Tom Brown's Schooldays (ISBN 1404335447)

Tracing a boy:
On seeing the title "Tom Brown's Schooldays" printed on the cover of the book, you're invariably led to the conclusion that it is yet another tale of a schoolboy, yet another story of a mischievous brat, yet another trailer of a prankster. To a considerable extent, the prognosis prove correct but for a major portion, the realm of the book must remain a surprise. Thomas Hughes has revealed the picture of school life at Rugby, a place where he himself was educated under Dr. Arnold until his subsequent dparture to Oxford, through the portrait of Tom Brown. The novel delves on Tom's schooldays as much as it revolves around the customs at Rugby. "Tom Brown's Schooldays" traces the saga of an ordinary young boy who typically finds immense pleasure in making chaos, in fun and in joyous boisterity. In Tom we get a vivid illustration of a child's psychology. For Tom is the representative of all English schoolchild who learns the world and learns to accept the harsh myriad forces of it. The character then is a simple blend of raw youth and intens inquisitiveness. And delightful reading it is as the smooth, genial language makes the novel resound like a river running evenly between its banks. The compact, precise language has a high overtone throughout the book which appeals to our heart of hearts and we're so sjhamelessly dragged back to those days when we too were school chldren. "Tom Brown's Schooldays" brings out the child in our bosom, brings it out in broad daylight and makes us tap our feet in bittersweet flashback and sigh in a pang of nostalgia. Yet Tom Brown's story isn't a mere happy-go-lucky memory:it goes much beyond, depicts the gradual maturation of an untrained soul into a more sublime spirit. From the beginning we get a glimpse of Tom's ability to realise the without when his"first thoughts as he tumbled out of bed at the summons of Boots"are those quiet, dignified words of his father at his departure for Rugby. Tom is a typical boy enthralled by heroic tales of danger, one who has been accompanied in his very early childhood by his abettors Noah and Benjamin and nurse Charity. Tom is indeed the eponymous protagonist of the novel but whether he's the hero of it or whether that station is held by someone else is a matter to ruminate. As Tom explores his own life, four characters criss-cross his path who can be accredited with the appellation 'hero'. His boyish fancy would eke out Pater Brooke, the head of the victorious football team on the first day of Tom at the School-house whse stirring post-match speech is a marvellous pice of rhetoric. The major claimer to herohood is of course Harry East, Tom's partner in all mischiefs, pranks and rebellions. Indeed it is on East's firm solidarity that Tom manages to rise against the brute bully Flashman. It would be East once more who would embolden Tom to figh against Slogger Williams. Such staunch, reckless and unconditioned friendship is rare indeed but rarer still is the sustainence of such a relationship hrough thick and thin and through joviality and seriosness. Tom is manufactured into a brooding character by the darker and srious aspect of their friendship in the chapter dealing with dilemmas and deliverancs. East's sudden revealation of his own seriosness muses both Tom and the reader. Tom by this time has already transfigured himself into a sort of leader:a master at cricket and football who can never endure oppression. But the person who makes the most collosal impact on Tom Brown is Arthur who comes from Devonshire and is placed under the care of Tom. That is how the tid turns, how the sun finally evades the gry clouds, how the flower blooms into life. As a visibly irritated and jittery Tom gradually comes to terms with his new responsibility, he undergoes a radical metamorphosis. He becomes a much more solemn boy and his discusson about death when Arthur is on his death-bed is a classic depiction of two friends travelling beyond the tragectory of the earthly. To some degre the reader deciphers that the influence that Arthur has on Tom resonates with the mpact that Agnes has on David in Charles Dicken's "David Copperfield". Tom Brown's transmutation from a dreamy-eyed boy to a 19-year-old English gentleman on the verge of departure from Rugby is accomplished when he realises the greatness of the Doctor who underlines his own influence in moulding Tom. Tom,"a strapping figure, near six feet high, with ruddy, tanned face and whiskers, curly brwn hair, and a laughing, dancing eye" is full of "allusion and by-play" as like the novel. The lack of coherence in East's nature is revealed largely by his obscure exeunt from the drama and this is the inappropiation of unity of ime. Yet despite this flaw in the plot, "Tom Brown Schoolday's" is highly entertaining as well as engaging. A careful reader is able to discern in Tom Brown's nature and follies the traits of some other great literature scoolboys such as Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer and Dickens's Oliver Twist. The description of the rugby match at the School-house and that of the boys' rooms are exquisite and could never have been the work of an uninformed and untrained pen. The inticate diction and powerful effect of the poignant words describing the sorrow of Tom at his old Doctor's passing away are brilliant. The tracing of a young buoyant heart through White Horse Hill and "eight long years" at a School-housse in Rugby to the ultimatum of a comprehensive person isn't that easy to compile in a single volume. But that Thomas Hughes has accomplished just that, we should all be grateful to him. SUBHANKAR MONDAL, UG STUDENT, BANGALORE, INDIA

surprisingly engaging:
I opened this dusty tome in a sense of duty and with expectations of a dreary read. I am still engaged in reading, but am so pleased with it's contents so far that I am prompted to write these comments. The description of the horse driven coach journey to Rugby is delightfull, and worthy of Charles Dickens himself. The introduction of Tom to his guide (mentor)has ensured my continued attention. How can one review a book before finishing it?

Tom Brown's School Days:
Nothing terribly dramatic here, but the book was delivered on time, as promised. (I wish I could say the same for my yard guy). Z

Great classic, valid beyond time:
Reading this book, one rapidly understands why it became so popular. Firstly, there's the beauty of the story in itself, and the vivid way in which the most important characters of the book are depicted. You can easily identify with Tom Brown whatever your age, and in every Flashman and East you will see people you have known in younger years, and relive those days. In addition, there's the beautiful ethical message and the solid Christian faith; you don't find them often in modern fiction, so you enjoy them even more. Thirdly there is, from our perspective, the beautiful contrast with a world not asphyxiated by health and safety concerns and in many ways rougher than ours, but probably more authentic. One clearly understands the message that becoming a man is a process which requires trials, defeats, and perseverance and truly wonders whether the present day society is not overprotective. Thomas Hughes is unashamedly Christian, almost shockingly so by today's standards. And this is good, very good. His approach to life is, in my Penguin book, called "muscular Christianity". I find this remark very appropriate, and the approach certainly every bit as good today as it was in Hughes' times. The fame of this book seems to have faded a bit since the Victorian heydays. Still, it remains a glorious book, its message valid beyond time.

Falsely Advertised:
Warning!! Contrary to what Amazon are advertising this book is "Tom Brown's School Days" ONLY and does not include "Tom Brown at Oxford"