Which underlying theme of the work is evident in this passage from the adventures of tom sawyer by mark twain? tom was a glittering hero once more—the pet of the old, the envy of the young. his name even went into immortal print, for the village paper magnified him. there were some that believed he would be president, yet, if he escaped hanging.

The passage above highlights the irony that  is implicit in a social life. While society  pushes its members into conventions and conformity, it's risky behavior that correlates with success. The  passage above acknowledges that Tom's misbehavior is linked to his heroism. His socially deviant behavior will either lead him to a death sentence or the presidency. 

The central idea is that the hiv/aids epidemic is serious.