Tom Sawyer might be one example of the change from childhood to adolescence. The difficulties he has to face make him step into maturity progessively. There is something else about this novel. The treatment the writer makes of Tom Sawyer serves him to ridicule society. It is all the adventures and situations he has to go through that are going to demonstrate that the society Tom lives in is based on hypocrisy. In summary, this novel shows us that when universal values such as love or tolerance dominate society instead of codes of behaviour based on convention, this society works much better. You might feel identified to this character in many respects. There are lots of Tom Sawyers all around us!!
Have a look at this! http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/tomsawyer/themes.html
