Similarities and differences between Swaminathan in Father’s Help and Tom in Tom Loses a tooth.
Similarities and differences between Swaminathan in Father’s Help and Tom in Tom Loses a tooth.
Father’s Help written by R.K. Narayan and Tom Losses a Tooth written by Mark Twain - both are great stories. In these two stories we can find two major characters - Swaminathan in the story Father’s Help and Tom in the story Tom Loses a Tooth. In this project work, we will shed light on the similarities and differences between both the characters.
Similarities of characteristic features of those two characters.
(a) Typical Schoolboy: Both of them are perfectly embodied as mischievous children who dread Monday mornings and prefer playing over studying.
(b) Reluctant & Avoidant: They both tried every trick to avoid school, from pretending to be sick to manipulating elders for sympathy, to escaping school.
(c ) Habitual Liar & Exaggerator: To convince his stern father, Swami invents wild and terrifying stories about his teacher, Samuel, being a brutal man. In that same way Tom fluently told lie after lie about his physical illness.
(d) Innocent & Naive: Despite their mischief, they act on impulse without fully realizing the consequences of their dramatic lies until their conscience pricks them later.
(e) Imaginative: Both of them had an acting skill which is highly dramatic. Tom groans so authentically that his brother Sid and Aunt Polly initially think he is dying. Swaminathan too acted as he was truly ill.
Differences between Swaminathan and Tom :-
(1) Swaminathan was afraid of his parents and teachers. Swaminathan was especially afraid of his father and it was not possible for Swaminathan to disobey his orders. That is why Swaminathan was forced to go to school that day despite his reluctance.
On the other hand, there is no mention in the story that Tom was afraid of elders. Rather, Tom could impress the elders with his confidence.
(2) Swaminathan repeatedly thought about the possible consequences of his lies to Samuel. That is why his conscience repeatedly hit him. On the other hand, Tom never thought about how much mental pain Aunt Polly would suffer due to Tom's illness. In one word, Swaminathan can be said to be a little mature.
(3) The ideal image of Indian students and adolescence can be seen in Swaminathan's character. On the other hand, the influence of Western civilization and culture is clear in Tom's character.
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