Question

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

by Mark Twain (adapted excerpt)

Judge Thatcher hoped to see Tom a great lawyer or a great soldier some day. He said he meant to look to it that Tom should be admitted to the National Military Academy and afterward trained in the best law school in the country, in order that he might be ready for either career or both.

Huck Finn's wealth and the fact that he was now under the Widow Douglas' protection introduced him into society—no, dragged him into it, hurled him into it—and his sufferings were almost more than he could bear. The widow's servants kept him clean and neat, combed and brushed, and they bedded him nightly in unsympathetic sheets that had not one little spot or stain which he could press to his heart and know for a friend. He had to eat with a knife and fork; he had to use napkin, cup, and plate; he had to learn; he had to talk so properly that speech was become insipid in his mouth; the bars and shackles of civilization shut him in and bound him hand and foot.
What theme does the excerpt most clearly reflect?

A.
It reflects the theme of conflict between individual freedom and social expectations.
B.
It reflects the theme of isolation and lack of social connections.
C.
It reflects the theme of childhood expectations and their impact on future choices.
D.
It reflects the theme of innocence and the joys of being a child.

Answer 1

on edmentum this answer is correct

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

A). It reflects the theme of conflict between individual freedom and social expectations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The theme or central concern in the given excerpt is 'the clash between the individual liberty and the expectations of the society.' Judge Thatcher's belief that Tom would become a wonderful either a soldier or lawyer and even both symbolizes society's expectations while his struggle to attain his individual liberty is reflected through the description ('his sufferings were almost more than he could bear'). The extreme level of societal expectations compelled him to eat, learn, talk, and live as per their norms and didn't allow him to do things the way he wishes to do. These margins snatched his liberty completely and thus, there is a disagreement between his individual will and the way society wants him to be. Hence, option A is the correct answer.