The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain is one of the favorite bedtime stories for children and it is not surprising at all, for it has everything to tickle readers’ fancy. Dreams, hardship, trials and the Courts of England and Wales are a perfect background for the most fascinating adventures.
What does this story teach? Probably the most valuable lesson is that life is diverse. If one is born in a privileged family and knows no need, he or she might be deluded into believing that our world is equally fair for everyone. There are also those who don’t know what a loving family even means, for their living conditions are so poor that respectful and loving relationships between family members are out of a question. Thus, privileged and pampered the Prince of Wales knows Greek and Latin, but is completely unaware of the fact that lots of his people struggle to survive, that a hot meal and a warm place to sleep is their biggest dream. The young monarch lives in a completely different world that has nothing to do with reality until he meets Tom and learns more about a life of a beggar. Edward is shocked when he finds out that people show him no respect and they laugh at him.
Just like Edward, Tom knows only one side of life. He has been born to one of the least fortunate families in entire London. His violent father and no less aggressive grandmother don’t contain themselves when it comes to expressing their anger and terrorize the family mercilessly. Humiliation, physical abuse, and hostile atmosphere reign in their hut. Tom wakes up hungry and goes to bed hungry, his poor mother can’t even provide him with food he needs. It would be a mistake to claim that Tom is absolutely unhappy, what is more it would be a big lie. He doesn’t know a better life, but he sees that lots of boys and girls live just like him. The real problem begins when he learns that it can be differently. That some people don’t have to sleep in dirty beds, wear filthy rags, and eat once a day. The boy finds out that one can have a different occupation other than a thief or a beggar. It shocks him and saddens him deeply. Nor for the first time, but never this deeply does he realize what a miserable life his family leads, how ungraceful it is. Being just a mere boy, he does what every child would do, he finds salvation in escapism. He is both the poorest and the richest, for he might not have a proper meal in day, but his fantasies and an ability to create the whole new world is the biggest treasure.
The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain is a classic that is not going to be forgotten, for the ideas it promotes and values it represents are eternal.
