Final answer:
Brer Snake embodies the role of trickster, common in Joel Chandler Harris's narratives. This character uses wit and cunning to manipulate situations, often revealing moral lessons or satirical insights into human nature and societal flaws.
Step-by-step explanation:
From what is presented in the excerpts and analysis of characters in the works of Joel Chandler Harris and the comparisons in the poem, Brer Snake can be determined to play the role of trickster.
The role of a trickster is a common rhetorical device that introduces wit and cunning to a narrative. In the broader context of Brer Rabbit stories and the given literary works, characters like Brer Snake would use their intelligence and strategic thinking to manipulate situations to their advantage.
The trickster's actions can often have a satirical element, highlighting human follies and societal norms.
Considering the references, particularly in the figure text about Brer Rabbit and the discussions around the characters in the stories, we can deduce that trickster characters often deliver unexpected outcomes or moral lessons. This device not only serves to entertain but also to relay cultural values and critics of behavior.
They can often speak the wisest words through irony and, in their actions, expose truths about human nature and the social order.
In the story segment where Smiley's frog, named Dan'l Webster, is sabotaged, it reflects the trickster motif by showing how a seemingly unbeatable character can be undermined through deceit, a classic trickster tactic. Through these actions, the audience is taught about the perils of gullibility and arrogance.