HUMOR AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN MARK TWAIN AND CHARLES DICKENS

Abstract

Humor has long served as a lens through which writers critique society, exposing social inequalities, moral shortcomings, and human folly. In the works of Mark Twain and Charles Dickens, humor is not merely a source of entertainment; it functions as a powerful tool for social commentary. Twain’s satirical depictions of Southern society and racial prejudice in novels like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn highlight injustice, hypocrisy, and the contradictions of moral codes, while Dickens’ use of comic characterization and situational irony in works such as Oliver Twist and Great Expectations reveals the struggles of the poor, child laborers, and marginalized individuals in Victorian England. This study examines how both authors employ humor to address social problems, arguing that satire and comedy in their works serve as mechanisms for moral reflection, empathy, and societal critique.