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. 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. 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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