Satire, Irony and Social Commentary English 12 – Quarter 3

Key Terms Satire Irony Sarcasm Hyperbole Understatement Parody

Satire A form of literature that uses irony, sarcasm, parody, hyperbole and other methods of ridicule and humor to criticize human institutions and human folly The purpose of satire is usually reform The writer wants not to destroy but to repair or improve humanity or human institutions

Irony A figure of speech in which the actual intent is expressed in words that carry the opposite meaning

Three Types of Irony Verbal – when what is said is the opposite of what is meant Situational – when the appearance of things is opposite to the reality Dramatic – when what a character says or thinks is not what the reader, audience or other characters know to be true

Situational, Verbal or Dramatic? Your friend shows up in to hang out and you can clearly see that they did not put any effort into getting ready. You say, "Oh! I see you got all dressed up for me. We must be doing something really important!”       

Situational, Verbal or Dramatic? Once upon a time, there was a girl who went into the woods. She entered a funny little house, and she was hungry so she ate a bowl of porridge that was sitting on the table. Unfortunately for her, it was poisoned and she died. Because most people are familiar with the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this ending comes as a bit of a surprise.

Situational, Verbal or Dramatic? Have you ever seen a horror movie that has a killer on the loose? You, and the rest of the audience, know that the teenagers should not go walking in the woods late at night, but they think a midnight stroll would be romantic. Needless to say, the teens become the next victims.

Sarcasm A bitter or cutting speech, intended to wound a person’s feelings. It comes from a Greek word meaning to tear flesh Sarcasm is an example of verbal irony

Hyperbole (Overstatement) A figure of speech that employs exaggeration in order to make the actual meaning of the moment clearer

Hyperbole (Overstatement) When something funny or embarrassing happens and you say to a friend, "I literally died.” You didn’t even come close to actually dying, which means you were extremely exaggerating.

Understatement A figure of speech in which what is actually meant is expressed by lessening or negating the full significance of the moment

Understatement We visit our friend in the hospital.  We know from his wife that the prognosis is bad, and also that our friend has been informed of his condition.  When we enter, we ask him how he's feeling.  "Well," he says, "I have been better.”

Parody An imitation of the style of an author or work for comic effect and ridicule Examples: Saturday Night Live The Onion

Original

Parody

Types of Satire Horatian satire is playfully amusing. It seeks to correct vice with gentle laughter and understanding. (The Importance of Being Earnest) Juvenalian satire provokes a darker kind of laughter. It is often bitter or even angry, and criticizes corruption or incompetence with scorn and outrage. (The Stranger)