Sid's Role as the Model Boy

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Sid, Tom's half-brother, is the obedient, tattling foil to Tom's mischief.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

The Thread Betrayal The Thread Betrayal from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Tattletale The Discovery Sid notices that Tom's shirt collar is sewn with black thread instead of white, exposing Tom's lie about not swimming.

The Thread Betrayal from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Tattletale The Discovery Sid notices that Tom's shirt collar is sewn with black thread instead of white, exposing Tom's lie about not swimming.

The Tattletale The Discovery Sid notices that Tom's shirt collar is sewn with black thread instead of white, exposing Tom's lie about not swimming. Tom vows to lick him. The Clodding Tom later pelts Sid with clods in revenge, but Aunt Polly scolds him. Sid's tattling establishes him as the "good" boy. The Contrast Sid's obedience highlights Tom's rebelliousness. He is a constant reminder of what Tom is not.

The Sugar Bowl Incident The Sugar Bowl Incident from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Broken Bowl The False Accusation Sid breaks a sugar bowl, but Aunt Polly blames Tom. Tom is punished unjustly, deepening his resentment of Sid.

The Sugar Bowl Incident from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". The Broken Bowl The False Accusation Sid breaks a sugar bowl, but Aunt Polly blames Tom. Tom is punished unjustly, deepening his resentment of Sid.

The Broken Bowl The False Accusation Sid breaks a sugar bowl, but Aunt Polly blames Tom. Tom is punished unjustly, deepening his resentment of Sid. The Silent Observation Sid notices Tom's sleeptalking about the murder and reports it to Aunt Polly, though she dismisses it as dreams about the murder. The Unreliable Witness Sid's attempts to expose Tom often backfire, as Aunt Polly's love for Tom overrides suspicion. Sid remains a minor antagonist.

Early in the story