ts v lk

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One  of  the  most  predominant  themes  in  literature,   old   and   new,   is   the   loss   of  innocence.   This   may   happen   to   any  single   character   in   a   novel.   The   loss   of  innocence   has   been   a   major   theme   in  literature   dating   back   farther   than  Shakespeare  (ironically  the  writer  of  the  

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story   in   which   one   of   our   comparison  pieces   is   loosely  based  on).  It   is  a  major  theme   of   the   American   novel   The  Adventures   of   Tom   Sawyer   and   in   the  animated  Disney   classic   The  Lion  King.  Tom   Sawyer   and   The   Lion   King   are  directly  related  by  the  loss  of  innocence  

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that   occurs   in   both   stories.   Looking  beyond   the   loss   of   innocence,   we   are  able   to   see   that   Tom   Sawyer   and   The  Lion  King  (adapted  from  Shakespeare’s  Hamlet)   are   closely   related   to   one  another   beyond   just   having   a   similar  theme.  Let’s  take  a  look  at  the  two:  

On  one   side,  we   have   Tom  Sawyer,   the  happy-­‐go-­‐lucky  boy  that  will   give  anything   to  play  outside  and  have   fun  with  his  friends.  

On  the  other,  we  have  Simba,  the  lion  cub  of  Mufasa  who  just  loves  to  run  around  in  the  Pridelands  of  Africa  and  “just  can’t  wait  to  be  king”.  

Simba  witnesses  the  death  of  his  father,  Mufasa.  Mufasa  was  killed  by  his  brother,  Simba’s  uncle,  Scar-­‐  who  blames  Simba  for  the  death  and  tells  him  to  “run  away  and  never  return”.  

After  the  murder,  Tom  runs  away  to  Jackson’s  island  with  Huckleberry  Finn  and  Joe  Harper.  The  three  are  believed  to  be  dead  due  to  their  capsized  raft.  

After  Mufasa’s  death,  Simba  runs  away  to  a  jungle  outside  of  the  Pridelands  with  Timon  and  Pumbaa.  Simba  was  believed  to  be  killed  with  Mufasa  during  the  stampede.  

Tom  realizes  that  he  has  to  do  the  right  thing  and  testify  against  Injun  Joe.  He  does  this  in  court  and  proves  Potter’s  innocence.  

Simba  realizes  that  he  has  to  do  the  right  thing  and  take  his  place  as  king.  He  forces  Scar  to  admit  to  the  murder  of  his  father  and  proves  [Simba’s]  own  innocence.  

Tom  Sawyer,  with  Huck,  witnesses  the  death  of  Dr.  Robinson.  Dr.  Robinson  was  killed  by  Injun  Joe-­‐  who  pins  the  murder  on  someone  else  (Muff  Potter).  

Tom  returns  home  to  St.  Petersburg  by  homesickness  and  makes  a  big  scene  and  shocks  the  town  at  his  “funeral”  when  he  returns.  

Simba  is  driven  back  home  out  of  a  sense  of  guilt,  duty,  and  encouragement  by  Rafiki,  Nala,  and  his  father’s  ghost.  He  shocks  everyone  when  he  returns.  

Brad  DeLeone