How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
But the elastic heart of youth cannot be compressed into one constrained shape long at a time. Tom presently began to drift insensibly back into the concerns of this life again. What if he turned his back, now, and disappeared mysteriously? What if he went away -- ever so far away, into unknown countries beyond the seas -- and never came back any more! How would she feel then! (8.2)
With most of his life still ahead of him, Tom can dream himself up any future – he has enough time to do anything.
Quote #5
"Say, Becky, was you ever engaged?"
"What's that?"
"Why, engaged to be married."
"No."
"Would you like to?"
"I reckon so. I don't know. What is it like?"
"Like? Why it ain't like anything. You only just tell a boy you won't ever have anybody but him, ever ever ever, and then you kiss and that's all. Anybody can do it." (7.32-8)
Though Tom is evidently more knowledgeable than Becky when it comes to terminology, he's still too young to really understand the way love and marriage work.
Quote #6
It seemed to Tom that his schoolmates never would get done holding inquests on dead cats, and thus keeping his trouble present to his mind. Sid noticed that Tom never was coroner at one of these inquiries, though it had been his habit to take the lead in all new enterprises; he noticed, too, that Tom never acted as a witness -- and that was strange; and Sid did not overlook the fact that Tom even showed a marked aversion to these inquests, and always avoided them when he could. Sid marveled, but said nothing. However, even inquests went out of vogue at last, and ceased to torture Tom's conscience. (11.35)
First and foremost, this is an affirmation of Twain's statement about the "queer enterprises" children sometimes embark upon. Second, Tom is unable to take part in the strange ritual because he has become more acutely aware of human death; he has no time for a sham inquest when he should, really, be taking part in a real one.