Satire Its habit is to tell the truth with assurance and detachment of ridicule. It criticizes humanity in order to improve it.

Objectives of the Satirist: The passion for order and justice To keep the public conscience alert To expose absurdity for what it is To point out the inclination of foolishness and tastelessness To show vice its own features (make people look at themselves in the mirror!) To point out unpopular truths

Ridicule v. Satire There is a difference between ridicule and satire: -Ridicule is an EMOTIONAL, NEUROTIC EXPLOSION… - Whereas satire is an INTELLECTUAL EXERCISE and an artfully developed assault on a topic or idea.

When to write a satirical piece… One should have a very complete knowledge of a subject before attempting to satirize it. …and that subject should be worthy of satire.

Examples you might know… Saturday Night Live Political Satire (Leno, Letterman) Mad Magazine, In Living Color (before your time…) The Simpsons

A Successful Satirist A successful satirist cannot just be angry because satire requires “wit.” A retired old man in Florida that sits on a bench and complains about the government all day is not employing satire. Nor is the pamphleteer, who attacks government, or big business, or pollution, or any other subject that could be suitable for satire. What they all miss is humor, imagination, and wit.

Satire’s Audience Satire is not nice. If you are concerned about hurting someone’s feelings, then satire is probably not for you. And the most angry person you will ever meet is the person who reads a satire and believes it to be literally true. Satire is wasted on fools and lost on knaves. Its audience tends to be small due to the intellect and wit needed to comprehend its purposes.

The Satirist Satirists make fun of foolish people and their ridiculous institutions. They attack the weaknesses and follies of mankind. While the satirist might seem vicious or cruel, the skilled satirist will also have the ability to laugh at himself.

Satire MUSTS A successful satire must always deal with the truth. If it is not true, the satire will not work, nor will there be humor.

“A Modest Proposal” by J. Swift Describes the problem (poverty) Presents a solution (eating babies) Rationalizes the solution (will improve the economy) “Dismisses” other rational proposals (things that would actually work…thereby indirectly making his point) Uses exaggeration, shock value, understatement, verbal irony