understanding satire rollins american literature november 2014 mark twain’s the adventures of...

UNDERSTANDING SATIRE

ROLLINS AMERICAN LITERATURENOVEMBER 2014

Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn:

What is Satire?

A literary genre or form (can also be used in performing arts) used to expose or make fun of human vice, weakness, or stupidity, often with the intent of correcting, or changing, the subject of the satiric attack.

Its main purpose is social criticism.Although satire is not always humorous, it

does often employ laughter as a weapon.Alexander Pope remarked that “those who

are ashamed of nothing else are so of being ridiculous.”

How Does Satire Differ from Comedy?

Although usually meant to be funny, the purpose of satire is NOT primarily humor in itself so much as an often quite angry attack on something that the author strongly disapproves.

Some Common Satirical Devices:

1) IRONY—an implied discrepancy between what is said and what is meant Verbal Irony: when an author or character says one thing and means

another Dramatic Irony—when an audience perceives something that a

character in the literature does not know Situational Irony—a discrepancy between the expected result and

actual results2) SARCASM: the sneering, sly, jesting, or mocking of a person, situation or

thing (a type of verbal irony, intended to insult or wound)3) EXAGGERATION/CARICATURE—a written description that exaggerates

or overstates the peculiarities of the person being ridiculed4) ANALOGY—comparing two unlike things that may share a common

feature to make a point.5) JUXTAPOSITION—an act or instance of placing two characters or things

close together or side by side, especially for contrast

Other Forms of Satire:

6) PARODY—a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author, or another subject.

Twilight Parody:https://screen.yahoo.com/snl-digital-short-

firelight-000000295.html

Satire on TV

The SimpsonsSouth ParkFamily GuyThe Daily ShowThe Colbert ReportThe Daily Show

Political Cartoons and Satirical Cartoons

Millions Head To Internet To Figure Out Their Own Opinions About Debate

Sample Satirical Clips

The Onion: “How to Thrust Your Fat into a More Appealing Shape”

http://www.theonion.com/video/today-now-how-to-thrust-your-fat-into-a-more-appea,18030/The Onion: “Apple Introduces Revolutionary New

Laptop with No Keyboard”https

://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BnLbv6QYcA&index=2&list=PL8E96A3C9AEE765F0

The Onion: Boy’s Tragic Death Could Have Happened to Any Family with 20-Ft. Pet Python

http://www.theonion.com/video/boys-tragic-death-could-have-happened-to-any-famil,17024/