In the book 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' what is worse than a whipping for Tom?

Answer 1

Making Aunt Polly cry.

His aunt wept over him and asked him how he could go and break her old heart so; and finally told him to go on, and ruin himself and bring her gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, for it was no use for her to try any more. This was worse than a thousand whippings, and Tom's heart was sorer now than his body. (The text is an excerpt from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," by Mark Twain. See link below)

Answer 2

I'm assuming you mean from the chapter: Tom Takes Becky's Punishment

Tom caught Becky Thatcher flicking through the schoolmaster, Mr. Dobbins' book and Becky tore it by accident. When Old Dobbins found the torn book, he went through the class asking who did it. When he got to Becky, Tom shouted out that "I done it!" to save Becky. His punishment, as always from Mr. Dobbins, was a hefty flogging.

But also, Tom whitewashes the fence.

Answer 3

In "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," Tom Sawyer considers being publicly disgraced in front of the townspeople to be worse than receiving a whipping.