Both novels masterfully employ wit and satire to expose the hypocrisy and corruption rampant in early modern Spain. Lazarillo, through his various masters, reveals the moral bankruptcy of the clergy, nobility, and even common folk. Similarly, Pablos, in El Buscón, encounters a parade of deceitful and self-serving individuals across different social classes, highlighting the pervasiveness of societal ills.

Lazarillo and Pablos, though from different backgrounds, embody the quintessential picaro – a resourceful rogue forced by circumstance into a life of trickery and survival. Their journeys, fraught with hardship and moral ambiguity, offer a glimpse into the lives of the marginalized and disenfranchised, challenging societal norms and expectations.

These novels, though humorous, paint a starkly realistic picture of 16th-17th century Spanish society. Poverty, hunger, and social injustice are ever-present realities. Yet, both protagonists, through their cunning and adaptability, manage to navigate this challenging landscape, blurring the lines between deception and survival, and questioning the very nature of truth and illusion.