Which character’s behavior most directly satirizes upper-class trivialities?

• A. Jack
• B. Cecily
• C. Algernon
• D. Lady Bracknell

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is how Wilde uses a character’s behavior to expose the lightweight, ritual-filled world of high society. Algernon Moncrieff embodies this satire most directly because his entire approach to life turns social pretensions into a joke. He invents a fictional friend to dodge dull obligations (a scheme called Bunburying), treats visiting and etiquette as things to perform rather than matters of substance, and fills conversations with witty remarks about trivial pleasures—food, fashion, social games, and the idea of virtue as a stylish facade. His flippant attitude toward honesty and responsibility serves as a sharp critique of the upper class’s obsession with appearances and trivial entertainments. While other characters poke at social norms, Algernon’s personal habits and schemes are the clearest, most direct mockery of those trivialities.