REVISED 975. Although literary critics have tended to praise the unique in literary characterizations, many authors have employed the stereotyped character successfully. Select one work of acknowledged literary merit and in a well-written essay, show how the conventional or stereotyped character or characters function to achieve the author's purpose.

Mark Twain uses a variety of 'out of the box' characters to express his opinions on the dysfunctional, hypocritical state of society. This is most apparent in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, when the reader sees the atypical Huck struggling in the confines of 'civilized' society. Twain uses stereotypical characters for Huck to react to, revealing the uncivilized nature of society whilst contrasting societal values.

Miss Watson and the Widow Douglas are both the stereotypical well-to-do women of the Antebellum era; they have money, are at the top of the town's happenings, and manage slaves. Twain uses them at the beginning of his novel to show how Huck is separate from 'civilization'. Huck appreciate their efforts, but decides to enjoy freedom and joins Tom Sawyer's crime gang.

The Grangerfords and the Sheperdsons begin as stereotypical religious families, but Twain quickly twists it to make them into opposing sides who would happily kill the other while immersed in 'God's will.' While this is used for satirical purposes, Twain also uses it as a scenario for the young Huck to respond to. As he is ignorant and naiive about much of life, he doesn't critically analyze the situation for the reader as a more mature and 'societally programmed' person might. The reader, however, gets the benefit of seeing someone yet untainted by hypocrisy react to events. This carries on throughout the book with the Duke and Dauphin.

Twain uses innocence to illustrate the hypocrisy evident in typical society, often employing satirized stereotypes to further this end. By having Huck react to them in an innocent way, he shows the reader how ridiculous typical societal values look from the standpoint of those who have not yet grown used to behaving inside of them.