The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is just as enthralling today as it was published in 1876. It takes place in the small village of St. Petersburg, Missouri, on the banks of the Missisippi River during the mid-1800 and is a possible reflection of Mark Twain's opinion on the politics and racial prejudices of the time. But at heart, Tom Sawyer is a stroy of a boy whose main goal is a search for new adventures, freedom, and ways to break the rules without getting into too much trouble.