# Aunt Polly — The Adventures of Tom Sawyer character guide > Aunt Polly in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Polly, Mary **First appearance:** 0001-the-adventures-of-tom-sawyer ## Snapshot Tom's long-suffering guardian, who wields a switch and Scripture with equal conviction but can never quite bring herself to use either on her sister's orphan boy. ## Who they are Aunt Polly runs her household on a shaky blend of duty and love, forever resolving to punish Tom properly and forever dissolving into laughter or guilt the moment he charms her. She knows she's being outwitted — she says so herself, half ruefully, half proudly — yet her conscience torments her both when she spares the rod and when she uses it. Her tender, exasperated struggle to raise a boy she can't quite control gives the novel its warmest domestic anchor and explains much of Tom's freedom. ## Relationships ### [Tom Sawyer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/tom_sawyer) _family_ Aunt Polly is Tom's loving but strict guardian who often scolds him yet deeply cares for his well-being. ### [Sid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/sid) _family_ Aunt Polly is Sid's aunt and guardian, often favoring him over Tom due to his obedient nature. ### [Becky Thatcher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/becky_thatcher) _social_ Aunt Polly knows Becky as Tom's love interest and treats her with friendly, maternal interest. ### [Tom Sawyer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/tom_sawyer) _family_ Aunt Polly is Tom's loving but strict guardian who often scolds him yet deeply cares for his well-being. ### [Tom Sawyer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/tom_sawyer) _family_ Aunt Polly is Tom's loving but strict guardian who often scolds him yet deeply cares for his well-being. ### [Sid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/sid) _family_ Aunt Polly is Sid's aunt and guardian, often favoring him over Tom due to his obedient nature. ### [Sid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/sid) _family_ Aunt Polly is Sid's aunt and guardian, often favoring him over Tom due to his obedient nature. ### [Becky Thatcher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/becky_thatcher) _social_ Aunt Polly knows Becky as Tom's love interest and treats her with friendly, maternal interest. ### [Becky Thatcher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/becky_thatcher) _social_ Aunt Polly knows Becky as Tom's love interest and treats her with friendly, maternal interest. ## In the story ### [The Adventures of Tom Sawyer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/the-adventures-of-tom-sawyer) Tom's aunt who punishes him for stealing jam and assigns him the task of whitewashing the fence. ### [Tom Plays, Fights, and Hides](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/i-tom-plays-fights-and-hides) Aunt Polly tries to catch Tom misbehaving and struggles with disciplining him. ### [The Glorious Whitewasher](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/ii-the-glorious-whitewasher) Aunt Polly assigns Tom the whitewashing task and later chases Jim away for disobeying, enforcing her authority with a slipper. ### [Busy at War and Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/iii-busy-at-war-and-love) Rewards Tom for whitewashing, scolds him for clodding Sid, beats him for the broken sugar bowl, and feels remorse. ### [Showing Off in Sunday School](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/iv-showing-off-in-sunday-school) Conducts family worship and encourages Tom to learn his verses. ### [The Pinch-Bug and His Prey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/v-the-pinch-bug-and-his-prey) Sits with Tom, Sid, and Mary in church, supervising Tom. ### [Tom Meets Becky](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/vi-tom-meets-becky) Discovers Tom's deception and pulls his loose tooth. ### [IX: Tragedy in the Graveyard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/ix-tragedy-in-the-graveyard) Aunt Polly is mentioned as snoring in her chamber while Tom waits to sneak out. ### [Dire Prophecy of the Howling Dog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/x-dire-prophecy-of-the-howling-dog) Heartbroken over Tom's disappearance, weeps and warns him of bringing her to an early grave. ### [Conscience Racks Tom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xi-conscience-racks-tom) Aunt Polly dismisses Tom's troubled sleep as a reaction to the murder, unknowingly helping him avoid suspicion when Sid reports his nightmares. ### [The Cat and the Painkiller](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xii-the-cat-and-the-painkiller) Aunt Polly is deeply concerned about Tom's health and tries various patent medicines and treatments, including Painkiller. She discovers Tom's trick with the cat but feels remorse. ### [Tom’s Stealthy Visit Home](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xv-tom-s-stealthy-visit-home) Aunt Polly mourns Tom deeply, recalling his mischievous acts with tearful affection, and prays for him; she is unaware of his presence under the bed. ### [Pirates at Their Own Funeral](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xvii-pirates-at-their-own-funeral) Mourns Tom deeply, then joyfully embraces him and extends loving attention to Huck. ### [Tom Reveals His Dream Secret](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xviii-tom-reveals-his-dream-secret) Welcomes Tom warmly, believes his dream story, and expresses hurt over his lack of consideration. ### [The Cruelty of “I Didn’t Think”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xix-the-cruelty-of-i-didn-t-think) Aunt Polly confronts Tom with anger over his deception, but her heart softens when she learns of his kiss and his written message on the bark, ultimately forgiving him. ### [Tom Takes Becky’s Punishment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xx-tom-takes-becky-s-punishment) Briefly mentioned as kissing Tom, which lifts his spirits before he goes to school. ### [XXVIII: In the Lair of Injun Joe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xxviii-in-the-lair-of-injun-joe) Mentioned as the owner of the lantern Tom uses, and as someone who would be upset if the towel were lost. ### [Turn Out! They're Found!](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xxxii-turn-out-they-re-found) Aunt Polly is deeply melancholy and her hair has turned white from worry, but her happiness is complete upon Tom's return. ### [Floods of Gold](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xxxiv-floods-of-gold) Aunt Polly is present at the party and expresses confusion about Tom's behavior. ### [Respectable Huck Joins the Gang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/chapters/xxxv-respectable-huck-joins-the-gang) Requests Judge Thatcher to manage Tom's money. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters/aunt_polly - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tom_sawyer_se/characters