"Our greatest battles are (those) with our own minds" is a valid quote, which can be used in analyzing the novel, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", by Mark Twain. People are often faced with decisions where a choice must be made. Often multiple possibilities exist and a course of action must be chosen. It is not always easy to decide which way to go. The struggle within ourselves is often more troublesome than outward battles. Our heart or our mind may tell us to act one way while we really prefer to act another way. Our conscience often plays a role in the battles with our minds. Even when a decision has been made to proceed along a particular path we may still grapple over whether that choice was correct. Sometimes the initial decision is the easiest, having been made with little thought. Subsequently we regret that decision and the battle first begins. Nothing is more difficult than having the responsibility of making our own decisions and ultimately living with them.
             There are several instances in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", where battles exist within the minds of the characters. Tom and Huck see a dreadful crime in the cemetery one night. They witness a quarrel where Injun Joe stabs Dr. Robinson to death while Muff Potter is unconscious. After witnessing this scene the horror stricken boys take an oath that they will not reveal what they saw that night to anyone for fear of harm from Injun Joe. The next day Injun Joe names Muff Potter as the killer, and is taken to be tried by a jury.
             Tom Sawyer is faced with the decision to reveal the murderer as being Injun Joe and not Muff Potter or to remain silent. His first inclination is the latter, to remain silent. However, over the next few days Tom becomes uncomfortable with his decision with respect to the murder. Tom feels conflict over whether to help protect his friend, Muff Potter, or to protect himself from Injun Joe. Alth...