The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg

How does Twain use verbal irony in the novel, The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg?

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In the novel, The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg, Twain's exaggerated descriptions of the town as "most honest," "upright," and "unsmirched" identify the ironic tone of the narrator's voice, especially as the reader recognizes that this model of virtue has deeply offended a stranger and makes Mary feel threatened by burglars. The story contains numerous contradictions between the reality of Hadleyburg and its reputation for virtue. Early examples include Edward's quiet history of lying, Mary's generally disdainful opinion of the neighbors, and their conjecture that only Goodson, born and raised outside of Hadleyburg, could have been generous enough to give a stranger twenty dollars.

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