Read the following excerpt from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain. No girl could withstand his charms. He "cut out" every boy in the
village. When his boat blew up at last, it diffused a tranquil a
contentment among us such as we had not known for months.
But when he came home the next week, alive, renowned, and
appeared in church all battered up and bandaged, a shining hero,
stared at and wondered over by everybody, it seemed to us that
the partiality of Providence for an undeserving reptile had
reached a point where it was open to criticism.
How does Twain's use of hyperbole and understatement help serve
his purpose? Be
sure to use specific details from the text to
support your answer.