Tom Sawyer Comprehension Worksheet

Instructions: Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful answers. Use complete sentences and refer to the text to support your responses.

Chapters 1-4

1. How does Aunt Polly try to trick Tom into revealing he skipped school? Does it work? Explain.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Describe Tom's first encounter with the new boy, Alfred Temple. What happens between them?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What is Tom's punishment for skipping school and fighting? How does he try to get out of it?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Who is Becky Thatcher, and what is Tom's initial reaction to her?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chapters 5-8

1. During church, what unusual event causes a disturbance that actually benefits Tom?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What does Tom do to impress Becky at school? How does it backfire?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Who is Huckleberry Finn, and what is his social standing in St. Petersburg? How do the other children view him?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. What do Tom and Huck decide to do to cure warts? What happens when they try it at the graveyard?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chapters 9-12

1. Describe the events Tom and Huck witness in the graveyard. Who are the people involved, and what crime is committed?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Why do Tom and Huck make a blood oath? What does this oath mean to them?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. How does Tom's guilt affect him after the graveyard incident? Give an example of his behavior.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. What prank do Tom, Joe Harper, and Huck decide to pull that involves running away from home? Where do they go, and what do they hope to achieve?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chapters 13-16

1. What do the boys do on Jackson's Island to feel like pirates? What is their initial feeling about running away?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. How do the boys discover that the town thinks they have drowned? How does Tom react to this discovery?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What is Tom's secret plan when he sneaks back to Aunt Polly's house?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Describe the boys' grand return to their own funeral. How do the townspeople react?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Chapters 17-20

1. How does Becky Thatcher react to Tom's attempts to win her back after his return?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. What courageous act does Tom perform that earns Becky's admiration and saves her from punishment at school?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. What happens during the court trial of Muff Potter? How does Tom's conscience play a role?
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Where do Tom and Huck eventually find the treasure, and who else is involved in the search?

Tom Sawyer Comprehension Answer Key

Chapters 1-4

1. How does Aunt Polly try to trick Tom into revealing he skipped school? Does it work? Explain.
   Aunt Polly tries to trick Tom by asking him to describe what he ate for dinner the day before, knowing that if he had been to school, he would have known what they had. It doesn't work directly because Tom lies, but she still suspects him because his collar and thread are different, revealing she sewed it back after he swam.

2. Describe Tom's first encounter with the new boy, Alfred Temple. What happens between them?
   Tom encounters a well-dressed new boy, Alfred Temple, who is a stranger in town. They get into a verbal spat, calling each other names, which quickly escalates into a fistfight. Tom wins the fight, cementing his reputation as a tough kid.

3. What is Tom's punishment for skipping school and fighting? How does he try to get out of it?
   Tom's punishment is to whitewash Aunt Polly's fence on Saturday. He tries to get out of it by offering his apple and then by attempting to convince Jim, Aunt Polly's slave, to do it for him, but Aunt Polly catches him.

4. Who is Becky Thatcher, and what is Tom's initial reaction to her?
   Becky Thatcher is a new girl in town, the daughter of Judge Thatcher. Tom is immediately smitten with her when he sees her over a fence. He tries to impress her with various stunts and ends up falling in love at first sight.

Chapters 5-8

1. During church, what unusual event causes a disturbance that actually benefits Tom?
   During church, Tom releases a pinch-bug (beetle) he was playing with, and it ends up pinching a poodle. The poodle yelps and runs around, causing a chaotic and humorous disturbance that distracts everyone from the boring sermon, much to Tom's amusement.

2. What does Tom do to impress Becky at school? How does it backfire?
   Tom impresses Becky by taking a whipping for breaking the master's book (which he actually did) and by drawing pictures for her. However, it backfires when he accidentally mentions his previous engagement to Amy Lawrence, making Becky angry and causing her to break off their mock engagement.

3. Who is Huckleberry Finn, and what is his social standing in St. Petersburg? How do the other children view him?
   Huckleberry Finn is the son of the town drunkard. He is an outcast, lives by his own rules, and is generally unfettered by adult supervision. While adults disapprove of him, other children envy his freedom and secretly admire him, even though they are forbidden to play with him.

4. What do Tom and Huck decide to do to cure warts? What happens when they try it at the graveyard?
   Tom and Huck decide to cure warts using a dead cat at the graveyard at midnight. When they try it, they accidentally witness a murder: Injun Joe murdering Dr. Robinson, while Muff Potter is knocked out and later framed for the crime.

Chapters 9-12

1. Describe the events Tom and Huck witness in the graveyard. Who are the people involved, and what crime is committed?
   In the graveyard, Tom and Huck witness Injun Joe, Dr. Robinson, and Muff Potter robbing a grave. A fight breaks out, and Injun Joe murders Dr. Robinson with Muff Potter's knife, then frames the unconscious Muff Potter for the crime.

2. Why do Tom and Huck make a blood oath? What does this oath mean to them?
   Tom and Huck make a blood oath (a solemn promise sworn in blood) to never reveal what they saw in the graveyard to anyone. This oath means they are bound by a powerful, unbreakable promise, fearing dire consequences if they betray each other or Injun Joe.

3. How does Tom's guilt affect him after the graveyard incident? Give an example of his behavior.
   Tom's guilt consumes him. He has nightmares, talks in his sleep, and becomes withdrawn and anxious. For example, he gets sick and is often restless, haunted by the secret he carries.

4. What prank do Tom, Joe Harper, and Huck decide to pull that involves running away from home? Where do they go, and what do they hope to achieve?
   Tom, Joe Harper, and Huck decide to run away from home and become pirates. They go to Jackson's Island, a deserted island in the Mississippi River, hoping to live a life of adventure, freedom, and escape from the constraints and punishments of their home lives.

Chapters 13-16

1. What do the boys do on Jackson's Island to feel like pirates? What is their initial feeling about running away?
   On Jackson's Island, the boys smoke, fish, swim, explore, and pretend to be pirates, enjoying their newfound freedom. Initially, they feel excited and liberated, reveling in the adventure and the escape from chores and school.

2. How do the boys discover that the town thinks they have drowned? How does Tom react to this discovery?
   Tom sneaks back to his Aunt Polly's house and overhears his aunt, Sid, and Mary discussing their grief and the town's belief that the boys have drowned. Tom is deeply moved and feels a mix of guilt and satisfaction at being mourned.

3. What is Tom's secret plan when he sneaks back to Aunt Polly's house?
   Tom's secret plan is to overhear the conversations, gather information, and then return to the island to surprise everyone by showing up at his own funeral, making a grand and dramatic entrance.

4. Describe the boys' grand return to their own funeral. How do the townspeople react?
   The boys make a dramatic entrance by walking into the church during their own funeral service. The townspeople are utterly stunned, then overjoyed, embracing them with tears and relief. It's a moment of great celebration and excitement.

Chapters 17-20

1. How does Becky Thatcher react to Tom's attempts to win her back after his return?
   Becky Thatcher is initially cold and distant, trying to make Tom jealous by pretending to like Alfred Temple. She plays hard to get, making Tom work to regain her affection.

2. What courageous act does Tom perform that earns Becky's admiration and saves her from punishment at school?
   When Becky accidentally tears a page in the teacher's anatomy book, Tom bravely takes the blame for it. This courageous act saves Becky from a severe whipping and earns him her deepest admiration and gratitude.

3. What happens during the court trial of Muff Potter? How does Tom's conscience play a role?
   During Muff Potter's murder trial, Tom's conscience can no longer bear the secret. He bravely testifies, revealing that Injun Joe was the true murderer of Dr. Robinson. His testimony leads to Injun Joe fleeing the courtroom and Muff Potter's eventual exoneration.

4. Where do Tom and Huck eventually find the treasure, and who else is involved in the search?
   Tom and Huck eventually find the treasure, which consists of gold coins, in the haunted house, specifically buried under a cross. Injun Joe and his accomplice are also involved in the search for the treasure, leading to several dangerous encounters with the boys.