Whitewashing

In this chapter, chapter two, Tom Sawyer is stuck whitewashing the fence. When he sees that Jim gets to go to the well to retrieve water, he tries to trade jobs with him. He even tries to bribe Jim, but Jim was afraid of Aunt Polly and refused. Tom didn't just sit in his misery. He made the passing boys and girls think that whitewashing was interesting and fun. He acted as though he thoroughly enjoyed the job and the boys and girls took the bait. They asked Tom if they could have a chance to try, but then Tom made it sound like a very special job that only the best could do. When the kids would offer to give Tom something for a chance to whitewash the fence, Tom would take the offer. Tom sat there the whole day with plenty of company and lots of gadgets and toys to keep himself occupied.

This chapter really made me smile. The whole concept is just so ingenious. This chapter makes me think of the saying that goes: "It's all in the head." We can turn something dreadful into something exciting and fun if we simply look at it differently. If look at trials like opportunities, they will be an exciting adventure to overcome. When the kids saw that a chore like whitewashing could be fun, they were eager to jump right in and try it out. A job could become a challenge, or an amusement.

One of the words used in this chapter was 'reposeful'. I didn't know what this meant, so I looked it up. Repose, by definition, means "peace; tranquility". When Mark Twain uses this word he is describing a piece of land that is reposeful and inviting. Reposeful- full of peace, calm, quiet.

Melancholy. I have heard this word but I never knew the definition or how to spell it. The two definitions that made the most sense to me were:

1. "a gloomy state of mind"
2. "sober thoughtfulness"

I also got the word 'pensiveness'. To be pensive, means to be 'dreamily thoughtful'.