SATIRE 2013

Definition An art form in which human or individual

vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are criticized through ridicule ideally with the intent to bring about improvement

Say what? Basically, it’s art (literature, film, song,

image) that points out and criticizes a problem with humanity or society. In the best case scenario, it causes people to RETHINK their behavior and change it.

Audiences There are three audiences:1. Those whom the author (or artist) believes

to already be in agreement with their viewpoint. (aka those on your side)

2. Those whom the author (or artist) would like to ridicule for their opposing viewpoint. (aka those whom you will stealthily ridicule)

3. Those whom the author (or artist) believes may be persuaded through exposure to the satirical work. (aka the "swing" audience)

Horatian satire-

Satire in which the voice is tolerant, amused, and witty (funny/clever). The speaker holds up to gentle ridicule the absurdities and problems of human beings, aiming at producing in the reader not the anger of a Juvenal, but wry smile or laugh. (Aims to correct through humor)

It is tolerant, witty, wise and self-effacing

Juvenalian satire Formal satire in which the speaker

attacks problems and error with disrespect and anger. Juvenalian satire in its realism and its harshness is in strong contrast to Horatian satire.

It is angry, caustic, resentful, personal

Satiric Devices Humor

Surprise – twist endings, unexpected events

Exaggeration – think of Jim Carrey’s exaggerated facial expressions

Understatement - An Army officer has just lost his leg. When asked how he feels, he looks down at his bloody stump and responds, "Stings a bit.“

Satiric Devices More Humor

Incongruity – things do NOT belong together

Deflation – the English professor mispronounces a word, the President slips and bangs his head leaving the helicopter

Linguistic games – weird rhymes, malapropisms (misusing words habitually)

Satiric Devices Irony – incongruity in what someone

says or does and what is meant or what is generally understood

Invective – name calling, personal abuse

Mock Encomium – praise which is only apparent and which suggests blame instead

Satiric Devices Comic Juxtaposition – linking together

with no commentary items which normally do not go together

Mock Epic/Mock Heroic – using elevated diction and devices from the epic or the heroic to deal with low or trivial subjects

Parody – mimicking the style and/or techniques of something or someone else

Satiric Devices Inflation – taking a real-life situation

and blowing it out of proportion to make it ridiculous and showcase its faults

Diminution – taking a real-life situation and reducing it to make it ridiculous and showcase its faults

Grotesque – creating a tension between laughter and horror or revulsion – the essence of all “sick humor” or “black humor”

Now for some examples

What type of satire:

Juvenalian or Horatian?

What Satiric Devices does

it use?

What does it criticize?

Example 1 – from Despair.com

What tools are used?

What type of satire is it?

Example 2– Political Cartoon

What tools are used?

What type of satire is it?

Example 3 – (once) Popular song

What tools are used?

What type of satire is it?

Example 4 – Political Cartoon

What tools are used?

What type of satire is it?

Example 5 – Children’s Film What tools

are used? What type

of satire is it?

Example 6 – Mock News What tools

are used? What type

of satire is it?

Example 7 – Musical Parody What tools

are used? What type

of satire is it?

Example 8 – War is Kind Do this on your own! Read through it and determine

What the author is using to make his point The element of society that s/he is

criticizing What type of satire the poem represents

Animal Farm Key Terms:

It is a SATIRE It is also an ALLEGORY (a story in which

EVERYTHING stands for something beyond the actual story on the page)

Reading Schedule: On your original calendar Expect reading quizzes Chapter 1-2 due Wednesday along with

Edmodo posts!