Satire in The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg?

In "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg," Mark Twain employs satire to critique the hypocrisy and moral superiority of a supposedly virtuous town. The townspeople pride themselves on their integrity, yet they are easily led astray by temptation, revealing their true nature. Twain uses the character of the corrupting stranger to expose the fragility of their moral facade and highlight the absurdity of their self-righteousness. Through humor and irony, the story underscores the theme that self-proclaimed virtue often masks deeper flaws.