Question

Then Miss Watson she took me in the closet and prayed, but nothing come of it. She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it. Once I got a fish-line, but no hooks. It warn’t any good to me without hooks. I tried for the hooks three or four times, but somehow I couldn’t make it work. By and by, one day, I asked Miss Watson to try for me, but she said I was a fool. She never told me why, and I couldn’t make it out no way.
In at least 150 words, explain how Twain uses satire to develop theme in this excerpt.

Answer 1

The goal of a satire is to criticize or ridicule somebody or something (an action, a situation, a behavior). For that reason, it usually features sharp and mordant ideas. In this excerpt from the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck, the main character, is describing one of his encounters with the severe Miss Watson, his guardian's sister. In it, Miss Watson, who wants Huck to accept religion at all cost, is telling him to pray everyday, and, as a reward, he will get what he asks for. However, Huck, tired of not getting it (hooks for his fish-line), harmlessly asks Miss Watson, to her dismay, to do it for him, since, so he believes, she may be luckier and gets what he has asked for in his prayers. Miss Watson's livid reply and Huck's unaffected comment emphasize the mocking nature of the theme in this excerpt.

Answer 2

Answer: The objective of a parody is to condemn or mock a person or thing (an activity, a circumstance, a conduct). Consequently, it as a rule includes sharp and stringent thoughts. In this passage from the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Huck, the principle character, is portraying one of his experiences with the extreme Miss Watson, his watchman's sister. In it, Miss Watson, who needs Huck to acknowledge religion at all expense, is advising him to implore regular, and, as a prize, he will get what he requests. Be that as it may, Huck, tired of not getting it (snares for his fish-line), innocuously asks Miss Watson, sadly, to do it for him, since, so he accepts, she might be more fortunate and gets what he has requested in his petitions. Miss Watson's angry answer and Huck's unaffected remark accentuate the taunting idea of the topic in this extract.

Explanation: