Final answer:
This question addresses how an author uses a character's reaction to a situation, specifically prioritizing the opinion of religious authority over individual consequences, to critique religion and its societal influence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question implies that the author uses a character's concern over the opinion of a religious leader as a means to mock religion. This is illustrated through a situation in which a colonel's first reaction to Angela's premarital sex is not the impact on Santiago, but what the bishop would think of the incident. The focus on external religious judgment rather than the individual's welfare is a common literary device used to critique religious hypocrisy or to highlight a character's misplaced priorities. Literature often includes such examinations of the role of religion and morality in society and individual actions.