I was charmed by the sincerity and the wonderful perception of Tom as a role model. Since my firmest conviction is that Nobody is Perfect, its easy for me to be charmed. I also loved Twain's response to the equally sincere letter from Denmark THANKS Arianne Laidlaw Sacramento, CA On Thu, Jan 2, 2014 at 1:13 PM, Kent Rasmussen <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > > While reading about the 1938 film _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_ on = > IMDB.com, I found a review that had been posted in 2004 by a Chinese = > university student who evidently majored in the English language. The = > review is a total delight and should brighten your day, so I'm appending = > it below.=20 > ____________________________________ > I think "The adventures of Tom Sawyer" I saw is an old old movie. And I = > ever thought that it must be a specific one for children. However, I = > found out the movie nowadays also has its own particular attraction. I = > still remember that Tom's aunt and half-brother Sid have not satisfied = > with him. But Tom is real a kind of clever boy. He can often get away = > with the punishment. In a brilliant scheme, Tom is able to con the = > neighborhood boy into completing the task for him. Besides, the episode = > which is full of children love is very interesting. Tom immediately = > falls in love with Becky at the first sight who is the Judge's daughter. = > He does everything just for winning her love even he asks for "get = > engaged." Of course, it is arranged funny in the movie that he broke his = > relationship with Becky because he accidentally blusts that has been = > engaged before. Sometimes I can't help thinking about the fact how = > really mature Tom is. Also a romantic boy, right? Mentioned about = > honesty and courage. Tom indeed is a good example for all the children = > even for most of us adults. Because Tom and Huck are extremely scared = > that Injun Joe who is real the killer will attempts to seek revenge on = > them. According to Tom's sense of justice Tom decides to be the witness = > in the court. I think Tom does not want to burden the guilty consciences = > and then make up his mind to tell the truth to the town. Maybe most of = > us could not do that like Tom in the real situation. Therefore on the = > other hand, The adventures of Tom Sawyer is for all the people including = > children and adults. In this sense, Tom is our good example in the = > modern society. Although our society is boomer than before, existence of = > conscience is more necessary than before.=20 > > Guangxi University of Technology=20 > Foreign Language Department English Major Class022 > > (reviewer's name omitted--KR) > > _______________ > > I especially like the film review because it reminds me of this 1875 = > letter from a Danish fan I included in _Dear Mark Twain_: > > To > Mr. Samuel L. Clemens alias Mark Twain: > > Please to excuse that I fall with the door in the house, without first = > to begin with the usual long ribble-row. I want to become the autograph = > of the over alle the world well known Mark Twain, whose narratives so = > apt have procured me a laughter. > > If you will answer this letter, I will be very glad. Answer me what you = > will; but two words. If you not will answer me other so write only, that = > you do not like to write autographs. > > Your > Carl Jensen > Ans. > C. Jensen, custom officer > Stubbekjobing in Falster > Denmark > Europe > > Mark Twain's marginal comment: "Preserve this remarkable letter." > ___________________________________ > > Lest I seem cruelly insensitive, I'll confess that when I lived in South = > Africa many years ago, I wrote a long note in Afrikaans to the mail = > carriers that I pinned to the front door of my apartment. When an = > Afrikaner friend read that note, his uncontrollable laughter convinced = > me what I had written was not for public consumption, so I instantly = > destroyed it. I have no doubt that the syntax of my Afrikaans note was = > probably at about the same level as the syntax of the Chinese and Danish = > writers' notes. > > Happy new year to all! > > Kent Rasmussen > in sunny Southern California > > I