Question

After Ben first asks Tom to let him whitewash, why does Tom keep stalling, seeming about to consent and then suddenly changing his mind more than once? Refer to evidence in the text to explain your answer.

Answer 1

Answer: This is Tom's technique to persuade Ben to paint the fence.

Explanation:

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a novel written by Mark Twain. Set in the fictional town of St. Petersburg in 1840s, it tells a story about a boy named Tom.

In Chapter 2, Tom wants to convince the other boys (Jim and Ben, in particular) that painting the fence is a pleasure. He agrees that Ben should accompany him in painting, and then changes his mind multiple times - he plays with him in order to make painting the fence look more attractive to him. Tom is so persuasive that Ben even agrees to give Tom an apple to thank him for giving him the privilege of working on the fence.