Previous
Personification
Definition of Satire
Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take... read full definition
Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of... read full definition
Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians... read full definition
Key Examples in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Chapter 22
Explanation and Analysis—The Religious Revival:
Throughout The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Twain intentionally satirizes certain aspects of the mid-19th century American South in order to raise awareness of the hypocrisies and contradictions within that society. The religious revival that sweeps through town mid-way through the novel is one example of this:
When [Tom] got upon his feet at last and moved feebly downtown, a melancholy change had come over everything and every creature. There had been a “revival,” and everybody had “got religion,” not only the adults, but even the boys and girls. Tom went about, hoping against hope for the sight of one blessed sinful face, but disappointment crossed him everywhere.
Related Themes:
Chapter 28
Explanation and Analysis—The Temperance Tavern:
One of the ways in which Twain satirizes the American South in the mid-1800s is by deciding to include an establishment called the Temperance Tavern and turn it into a secret drinking hole. Much like the religious revivals Twain includes in the novel, the anti-alcohol temperance movement was growing in popularity in the South and was rife with contradictions. (Historically speaking, many of the people who preached abstinence from alcohol were discovered to use it.)
Unlock with LitCharts A+
Related Themes:
