Finding the Main Idea: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, written in 1876, is the story of a boy growing up on the Mississippi River. In this passage, Tom's town believes that he and his friends have drowned In fact, Tom and his friends are alive and planning to surprise the town by appearing at their funeral Chapter XVII BUT there was no hilarity in the little town that same tranquil Saturday afternoon The Harpers, and Aunt Polly's family, were being put into mourning, with great grief and many tears. An unusual quiet possessed the village, although it was ordinarily quiet enough, in all conscience The villagers conducted their concerns with an absent air, and talked little, but they sighed often The Saturday holiday seemed a burden to the children. They had no heart in their sports, and gradually gave them up. DIRECTIONS: Write the main idea of the paragraph in the center circle below. Write the supporting ideas in the outside circles.​