Satire

What is Satire?

Using a variety of methods to make something look foolish or silly in order to point out faults or in order to seek social change.

Can You Put that in Your Own Words?

• So, based on the definition before, what does that mean?

• …to point out faults.

• ….to seek improvement.

Why is Understanding Satire Important?

• Satire is ONE way an author can reveal his or her theme.

• Reader must be able to read and understand satire in order to deduce theme.

• Follow my logic for a few slides . . .

Why is Satire Important?

• Many authors reveal themes explicitly.

• Aesop’s fables

• At the end . . . “And so the lesson goes that patience is rewarded”

• Many authors use literary elements to reveal theme.

• Some authors use satire to reveal their themes

• Difficult to figure out theme since it seems to be talking about A, but their point is the OPPOSITE / DIFFERENT.

How Do I Find Satire1) Know the types and techniques

authors use to create satire.

2) Read actively to look for them.

3) Once you find them, ask yourself what the author means by _______ technique.

Types• Horatian Satire

• “light satire”• Satire while “smiling”• “holding up a mirror” to society

• Juvenalian Satire• “heavy satire”• Angry satire• Directly pointing out issues to society

Techniques• Both TYPES of irony use THESE techniques.• You must determine if they are being “light” or

“heavy”

• Exaggeration• Irony (3x)

• Sarcasm• Burlesque• Incongruity• Reversal• Parody

Exaggeration• To enlarge or increase something

beyond the “normal bounds” to draw attention to it.

• Caricatures

Practice

Practice

Practice

Irony• Remember?

• Situational• Dramatic• Verbal

• Sarcasm is in here!

More Sarcasm than Not!

• In satire . . .• More statements may SOUND serious

but should be taken SARCASTICALLY.

• Yes, let’s fix over-population by eating the children.

• Yes, let’s fix obesity by feeding everyone candy until they explode.

Burlesque• Ridiculous exaggeration and distortion.

• Serious subject treated in a light manner.• A light subject treated in a serious manner.

• Formal character using slang• Low character using “high language”

Incongruity• To show things that are out of place or

are silly in relation to its surroundings.

Reversal• To present the opposite of the normal

order• Having dessert before dinner• Having children make all the decisions

in a family

Parody• To copy the technique and / or style of

a person, place, or thing in order to make fun of it.

• Reader / viewer must be familiar with the original text for this to work!• Kind of like an allusion!• Date Movie, Epic Movie, Scary Movie

“Thinking” Example• You watch The Colbert Report.• There is a report on government spending.• Colbert encourages them to spend MORE.• It’s funny at how MUCH he wants them to spend.• Is he REALLY wanting them to spend MORE?• He really wants them to spend LESS• But by exaggerating what is spent, he is making fun

of…governmental spending…and he is pushing them to change their habits.

A Sentence Frame…• ___________is satirizing ___________ by

using ____________ because he / she wants to see __________ change.

• Colbert is satirizing the federal government by using a parody of the political pundit shows because he wants to see spending amounts decrease and change focus.

Source• Wall-E• Hot Fuzz• Airplane• Animal House• Wag the Dog• Strangelove• Life of Brian• Great Dictator• Weird Al• Daily Show / Colbert• Onion