SATIREYay!

AP English III

Ms. Hatley

WHAT IS SATIRE?

Typically literature (although it has made its way into television in recent decades with shows such as Daily Show, Colbert Report, and SNL) in which the author exposes an issue (social, political, cultural) in the world that needs to be corrected. The author then takes on the persona of the subject of his attack in order to mock or ridicule the folly or vice in order to expose it to create change.

While satire is often amusing to read, its intent is not to amuse its audience, but to improve the issue at hand. Should create feelings of scorn, indignation, and contempt for the subject being ridiculed in order to evoke change.

SOME TERMS FOR FUTURE FUN!

Irony: Everyday use: the use of words to convey a

meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning: Me: I have an essay for Ms. Hatley to write, a packet to

fill out for Mrs. Blasingame, AND a test to study for for Mr. Pinkerton. All this weekend!

My friend: Nice! (notice ironic reply ;) Literature: a technique of indicating, as through

character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually stated.

DEVICES USED TO CONVEY IRONY:

Hyperbole: extreme exaggeration Understatement: extreme understatement Sarcasm: expresses irony Incongruity: elements of argument don’t fit

together Ex: I completely agree! The best way to show that life

is God’s most precious gift is to blow up abortion clinics and kill everyone inside! In fact, let’s kill the whole half of the nation that doesn’t agree with us! Nobody would miss them anyway. Then we’d have a nation who stood for life over unnecessary death! :-D

VERISIMILITUDE

Appearance of truth. In satire, this presents itself with many details given to give the semblance of truth. If looked at closely, these details show how empty the “truth” actually is. Ex: “Modest Proposal”: “The number of souls in this kingdom being usually reckoned one million and a half, of these I calculate there may be about two hundred thousand couple whose wives are breeders; from which number I subtract thirty thousand couples who are able to maintain their own children, although I apprehend there cannot be so many, under the present distresses of the kingdom; but this being granted, there will remain an hundred and seventy thousand breeders.”

STRUCTURE

Often, Satirists will create the same type of structure that comes from whomever they are mocking. Ex: “A Modest Proposal” was in the form of a

pamphlet, a common device used to spread serious proposals throughout parliament, so when it was first passed out, people thought Swift was serious in his proposal, causing quite the uproar.

STRUCTURE AND STYLE

Structure: Parody: “mimic” the original to show flaws Ex: Saturday Night Live

Style: Diction: word choice: intentional shocking word choice to jolt reader out of comfort zone, or mimic diction choice of target. Ex: Wacky Putty!

THEME

Satirists have a goal: to change or recognize an issue in either the social, political, or cultural world.

Ex: Social: Affirmative Action Political: Electoral College Cultural: Facebook Addiction

What was the theme of “Wacky Putty”?