1.a) In paragraph 3, the town of Hannibal and the steamboat are described using non-humorous details.
Using humorous details, Mark Twain could have cleverly used odd or awkward moments to reveal information about the town and the arrival of the steamboat. Â Instead, he simply states that the town is a sleepy one, which is always enlivened by the arrival of the steamboats.
b) the purpose that Twain addresses by presenting the town and the steamboat non-humorously is to offer a factual account of Twain's experiences.
2) The social commentary about the values of the town's boys that Twain offers in paragraph 4 of "Life on the Mississippi" is that the location of Hannibal does not foreclose the town and the boys from seeking freedom, change, and human progress. Â These social values are also sought after by the boys in more developed towns.
Thus, the location of a town and its people does not prevent the people from seeking progress.
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