Satire Noun. A literary strategy which blends humor with criticism for the purpose of instruction or the improvement of humanity

The necessary ingredients Humor Criticism, either general criticism of humanity or human nature or specific criticism of an individual or group. Some kind of moral voice: simply mocking or criticizing is not “satire.”

The Satirical Manner Ironic/Sarcastic Either good natured criticism (Horatian after Horace) or bitterly cynical denunciation (Juvenalian after Juvenal) Always opposed to artificiality and hypocrisy More than a little bit prone to references to things society finds taboo or disgusting (bodily functions, sexuality, etc.)

Some tools of the satirist Direct satire Indirect Satire Parody Caricature Exaggeration Diminutization Utopianism Dystopianism

Direct Satire = stating a direct criticism humorously Direct Satire = stating a direct criticism humorously. This is the oldest and, historically, most common form of satirical writing.

Comedian Dennis Miller’s popular series of books, Rants, are an excellent modern example of direct satire.

Excerpt from I Rant, Therefore I Am Now, I don't want to get off on a rant here, but daytime TV talk shows have become a vast, fetid, sump-sucking wasteland, populated by a parade of circus geeks and sideshow oddities that would have given even Federico Fellini a case of grade-A, toss-in-your-sleep, ate-a-garlic-cheese-and-sushi-calzone-right-before-bedtimenightmares. And that's just the hosts.

Types of Indirect Satire:

Parody = a work or situation that mimics another work or situation, usually as a way of criticizing it. Monty Python and the Holy Grail Austin Powers Scary Movie/Epic Movie Gulliver’s Travels Don Quixote Wicked

Check out this classic modern example of parody in action Palin Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYQdFZz3lUc Palin Satire: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/couric-palin-open/n12311

Caricature = An exaggerated portrayal of the weaknesses, frailties, or humorous aspects of an individual or group.

Caricatures of the presidential candidates by Saturday Night Live cast members in ‘03 actually changed the way that the candidates performed in public.

Exaggeration = The portrayal of something trivial or unimportant as very important, usually to emphasize its triviality. Zoolander video Diminutization = the portrayal of something perceived as important as something trivial/unimportant to show its unimportance. Monty Python video

Utopianism = A criticism of the status quo through comparison with a superior kind of society that highlights the weaknesses of one’s own. Utopia, by Sir Thomas More

An excerpt from Utopia  All things appear incredible to us, as they differ more or less from our own manners. Yet one who can judge aright will not wonder, that since their constitution differeth so materially from ours, their value of gold and silver also, should be measured by a very different standard. Having no use for money among themselves, but keeping it as a provision against events which seldom happen, and between which are generally long intervals, they value it no farther than it deserves, that is, in proportion to its use. Thus it is plain, they must prefer iron to either silver or gold. For we want iron nearly as much as fire and water, but nature hath marked out no use so essential for the other metals, that they may not easily be dispensed with. Man's folly hath enhanced the value of gold and silver because of their scarcity; whereas nature, like a kind parent, hath freely given us the best things, such as air, earth, and water, but hath hidden from us those which are vain and useless.

Dystopianism = A criticism of certain aspects of society through comparison to an inferior society that adopts some of these aspects. George Orwell’s 1984 Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron V for Vendetta The Matrix Children of Men The Giver

Brave New World In what ways is BNW a dystopian novel? What elements of that society are similar to today’s world?