Social Construction of Reality Applied to Tom Sawyer

Introduction

Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann's book The Social Construction of Reality discusses how the individual and society are related to the construction of reality as one perceives it to be. Berger and Luckmann present various elements that influence the construction of "reality" for the individual. The book identifies three important factors vital to the theory: the discussion of how knowledge is conceived, conceptualized, and accepted in real, everyday life; society as objective reality; and society as subjective reality. The discussion of how knowledge is acquired and developed is central to the theory because, as quoted in the book, "the sociology of knowledge is concerned with the analysis of the social construction of reality." The book thus addresses the sociology of knowledge, the society, and the individual within that society.

The Social Construction of Reality is a framework that can be applied to Mark Twain's novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The novel offers a compelling illustration of how the theory's core factors relate to its events and to its two primary characters, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. The story presents two young men who stand in direct contrast to the expectations of the people around them. Tom and Huck are known for defying and disobeying social norms, particularly those imposed on young people. Because they are portrayed as "abnormal" — meaning they do not conform to the ordinary rules of their society — Tom and Huck serve as strong examples of how individuals influence society and how society, in turn, dictates how an individual should act.

Alongside the analysis of Tom and Huck as individuals both affecting and affected by their society, it is equally important to examine the sociology of knowledge underpinning their characters. In doing so, readers can understand how Tom and Huck came to conceive and perceive themselves as they are, and what motivates them to continue their unconventional yet ultimately good-hearted ways. This paper therefore examines the sociology of knowledge, society as objective reality, and society as subjective reality — the three factors inherent to the Social Construction Theory of Reality — as they relate to the characters and events in Tom Sawyer.

Sociology of Knowledge and Everyday Life

In the sociology of knowledge, Berger and Luckmann emphasize the importance of everyday life, or "common sense" knowledge, in the formation of both individual and social perceptions of reality. As the central focus of the theory, common sense knowledge pertains to the experiences and events that carry vital significance for the individual. Through daily lived experience, society and the individual alike use these events to construct their own perception of reality. The book identifies everyday life, social interaction, and language as the key components driving the development of this common sense knowledge. Through shared experiences, social interactions, and the common meanings made possible by language, reality is constructed in a way that is agreeable to both society and the individual.

This concept of everyday or common sense knowledge is clearly apparent in Tom Sawyer. As mischievous young men, Tom and Huck base their understanding of reality on their own experiences, which are often adventurous and rule-breaking in nature. Their knowledge is not built through academic or formal education but through the realities of life as they encounter and experience it each day. Mark Twain's characterization of Tom and Huck as boys who dislike school — Tom in particular, since Huck has received no formal education at all — reinforces the idea that reality is most vividly portrayed and believed when the knowledge underpinning it comes from everyday experience. Life experience, in this sense, is the most powerful test of how people perceive their world.

Society as Objective Reality

Society as objective reality refers to the way in which reality is perceived collectively and agreed upon by the people who make up a society. As a group, society determines what counts as reality in an objective sense. Because individuals are subject to their own judgments, people collectively arrive at a shared, objective view of reality — one that becomes the accepted reality for everyone. In Tom Sawyer, this objective social reality is portrayed through the functioning community, wherein any deviation from established norms renders an individual or group an outcast. This is precisely the fate of Huck, and eventually Tom as well, since their disobedient behavior and preference for wandering over studying places them outside the boundaries of what their society considers normal or acceptable.

Conclusion

Although the objective and subjective realities of society and the main characters experience a conflict throughout the story, Twain ultimately preserves the characters' subjective reality while reconciling it with the objective reality of their society. By positioning Tom and Huck as the heroes who rescue their community, the novel demonstrates that individual reality and social expectation need not remain permanently opposed. In doing so, Tom Sawyer provides a rich literary illustration of all three components of Berger and Luckmann's Social Construction of Reality — everyday knowledge, objective reality, and subjective reality — and how these forces interact to shape the lives of individuals within a community.