Term Tuesday A discussion of literary and rhetorical terms

Satire

Definitions: a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn trenchant wit, irony, or sarcasm used to expose and discredit vice or folly

Purpose To achieve reform To make audience review their own actions

Examples

War in Iraq Caused by Typographical Error NewsHax wire -- In a report released by the White House Tuesday, it was found that the war in Iraq was caused by a typographical error in the intelligence reports on the weapons of mass destruction in Iran. "Appartently, the typist accidentally typed a 'q' instead of an 'n' at the end of the word," the report stated. Recent reports and admissions have shown that Iran has nuclear capabilities, just like the Bush Administration claimed in Iraq.

"I am extremely sorry to all those in Iraq who lost their lives and their families," President Bush said, "but I also think that this new report shows that we were right about a country having WMD, but due to a typo, we bombed the wrong one."

In order to prevent further typo- caused military conflicts, President Bush is sending a bill to Congress, the Proofread Act, that creates a new Cabinet-level position, the Secretary of Grammar. …

Oldest Biker Skull Ever Recently Unearthed, Possible Missing Link Posted by Big Brother on 2003/6/12 1:26:18 (3092 reads)Big Brother Scientists have unearthed a 160,000-year-old human skull near Sturgis, South Dakota that is the oldest known and possibly the best-preserved fossil of modern humans' immediate predecessors. The nearly complete skull of an adult male represents a crucial stage of human evolution when modern bikers first arose. It is important because many deem bikers as the missing link between early apes and modern humans. (more...)

UN Unveils Worldwide Lottery Posted by zvoidx on 2003/9/13 19:25:02 NewsHax wire -- New hope arose for the citizens of a cash-strapped world when "World Mega-Lotto", a worldwide lottery, was unveiled on Monday by the United Nations. The lottery, which boasts jackpots of "5 billion dollars and upwards", was detailed by Kofi Annan, Secretary- General of the United Nations, to a packed press conference held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.zvoidx

The proceeds of World Mega-Lotto will be used to "educate the world". Some uses for the moneys will include providing school supplies for "the schools of the world". This includes funds for "notebooks, new pencils and very small lunchtime milk cartons."

Literary Example Jonathan Swift's "A Modest Proposal" (1729)A Modest Proposal for preventing the children of poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country, and for making them beneficial to the publick.

I have been assured … that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragout.

I do therefore humbly offer it to publick consideration, that of the hundred and twenty thousand children, already computed, twenty thousand may be reserved for breed, …. That the remaining hundred thousand may, at a year old, be offered in sale to the persons of quality and fortune, through the kingdom, …

A child will make two dishes at an entertainment for friends, and when the family dines alone, the fore or hind quarter will make a reasonable dish, and seasoned with a little pepper or salt, will be very good boiled on the fourth day, especially in winter......

I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children