Satire Review

What is satire? 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.

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

What about sarcasm? Satire is the constructive use of wit and humor. Sarcasm is often, a mildly cruel or disrespectful use of wit and humor. It is typically praise which is really an insult, involving malice. EX: This is my brilliant son, who failed out of college. Sarcasm may be inconsiderate towards its object, and desperate to make a point. Satire is mature and constructive, and even at its worst, it shows intellect.

Formal (Direct) Satire Two types of satire Formal (Direct) Satire The persona (speaker) uses first-person point of view This speaker may address the reader or a character within the work Example: “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 Example: Animal Farm

The chief device of satire is irony. Devices of Satire The chief device of satire is irony.

Irony Irony is a figure of speech which is a contradiction or incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs. Buuuuuut … Most of the definitions of irony seem to suggest that irony involve a contrast between appearance and actual reality. It is a discrepancy between what is anticipated to be true and what is actually true.

3 Types of Irony Verbal – When what you say is not what you mean. Similar to being sarcastic but without the intent to insult/harm. “I can’t wait to read the seven hundred page report.” Dramatic – When the audience is aware of something that the characters are not. Romeo and Juliet. Situational – When the exact opposite of what is meant to happen actually happens. When someone washes his car and it rains, that is just bad luck; nothing led him or her to think that it would not rain. However, when a TV weather presenter gets caught in an unexpected storm, it is ironic because he or she is expected to know the exact weather changes.

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

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: taunting on a personal level by saying something and meaning the opposite

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

Sarcasm vs. verbal irony Both devices involve saying the opposite of what you mean. Sarcasm, however, has to be intended to hurt. Verbal Irony: “I’m really looking forward to learning rhetorical analysis in class.” Sarcasm: Saying “Nice shot” after a teammate fails miserably at basketball.

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? (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.)