Country vs. City business in Tom Sawyer

In order to encourage Tom to memorize his bible verses, Mary gives him a knife as a reward. “True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a “sure-enough” Barlow and there was inconceivable grandeur in that—though where the Western boys ever got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its injury, is an imposing mystery…” (Twain 427). This passage reminded me of the ignorance of country boys as far as money and possessions goes. They would not know a real knife from a fake knife, just as Frank, in Ragged Dick, couldn’t tell that a “silver pitcher worth twenty dollars” (Alger 376) in reality “aint worth sixpence” (Alger 377).

I can just imagine Tom or any other country boys going to the city and being scammed. That’s not to say that Tom isn’t witty and good at playing people. He’s clearly good at getting little treasures like bible verse tickets and doorknobs from his friends, so he is skillful economically in that way, but Tom does not have the city street smarts that Dick has. While both boys have a way of reading people and making business, Dick is a boy living in a real and harsh world of hunger and the danger associated with living on the streets. Dick knows the value of products and how to make real money while Tom, although the same age, is in a kid’s world where all his needs are provided for and his business transactions for little treasures does little for Tom but gives him a few moments of enjoyment and bragging rights among his friends.

For both Dick and Tom, wealth is acquired with the intention of having a good time with the wealth in mind. Because money is scarce and the boys in the country don’t have fun places or things to spend the money on like theaters and cigarettes, it is of little importance to have actual money. To a little boy in the country, being rich and popular meant having cool things like a dead rat on a string. The overall idea expressed about boys is that they should use all resources they can get their hands on to have fun. Girls were encouraged to buy things they would use to enhance their future, like Ellen in the Wide Wide World, while it seems to be acceptable for boys to live for the day and spend their wealth in foolish but fun ways.