Tom's Ideas: Unnecessary and Thoughtless Trouble

Tom's showy and unnecessary tactics for rescuing Jim from the shed are too much. They don't show true greatness at all. The greatness lies in their idea and their actions. Their decision to rescue Jim despite the ideas and prejudices against is where their greatness lies. Their showiness, however, detracts from their greatness in my mind, because it shows that they, or at least Tom, are just doing it for the sake of the popularity and legacy. I would have enjoyed it much more if they would have just gotten Jim out, the simple way.