Tolentino's satire, which made him particularly known, and set him apart from his contemporaries (in fact, he did not belong to any of the Arcádian literary societies, but was one of the "Dissidents"), is directed at the pettiness of tradition, the fakery of appearances, and the senselessness of certain social groups and behaviors, with a humor that was both ironic and amusing.
Tolentino's satirical work, which gained him fame and distinguished him from his contemporaries (he was not a member of any literary societies like Arcádian but was considered one of the "Dissidents"), targets the triviality of tradition, the artificiality of social appearances, and the pointlessness of certain social groups and behaviors. His humor is both ironic and amusing.