Tom, Huck, and Dear Old Aunt Polly

Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is filled with many different characters.  All of Mark Twain’s characters are very different and carry unique personalities.  Although you really catch a glimpse of the similar attributes they each have.  This is what brings the story together.

Tom, Huck, and Aunt Polly all share this same attribute- they’re all very superstitious.  Even though they all go to church (well all except Huck).  In the book it says “The odd superstitions touched upon were all prevalent among children and slaves in the West at the period of this story—that is to say, thirty or forty years ago.” Throughout the whole story just about every character is saying rhymes or chants to get rid of devils, warts, or to even bring good luck.  It is an abomination- it’s basically like doing witch craft.  Even Aunt Polly a “professing” Christian, and a grown woman.  It is such a bad example to her nephew Tom.

Now each character is different in their home life.  Aunt Polly is really just a simple minded home body.  In the book it describes her as follows “She was as simple-hearted and honest as the day was long, and so she was an easy victim.”  She never really had any adventures, quite the contrary she lived a quiet simple life.  Tom on the other hand was wild and never really stayed at home although he had a healthy dose of time spent at home.  Then there is Huck who has no home life, simply because he has no home.  He traveled to and from different barns and hog pens.  Huck was an outcast with the world’s number one drunk for a father.  He had no education and did not go to church.  Therefore he grew up rough and wild with every adult telling their children to avoid him.

Despite some of its faults, Mark Twain’s “The Adventure of Tom Sawyer” is a pretty good book.  I thought it was good humored and had some characters I could relate to.  I suggest checking out this book.  I watched the movie “Tom and Huck” which was sort of like the book, but not quite, although I suggest watching it!

Caesar Salad (Jr.)

Octavian Augustus Caesar was born on September 23, 63 BC.  Augustus’ father died when he was only four, and his mother was the daughter of Julia, sister to Julius Caesar.  Augustus’ great-uncle (Julius Caesar) later adopted Augustus as his son.  In the year 44 BC Julius Caesar was stabbed to death by members/friends from the Senate, at this time Octavian was studying in Greece.

After the death of Julius Caesar, Octavian brought an army and took revenge on all the people who participated in the murder of his great-uncle/adoptive father.  Augustus was part of the second triumvirate.  A triumvirate is when a group of three people work together toward the same goal.  This triumvirate consisted of Octavian- Julius Caesar’s grandnephew; Mark Antony- Caesar’s trusted assistant; and Marcus Lepidus- the commander of Caesar’s cavalry.

Augustus later forced Marcus Lepidus into early retirement.  This left Augustus and Antony to split governing of the land.  Augustus governed Rome while Antony governed Egypt.  While there, Antony fell in love with Cleopatra,the Queen of Egypt.  Antony divorced his first wife and married Cleopatra.  This was a bad idea because his first wife was Octavia, Octavian’s sister.  This caused a major dispute in which Octavian won, and Antony ended up committing suicide along with Cleopatra.

Octavian Augustus Caesar was the only person in the triumvirate left.  Instead of making himself dictator for life he declared himself emperor.  In 3 BC he called for a census of his empire, which is where Mary and Joseph come in, along with the birth of Jesus.  God works everything out for His glory and our good!