Final answer:
Mark Twain uses detailed descriptions and contrasts between natural beauty and man-made objects to characterize the town's people in Huckleberry Finn, highlighting societal impact on the environment and moral duplicity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mark Twain characterizes the town's people in Huckleberry Finn through detailed descriptions that convey both the allure and the duplicity of the society Huck encounters. For instance, in Twain's depiction of the Arkansas town, the natural beauty of the river and its surroundings is contrasted with man-made objects and social malpractices. This juxtaposition highlights the pervasive impact of society on nature, revealing the moral corruption beneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic setting.
The vivid description of the steamboat on the Mississippi River in Life on the Mississippi is another example where Twain uses sensory details to enhance the readers' understanding of his purpose. This purpose, emphasized through the constant melding of the natural and social worlds, supports the theme of the interdependence between human actions and the natural environment, thus providing critique and insight into the society of his time.