Tom whitewashes a Fence

Glossary

 

● Fence: A barrier made of wood or wire intended to prevent escape or intrusion or to mark a boundary.

● Ridicule: If you ridicule someone, you make fun of them in an unkind way.

 

● Dread: To fear greatly.

● Pretend: To give a false appearance.

● Consent: Permission or Approval.

 

Questions

 

Q1: What piece of work was assigned to Tom by his aunt and how did he do it?

Ans: Tom was assigned to whitewash the fence by his aunt. He began the work of whitewashing reluctantly as he wanted to enjoy the Saturday holiday instead.

 

Q2: How did Ben Rogers ridicule him? Why did Tom’s mouth water?

Ans: Ben tried to make fun of Tom's situation by telling him that he was going for swimming. He made fun of Tom's inability to go by saying that he had work to do. Tom’s mouth started watering when he saw Ben eating an apple.

 

Q3: How did Tom sweep his brush?

Ans: Tom swept his brush like an artist.

 

Q4: On what condition was Ben allowed to whitewash the fence?

Ans: The condition was that Ben had to give his apple, only then he would be allowed.

 

Q5: How were other boys employed by Tom to do the work?

Ans: Tom was able to convince his friends that whitewashing the fence was an enjoyable job. He pretended to be reluctant to give it up. When they saw how much he was enjoying whitewashing, the other boys could not wait to give it a try.

 

Q6: What great law of human action did Tom discover?

Ans: Tom discovered a great law of human action that in order to make a man or a boy desire a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain.

 

Q7: What were the remarks of his aunt on seeing the fence?

Ans: Aunty Polly was surprised and remarked that Tom could work when he wanted to, only he hardly ever wanted to. Then she gave him the best apple she had and allowed him to go and play.

 

Q8: Give a brief character sketch of Tom Sawyer?

Ans: Tom Sawyer is a cunning and playful boy. He is the protagonist of the story. He is a mischievous boy with an active imagination. He spends most of his time getting into trouble. We get to know about his smartness when he tricks his friends into whitewashing of the fence. Tom is cleverer than his friends. He manages to make his difficult chore look like a privilege to Ben Rogers and later rest of his friends. This shows us that Tom is capable of manipulation. The story reveals his level of intelligence and ingenuity that serves him well at the end.

Summary

(When Tom returns home late with his clothes dirty and torn, Aunt Polly decides that, as punishment, he will lose his freedom on Saturday and will have to whitewash the fence)

● So the Saturday morning came. All the summer world appeared bright and fresh. There was a song in every heart; but Tom Sawyer certainly was not going to enjoy it. He had a big bucket of whitewash with him, and big fence to whitewash.

● So Tom set to whitewashing the fence, but it was not too long before he got bored and thought of an excellent idea.

● A little while later, Tom saw Ben Rogers approaching. Ben Rogers was a naughty kid whose ridicule Tom had been dreading. Ben was eating an apple.

● Tom put on his happiest face and went back to painting.

● He pretended like he was enjoying his work.

● When Ben saw Tom working he tried to make fun of him and asked him if he was in trouble. But, Tom did not pay any attention.

● Ben even tried to tease Tom by telling him that he was going for swimming. Tom declared that he would rather paint the fence than playing or swimming. This made Ben very curious.

● Watching Tom whitewashing the fence like an artist, Ben kept getting more and more interested in the work.

● Finally, he asked Tom to let him whitewash a little.

● Tom pretended to be reluctant when Ben offered him first the half of the apple.

 ● But later he gave his consent when Ben offered him his entire apple.

 

● A little while later other boys joined them too. They came to laugh but were fooled into staying there to whitewash. Tom played this trick on all the boys for the rest of the day.

● By the middle of afternoon, he had gathered all sorts of treasure—a dead rat on a string, twelve marbles, a piece of blue bottle glass, six firecrackers, a chalk fragment, a dog collar and more.

● While others bore his burdens for him, he had a nice idle time all the while.

● He got the boys to do so much work for him that the fence had three coats of whitewash on it. He felt delighted, rich, and optimistic about the world.

● Tom said to himself that it was not such a hollow world, after all.

● He had discovered a great law of human action that in order to make a man or a boy desire a thing, it is only necessary to make the thing difficult to obtain.

● Tom was happy with his possessions and then got up and walked home to report to Aunt Polly.

● He told her the work had been done.

● Aunt Polly didn’t believe him and marchet out to see for herself.

● She was surprised to see the work finished and remarked that Tom could work when he wanted to, only hardly ever wanted to.

●Then she took him home and gave him the best apple she had, and allowed him to go and play.