Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors
used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
The Cave
The cave represents a trial that Tom has to pass before
he can graduate into maturity. Coming-of-age stories often involve
tests in which the protagonist is separated from the rest of the
society for a period of time and faces significant dangers or challenges.
Only after having survived on the strength of his personal resources
is Tom ready to rejoin society.
The Storm
The storm on Jackson’s Island symbolizes the danger involved
in the boys’ removal from society. It forms part of an interruptive
pattern in the novel, in which periods of relative peace and tranquility
alternate with episodes of high adventure or danger. Later, when
Tom is sick, he believes that the storm hit to indicate that God’s
wrath is directed at him personally. The storm thus becomes an external symbol
of Tom’s conscience.
The Treasure
The treasure is a symbolic goal that marks the end of
the boys’ journey. It becomes a indicator of Tom’s transition into
adulthood and Huck’s movement into civilized society. It also symbolizes
the boys’ heroism, marking them as exceptional in a world where
conformity is the rule.
The Village
Many readers interpret the small village of St.
Petersburg as a microcosm of the United States or of society in
general. All of the major social institutions are present on a small
scale in the village and all are susceptible to Twain’s comic treatment.
The challenges and joys Tom encounters in the village are, in their
basic structure, ones that he or any reader could expect to meet
anywhere.
