Satire: The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule, to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices.
Example: "by and by they fetched the niggers in and had prayers, and then everybody was off to bed." (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
Function: Twain is criticizing the fact that Ms.Watson is trying to become a better christian but still owns slaves, and considers them property. He is using satire to criticize religion, and how practicing Christianity is supposed to make you a better person, but would a truly "good" christian own another person and consider them their property. Twain is ultimately making a stab at religion. Twain uses a lot of satire, which shows an authors personal opinions within the text. Twain is constantly using satire to show is views on religion, and slavery throughout Huck Finn, Twain is obviously against slavery, and he doesn't understand how a person can own a slave, and still consider them self a good Christian.
I have a feeling that you knew both of these.
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