The Adventures of Tom Sawyer · Character

Becky Thatcher

The judge's pretty daughter, new to town and quick to flare, whose proud temper and Tom's careless cruelty spark a feud neither quite knows how to end.

major

Also known as Becky, Rebecca Thatcher, Thatcher

First appearance: Tom Meets Becky

As a major figure in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Becky Thatcher is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

New girl in town; Tom falls in love with her at first sight; she tosses him a pansy.

In the storyBusy at War and LoveOpen this moment free

See Becky Thatcher in Busy at War and Love Book page

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Becky Thatcher arrives in St. Petersburg as the admired new girl, and Tom's clumsy courtship — showing off, then ignoring her — turns her affection into wounded fury. Proud and thin-skinned, she gives as good as she gets, and one impulsive moment with the schoolmaster's locked book leaves her terrified of exposure and desperate to see Tom punished. Her quarrel with Tom matters because it forces both of them to learn something about loyalty, and because it sets her on the path toward the adventure that will test her nerve.

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The fuller portrait of Becky Thatcher sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Becky Thatcher in Tom Meets Becky

Character Web

21 connections

A slice of how Becky Thatcher sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Romantic
Social
Other

Character groups

Central characters and family
Protagonist
Town residents and schoolmates

+16 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this chapter, the emotional peak occurs when Tom, having just reconciled with Aunt Polly and feeling lighth…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Tom Sawyer
romantic · positive
Tom pursues Becky with dramatic affection, and they share a childhood romance marked by… How this plays out →
Alfred Temple
social · negative
Aunt Polly
social · positive
Tom Sawyer
romantic · positive
Tom pursues Becky with dramatic affection, and they share a childhood romance marked by… How this plays out →
Tom Sawyer
romantic · positive
Tom pursues Becky with dramatic affection, and they share a childhood romance marked by… How this plays out →
Aunt Polly
social · positive
Alfred Temple
social · negative
Aunt Polly
social · positive

Tom Sawyer
Tom pursues Becky with dramatic affection, and they share a childhood romance marked by jealousy, reconciliation, and mutual admiration.
Alfred Temple
Alfred is a well-dressed new boy in town who briefly courts Becky, causing jealousy in Tom.
Aunt Polly
Aunt Polly knows Becky as Tom's love interest and treats her with friendly, maternal interest.
Tom Sawyer
Tom pursues Becky with dramatic affection, and they share a childhood romance marked by jealousy, reconciliation, and mutual admiration.
Tom Sawyer
Tom pursues Becky with dramatic affection, and they share a childhood romance marked by jealousy, reconciliation, and mutual admiration.
Aunt Polly
Aunt Polly knows Becky as Tom's love interest and treats her with friendly, maternal interest.
Alfred Temple
Alfred is a well-dressed new boy in town who briefly courts Becky, causing jealousy in Tom.
Aunt Polly
Aunt Polly knows Becky as Tom's love interest and treats her with friendly, maternal interest.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Becky Thatcher in Tom Meets Becky

In the story

Becky Thatcher appears across 14 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Busy at War and Love
New girl in town; Tom falls in love with her at first sight; she tosses him a pansy.
Showing Off in Sunday School
New girl in town who captivates Tom and inspires his showing off.
Tom Meets Becky
New girl at school who captures Tom's attention and receives his declaration of love.
Tick-Running and a Heartbreak
Tom's love interest; she plays with him, gets engaged, but is heartbroken when Tom reveals his past engagement to Amy Lawrence.
The Cat and the Painkiller
Becky has stopped coming to school, causing Tom great distress. She eventually returns but snubs Tom, calling him a show-off.
Pirates at Their Own Funeral
Mopes around the schoolhouse yard, grieving Tom and regretting their last quarrel.
Tom Reveals His Dream Secret
Uses Alfred Temple to make Tom jealous; later sees Alfred ink Tom's spelling book but decides not to tell.
Tom Takes Becky’s Punishment
Rejects Tom's apology, accidentally tears Mr. Dobbins's book, and is saved by Tom's false confession.
Huck Finn Quotes Scriptures
Is away visiting her parents in Constantinople during vacation, leaving Tom without a bright side to life.
XXIX: Huck Saves the Widow
Returns to town; plays with Tom and agrees to the picnic and the plan to stay at Widow Douglas's.
Found and Lost Again
Becky grows increasingly weak and despairing as they remain lost in the cave.
Turn Out! They're Found!
Becky is rescued from the cave and remains bedridden, looking ill and worn from the ordeal.
Respectable Huck Joins the Gang
Tells her father about Tom taking her whipping, leading the Judge to praise Tom's lie as noble.
Conclusion
One of the younger characters who may be revisited in a future story.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Becky Thatcher unlock in the free preview.

See Becky Thatcher in Tom Meets Becky

See Becky Thatcher in Busy at War and Love