Which of the following social commentaries is most consistently emphasized through the episodic encounters of an 18th-century picaresque novel?
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Correct answer: Widespread hypocrisy and corruption across professions like law, medicine, and divinity
Because the picaro must deal with doctors, lawyers, innkeepers, and clergymen while searching for work or survival, the novel acts as an institutional satire. Picaros constantly discover that those who preach virtue or hold professional power are greedy, hypocritical, and predatory. This exposure cuts across class lines, deflating the pomposity of the ruling elite.
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