How does the adults’ behavior reinforce the satire?

The adults of quaint St. Petersburg see themselves examples of law-abiding morality and Southern manners in the book. Through their adventures, Tom and his friends expose the inconsistencies and hypocrisies in their actions. Aunt Polly’s punishments to Tom are never as severe as she threatens. Aunt Polly's belief in crazy medical cures is not unlike Tom's belief in black magic. The whole Cadets of Temperance movement is seen for what it is when Tom joins it simply to ger a fancy sash rather than any conviction about the alcohol abuse. We suspect the others in the movement are not very different.