitude like Tom. He is known as the Model Boy of the village (p. 6).

Sidney likes to make Tom into trouble. He always tries to show Tom’s mistakes to Aunt Polly. They are described as often having quarrels and different ideas.

She was half sorry her sagacity had miscarried, and half glad that Tom had stumbled into obedient conduct for once. But Sidney said: ‘Well, now, if I didn’t think you sewed his collar with white thread, but it’s black.’‘Why, I did sew it white! Tom!’ But Tom did not wait for the rest. As he went out of the door, he said: ‘Siddy, I’ll lick you for that’ (p. 5).

One of the situations is seen by the quotation above. Sid tries to tell Aunt Polly about Tom’s mischievousness. During supper, Aunt Polly asks Tom leading questions in attempt to confirm her suspicion that he skipped school and went swimming (p. 4). Tom deceives his Aunt by saying that his wet hair is because he pumped water on his head and shows her that his collar still sewn from morning which means that he could not have taken his shirt off to swim. Aunt Polly is glad to hear his answer. But, unfortunately, his brother, Sid, points out that shirt thread, which was white in the morning, now has turned into black. It shows that Tom has re-sewn the shirt himself to disguise his delinquency. Aunt Polly knows that Tom is telling a lie in order to avoid her punishment (p. 5).

After Aunt Polly knows his trick, Tom goes outside to avoid Aunt Polly’s anger. When he feels secure, he continues to release his anger. After Sid told Aunt Polly about his trick, Tom states:

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Tom’s anger to Sid can be seen as the response to jealousy. In Aunt Polly’s view, Sid is regarded as a good and obedient boy. On the other hand, Tom is considered as the bad one. Sometimes, Tom feels that it is unfair for him, because Aunt Polly has different way in treating them, for instance, when Sid stole sugar and broke the bowl. Tom tries to tell Aunt Polly about the truth. Below is the quotation about it.

All through supper his spirits were so high that his aunt wondered "what had got into the child." He took a good scolding about clodding Sid, and did not seem to mind it in the least. He tried to steal sugar under his aunt's very nose, and got his knuckles rapped for it. He said: “Aunt, you don’t whack Sid when he takes it.” “Well, Sid don’t torment a body the way you do. You’d be always into that sugar if I warn’t watching you” (p. 24).

Based on the quotation above, it is clearly seen that Aunt Polly does not believe in Tom’s statement. In this case, Tom tells the truth about Sid’s stealing sugar to Aunt Polly, but her reaction disappoints him. Aunt Polly does not blame or angry to Sid, but on the contrary, Tom gets the whack because that act is considered as Tom’s fault. Being unjustly accused, Tom thinks how sorry his aunt would be if he were dead and imagines Aunt Polly begging for his forgiveness as he is dying. It can be seen from the quotation below.

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behavior. Therefore, he becomes angry and resentful because of the matter. As the result of his jealousy, Tom always attempts to take revenge to his brother.

Another proof that shows Tom’s conflict with Aunt Polly is seen in chapter VI. Tom really hates to go to school, because Monday is regarded as the day of misery for him. It can be said so because according to him, it begins another week’s slow suffering in school (p.50).

Freedom seems to be an interesting lifestyle that Tom wants to have. Huck is known as a boy who has freedom in his life. He is free to play, to not go to school, or not go to church every Sunday. Moreover, no body forbids him and gives him punishment as Aunt Polly does to Tom. Therefore, Tom really admires him. That is why Tom becomes extremely lazy when Aunt Polly orders him to go to school. Tom’s laziness leads the conflict between Tom and his aunt. They have different point of view in this problem. According to Elgin F. Hunt in his book,

Social Science: An Introduction to The Study of Society, conflict does not always mean hate, hatred, or distrust. It also can happen through the limit of differences of opinion, judgment, perspective and opposing arguments (1955: 31-32). Being such a lazy boy, Tom finds that school is not a good thing for him to have. He prefers to have free life but his aunt has different opinion. It is an obligatory for him to go to school instead of playing. Aunt Polly really wants to give a good education for his bright future by sending him to school. Tom insists on keeping his opinion and tries to find some ways to stay at home. Therefore, it leads him and Aunt Polly into conflict.

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and laughed a little, then cried a little, then did both together. This restored her and she said: “Tom, what a turn you did give me. Now you shut up that nonsense and climb out of this” (p. 52-53).

It seems that his trick does not work in this situation. He pretends for having a mortified toe. Unfortunately, Aunt Polly knows his trick, and keeps sending him to school. As a professional trickster, he tries to find another sly motive. He complains for having a toothache. The same as the previous one, the ploy also fails. It makes Aunt Polly angry and rather feel disappointed facing his bad attitude.

“Oh, you don’t, don’t you? So all this row was because you thought you’d get to stay home from school and go a-fishing? Tom, Tom, I love you so, and you seem to try every way you can to break my old heart with your outrageousness” (p. 53).

As disciplinarian, Aunt Polly seems too vicious to Tom. She always gives some punishments to Tom for his mischievousness. Actually, she really loves his nephew. One day, she feels remorse after she has a conflict with Tom. On page 108, it is stated that Tom gets ill, and Aunt Polly takes care of him by giving a medicine that is called ‘Pain-killer’. Tom gives the medicine to Peter, Aunt Polly’s cat. When his aunt knows Tom’s deed, he defends himself with a strong argument. They begin to argue about this matter.

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After hearing Tom’s argument, she feels a sudden pang of remorse. Knowing the effect of pain-killer which is seen from Peter’s reaction, she feels sorry to Tom. Her eyes start to drop tears. She puts her hand on Tom’s head and says her apology (p. 108).

From those several situations, it seems that there is different understanding between Tom and Aunt Polly. Their different opinion, perspective, judgment and their opposing arguments lead them into conflicts.

2. Tom’s Conflict with Huckleberry Finn

Huckleberry or Huck is described as the son of the town drunk, and he is a pretty much an orphan. Huck is Tom’s bosom friend and frequent playmate. Like Tom, Huck believes highly in superstition (p.58). Both are always ready for some adventures. As states in Murphy’s theory, in fiction the characteristics of a person’s character can be observed through direct description or comment from the author (1972:170). There is description which is given by the author.

Shortly Tom came upon the juvenile pariah of the village, Huckleberry Finn, son of the town drunkard. Huckleberry was cordially hated and dreaded by all the mothers of the town, because he was idle and lawless and vulgar and bad – and because of all their children admired him so, and delighted in his forbidden society, and wished they dared to be like him (p. 54).

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Huck is really admired by Tom. He wants to have a free life like Huck. He plays with Huck every time he has a chance (p.54). Both of them like to have some adventurous journeys and believe firmly in superstition. They believe that a dead cat can cure the warts. They go to the graveyard to do the rituals. Tom accompanies Huck go to the graveyard to bury the dead cat. In the graveyard, they witness the murder of Dr. Robinson by Injun Joe. They see Injun Joe killed Dr. Robinson and then place the knife he used in the hand of Muff Potter who passed out. When Muff Potter wakes up, Injun Joe tells him that he was the murderer. Injun Joe blames Muff Potter for the action of killing Dr. Robinson (p. 87). Tom and Huck get so depressed and scared because of this incident. They have different opinions in this case. In this situation, it can be seen that they are in conflict as Perrine states in his book Literature: Structure, Sound and Sensethat conflict is a clash of actions, ideas, desires and will between two individuals or among people in the story (1974:44).

Tom’s conscience and anxiety begin to grow. It is very difficult for letting the wrong man take the blame for Dr. Robinson’s murder. Tom wants to reveal the truth, but Huck forbids him to tell anybody about the incident.

Tom thought awhile, then he said: “Who’ll tell? We?” “What are you talking about? S’pose something happened and Injun Joe didn’t hang? Why he’d kill us some time or other, just as dead sure as we’re a – laying here” (p. 90).

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‘If anybody tells, let Muff Potter do it, if he’s fool enough. He’s generally drunk.’ Tom said nothing - went on thinking. Presently he whispered: ‘Huck, Muff Potter don’t know it. How can he tell?’ ‘What’s the reason he don’t know it?’ ‘Because he’d just got that whack when Injun Joe done it. D’you reckon he knowed anything.’ By hokey, that’s so, Tom!’ (p. 90) There is a sharp disagreement between them. They have different idea about the revelation of the murder. Tom becomes uncomfortable and feels coward because he does not dare to tell the truth. Finally they decide to keep mum about the incident. They swear each other to keep it as a secret (p. 90-91).

Another evidence of his conflict with Huck is seen before the day of Muff Potter’s trial. Several days before the trial, they definitely see that Dr. Robinson’s murder is a serious matter for them. Injun Joe’s action of killing Dr. Robinson becomes a significant topic to talk in their village (p. 190). People still accuse Muff Potter as the murderer at that time. This situation makes Huck and Tom feel pity to Muff Potter as the innocent victim for this incident. People abuse him for the action of killing which is done by Injun Joe.

“Yes – so they would. But I hate hear ‘em abuse him so like the dickens when he never done – that.” “I do too, Tom. Lord, I hear ‘em say he’s the bloodiest-looking villain in this country, and they wonder he wasn’t ever hung before.” “Yes, they talk like that, all the time. I’ve heard ‘em say that if he was to get free they’d lynch him” (p. 191).

According to them, Muff Potter is such a good man. They remember all of his kindness to them. Dealing with this situation, they are in conflict again. At that time, one of them wants to tell that Muff Potter is only an innocent victim, but the other wants to keep the secret because he is afraid of being chased by Injun Joe.

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give me half a fish, once, when there warn’t enough for two; and lots of times he’s kind of stood by me when I was out of luck.” “Well, he’s mended kites for me, Huck, and knitted hooks on to my line. I wish we could get him out of there.” “My! we couldn’t get him out, Tom. And besides, ‘twouldn’t do any good; they’d ketch him again” (p. 190-191).

Tom tries to remember Potter’s kindness, so does Huck. Although Potter is described having bad attitudes in their village, he never does anything to hurt anybody. Reacting to the fact that Muff Potter is a good man, Tom wants to help Potter get out from this wrong accusation. He wants to set him free by revealing the real murderer. On the contrary, Huck tells his disagreement. He still forbids Tom to do it. At that time, they are still doubtful and debating about Muff Potter’s trial. They are waiting for the day of Muff Potter’s trial desperately.

Tom looks gloomy and desperate after experiences those conflicts. It really distracts his mind for weeks. Tom wants to forget about the incident in the graveyard for awhile by deciding to leave the village. He decides to have a plan to go to Jackson’s Island, an uninhabited island in the middle of Mississippi River, pretending to be a pirate. He invites Joe Harper and Huck to accompany him in this escapade.

The boys feel happy at that time. Tom and his friend’s imagination are clearly seen in this situation. They pretend to be the real pirates. Tom gives himself a name the Black Avenger of Spanish Main. Joe Harper names himself the Terror of the Seas, and Huck names himself the Red-Handed.

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In Jackson’s island, they live in the camp and spend their time with jokes and games. They pretend to be pirates by stealing the food and stuff. Day by day passes, the boys spend their togetherness. Finally they come to the top of boredom. They get bored and want to go home. Here, the conflict begins to happen. One situation is seen in the quotation below.

“I want to go, too, Tom. It was getting so lonesome anyway, and now it’ll be worse. Let’s us go, too, Tom.” “I won’t! You can all go, if you want to. I mean to stay.” “Tom, I better go.” “Well, go 'long – who’s hendering you. “Huck began to pick up his scattered clothes. He said: “Tom, I wisht you’d come, too. Now you think it over. We'll wait for you when we get to shore.” “Well, you'll wait a blame long time, that’s all” (p. 139).

In this case, Huck disagrees with Tom’s idea. The conflict appears after Joe Harper tells his intention to go home. Meanwhile, Tom insists on staying in the Jackson’s Island. Huck has different opinion from him. They are in conflict because of their different will. Huck agrees with Joe’s statement that they want to go back to their village. Because he is known as a trickster, he succeeds to persuade his friends not to leave him lonely.

Meanwhile, people in the village assume that the boys have been drowned in the river. Thus people plan to hold funeral for the boys on Sunday morning. Knowing about the news, they decide to turn home.

3. Tom’s Conflict with Becky Thatcher

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a beautiful girl, “a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair plaited into two long-tails, white summer frock and embroidered pantalettes” (p. 22). Quickly he forgets his last love, a girl named Amy Lawrence. Unfortunately, their romance does not work smoothly. There are some difficulties that occur in Tom’s relationship with Becky.

One situation which shows their conflict can be seen in Chapter VII when Tom and Becky had their lunch in the schoolroom. During their lunch, Tom begins to persuade Becky to get engaged to him. Tom loves Becky and really wants her to be his girlfriend. Tom shows his deepest feeling to Becky by saying “I love you” and kissing.

By and by she gave up, and let her hands drop; her face, all glowing with the struggle, came up and submitted. Tom kissed the red lips and said: “Now it's all done, Becky. And always after this, you know, you ain’t ever to love anybody but me, and you ain’t ever to marry anybody but me, ever never and forever. Will you?” “No, I'll never love anybody but you, Tom, and I'll never marry anybody but you - and you ain't to ever marry anybody but me, either” (p. 70).

After committing the promise, Tom begins to show his gayness and unconsciously says that previously he was engaged to Amy Lawrence. Here their conflict finally occurs.

“…you choose me and I choose you at parties, because that’s the way you do when you're engaged.” “It's so nice. I never heard of it before.” “Oh, it's ever so gay! Why, me and Amy Lawrence –” The big eyes told Tom his blunder and he stopped, confused. “Oh, Tom! Then I ain’t the first you’ve ever been engaged to!” The child began to cry. Tom said: “Oh, don't cry, Becky, I don’t care for her any more.” “Yes, you do, Tom --you know --you do” (p. 71).

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Lawrence must still in love. Tom convinces her by saying that he does not care about Amy Lawrence anymore. It seems that his explanation is useless, Becky does not believe in it. She keeps crying and refuses to accept Tom’s apology. To get Becky’s pardon, Tom tries to put his arm about her neck, but she pushes him away and turns her face to the wall. He tries it again many times, but Becky keeps silent and cries. He walks outside to make himself calm. He begins to feel fear and restless facing this situation. He enters the room, trying to convince Becky by swearing that he loves only Becky (p. 71). He offers Becky a brass andiron knob as a token of his affection but unfortunately his action does not change Becky’s conviction. She cries harder and refuses to accept Tom’s gift (p. 72).

Becky’s anger makes Tom feel frustrated. For several days, he finds that Becky is sick. The fact about Becky’s condition distracts his mind. When she has recovered and starts back to school again, he starts to act some silly things to attract her attention again. Unfortunately, his action does not work smoothly. His trying is useless. At that time, she turns with her nose in the air and says, “Mf! some people think they’re mighty smart – always showing off!”(p.110). Tom’s feeling is hurt after hearing Becky’s utterance.He begins to think about his plan to leave his village to be a pirate in Jackson’s Island in order to make her feel sorry.

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with his friends, visiting the familiar wonders of the cave, such as ‘The Drawing-Room’, ‘The Cathedral’, ‘Aladdin’s Palace’, and so on. Unconsciously, Tom and Becky go far away from his friends. It seems that they are lost. They are in different opinion about their position at that time. Becky feels apprehensive because she does not hear their friends’ voice.

Tom found a subterranean lake, shortly, which stretched its dim length away until its shape was lost in the shadows. He wanted to explore its borders, but concluded that it would be best to sit down and rest awhile, first. Now, for the first time, the deep stillness of the place laid a clammy hand upon the spirits of the children. Becky said: “Why, I didn't notice, but it seems ever so long since I heard any of the others.” “Come to think, Becky, we are away down below them -- and I don't know how far away north, or south, or east, or whichever it is. We couldn't hear them here.” Becky grew apprehensive (p. 253).

Knowing this tragedy, Tom and Becky are in conflict. Becky asks Tom to find the way out. Here, Tom insists on telling Becky that he will find the way out of that cave. On the other hand, Becky says that it is difficult for them to find it. She feels scared in this situation. She feels doubtful whether Tom can find the way out of the cave or not.

“Can you find the way, Tom? It’s all a mixed up crookedness to me.” “I reckon I could find it – but then the bats. If they put both our candles out it will be an awful fix. Let’s try some other way, so as not to go through there.” “Well. But I hope we won’t get lost. It would be so awful!”(p. 253)

They keep searching for the way out. It takes a long time for them to find it. Unfortunately, they do not find it. The contradictory opinions happen in this situation. They start to get involved into conflict again.

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way. It’s all mixed up.” “Tom, Tom, we’re lost! We’re lost! We never can get out of this awful place! Oh, why did we ever leave the others!” (p. 255)

From the quotation above, it is clearly seen that they are in conflict. Becky gets angry to Tom because he does not make any mark along the way. According to her, it makes the situation worse. They go far away into the cave searching for the way out. They keep on walking along the murky passageways aimlessly. They look desperate and sad. Tom’s opinion that he cannot find the way makes her frightened. They feel hopeless facing this tragedy.

They spent several days in the cave with their hopeless spirit. Both are cruelly tired. He feels hopeless facing that situation, and also feels afraid of Becky’s condition. She looks very weak and pale. She cries on Tom’s arms. Therefore, he starts to blame himself for getting her into this miserable situation (p. 255). He never gives up finding the way although there is only a slight chance. Tom tries to amuse her by telling that people will find them sooner. They begin to feel hungry and thirsty. He takes out the cake from his pocket. He divides the cake for him and Becky. They eat it with good appetite (p. 258).

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With the last of their candle burnt out and no food to eat, no water to drink, they may suffer to dead. However, they never give up exploring the escape of the cave. Finally, the searchers succeed to find them.

C. The Result of Conflicts toward Tom’s Maturity Process.

Every human being faces some changes during their life. Not every adult who reaches their physical maturity gains their mental maturity as well. Many who look grown physically may be surprisingly childish on the inside, and vise versa. Therefore, there are some statements which define the term of maturity. Maturity means the condition when someone begins to have a lot of consideration before making a decision or the condition when men or women become wiser in solving or judging a problem.

According to Justin Pikunas in Human Development, An Emergent Science, there are nine criteria of maturity. They are “differential responsiveness, interdependence, participate activity, in the term of application of knowledge and experience, communication of experience, sensitivity to the needs of others, ability of dealing constructively with frustration, willingness to assume adult responsibilities and perceive a moral character” (1976: 300-304).

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decision out of the situation and the reaching of an agreement. So it can be said that a mature person will not avoid problems. But, he will attack the problems by developing the capability. This kind of person is the one who is mentally mature (Overstreet, 1949:24).

Tom faces many incidents during his childhood phase that give contribution to shape his maturity. Meaning to say, those conflicts have important role in his maturity. Those incidents make Tom aware of his mistakes. After Tom has experienced many difficult situations, he struggles by himself, and he realizes what he has to do.

Here, Tom’s maturity can be seen in his self-evaluation, ability to deal with frustration, responsibility and understanding towards the problems and the conflicts in his childhood.

1. Tom’s Self-evaluation

In the earlier discussion, it is stated that every single conflict in human life has impact in Tom’s maturity. As Tom Schenk stated in his article, that a mature person tends to expect and respect conflict. Therefore, to improve his or herself, a mature person utilizes conflict while respecting its danger, they appreciate its benefit <http://www.af.mil.news/story/asp?storyID=123011237> (November 16, 2007).

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problem will go away. Finally, he is able to face his problems and struggle to overcome it. To be mature, he needs to appreciate conflicts in his life. Here, Tom Sawyer experiences some conflicts which then help him mature in his very young age. The writer finds that those conflicts have important role in shaping his maturity.

According to Pikunas there are nine criteria of a mature person. One of the criteria is seen in this part namely the application of knowledge and experience. It is the ability to evaluate and to self-examine before gaining the appropriate decision in life.

Tom Sawyer, as discussed earlier, is a mischievous boy who spends most of his time getting him self and others into and out of trouble. In this case, Tom and Aunt Polly are described as always having conflicts at home. Tom’s delinquency and egoism raised the conflicts with her.

In the beginning, Tom is seen as a boy who always runs from Aunt Polly’s punishments. He often deceives her to get free from his mistakes. As can be seen from the analysis earlier, Aunt Polly is known as a disciplinarian. She teaches Tom to be discipline by giving punishments for his mischievousness. Unfortunately, Tom never realizes that Aunt Polly’s attitude toward him is done only for the sake of his bright future.

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interprets that the treatment he receives from his aunt is actually unfair. Sometimes his aunt treats him in a different way with his brother, Sid Sawyer. It makes him jealous. He becomes resentful and feels neglected.

As time goes by, Tom begins to change gradually. It is seen through some incidents in his life. Tom realizes that it is his fault for being so naughty. Tom starts to realize that it is inapropriate for him to behave in a way he used to. As can be seen from the situation on page 97.

His aunt wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom’s heart was sorer now than his body. He cried, he pleaded for forgiveness, promised to reform over and over again, and then received his dismissal, feeling that he had won but an imperfect forgiveness and established but a feeble confidence (p.97).

Aunt Polly feels hurt because of his mischievousness. After hearing Aunt Polly’s statement, he feels sorry for all his bad manner. He begins to cry and asks Aunt Polly a sorry. He promises that he will not hurt his aunt’s feeling anymore.

Tom’s capability to evaluate his attitudes after having conflicts with Aunt Polly proves that his maturity is being shaped. In this case, Tom realizes that his Aunt loves him very much. He also comes to his understanding about all the punishments that his Aunt sends to discipline him are only used to help him mature. It is only one of her ways of teaching him morality.

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