The Difference Between Satire and Sarcasm!

Why are these funny?

Satire - Defined In satire, human or individual vices, follies, abuses or shortcomings are held up to find fault with by means of ridicule, mockery, irony, or other methods, ideally with the intent to bring about improvement. Although satire is meant to be funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humor in itself so much as an attack on something of which the author strongly disapproves, using the weapon of wit. What? Paraphrase, please…

What is Satire? Satire: Making fun of some aspect of culture, society, and/or human nature to hopefully improve it or inspire change.

Satire

…Isn’t that comedy? Satire differs from comedy in that: Satire seeks to correct, improve, or reform through ridicule (can be harsh at times) Comedy aims simply to amuse its audience Satire uses laughter as a weapon against something that exists outside the work itself.

Formal (Direct) Satire Two Types of Satire Formal (Direct) Satire The persona (speaker) uses first-person point of view (NOT always author) This speaker may address the reader or a character within the work EX.: “A Modest Proposal” Indirect Satire Some format other than direct address to the reader This is usually a fictional narrative, in which objects of satire are characters EX.: Animal Farm

Two STYLES of Direct Satire • Horatian satire is a type of direct satire which pokes fun at human foibles with a witty, even indulgent tone. • Juvenalian satire is a type of direct satire which denounces, sometimes with invective, human vice and error in dignified and solemn tones.

Horatian Satire This type of satire is named after the Roman satirist Horatian. It seeks to criticize, rather than attack, immorality or stupidity. In general, Horatian satire is gentler, more sympathetic, and more tolerant of human folly. Unlike Juvenalian satire, it serves to make us laugh at human folly as opposed to holding our failures up for needling. Horatian satire tends to ridicule human folly in general or by type rather than attack specific persons. It tends to produce a smile.

Horatian Satire

Juvenalian Satire This type of satire is named after the Roman satirist Juvenal. It is harsher than Horatian satire because it often attacks and shows contempt for people. Often, it seeks to address some evil in society through scorn and ridicule. The Juvenalian satirist approaches his work in a more serious manner and uses dignified language to attack erroneous thinking or vice. In this way Juvenalian satire evokes feelings of scorn, shock, and righteous indignation in the mind of the reader.

Juvenalian Satire

Analyzing Satire in 5 easy steps! 1. What's the tone of the satire? (grim, cheerful, sardonic, mock serious, optimistic, etc.) 2. What type of satire is this? (direct vs. indirect) 3. What is the writer satirizing (topic)? (what aspect of society are they trying to criticize?) 4. What is the writer's purpose in satirizing this subject? (what do they want to change?) 5. What literary techniques does the writer use in this satire? (hyperbole, understatement, irony, humor, etc.)

What are the three types of irony? Devices of Satire The chief device of satire is irony. What are the three types of irony?

Irony

Devices of Satire Other Devices… Parody: poking fun at something by mimicking or imitating it Caricature: poking fun at a character by exaggerating its personal characteristics in drawing or narrative

Parody The New Iphone! (http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=satire%3b+parody%3b+video&FORM=VIRE1#view=detail&mid=B8B99B2315D9982A858BB8B99B2315D9982A858B) Amish Paradise (Weird Al Yankovic) http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=weird+al+yankovic+videos&FORM=VIRE3&adlt=strict#view=detail&mid=203E63BD4AD26485C212203E63BD4AD26485C212

Caricature

Devices of Satire Juxtaposition: the arrangement of two or more characters, ideas, or words side-by-side for the purpose of comparison, contrast, or character development Sarcasm/Ridicule: taunting on a personal level by saying something and meaning the opposite

Ridicule

Wit  Wit is most commonly understood as clever expression, whether aggressive or harmless; that is, with or without derogatory intent toward someone or something in particular.  We also tend to think of wit as being characterized by a mocking or paradoxical quality, evoking laughter through apt phrasing.

Wit

Devices of Satire Innuendo: a derogatory suggestion that is not literally spoken but rather hinted at Understatement: A figure of speech in which a writer or speaker deliberately makes a situation seem less important than it is