Please pick up the handout from the small table. We will be taking notes Introduction to Satire! (2014) Day 1

Satire Notes Packet Use your packet to take notes about the elements of satire. You will two summatives for this unit: – Elements of Satire Terms, “A Modest Proposal” and speaker/author test – Original Satire Project (by yourself or with a group) 2

Summative Due Dates – Satire Elements and “A Modest Proposal” test May 2 – Satire Speaker/Author Message test April 29 – Satire Project May 15 3

Satire Definition A literary technique using humor to make fun of the vices of society… …for the purpose of CHANGE.

What is Satire? Satire is a weapon used – to ridicule – to attack the vices and follies they see in human behavior. Satirists may use their humor to inspire reform and change, or they may use it to promote the status quo (keep things the same). Usually states or implies some idea of what should be the correct behavior or thought. Goal of satire: self-examination and change foolish ways. 5

Questions for Satire 1)What does the satire ridicule? What are its targets? 2)What does the satire suggest is preferable to whatever is criticized? 3)What techniques does the satirist use to convey his or her ridicule? 4)To what extent is the satirist justified in attacking his target? 5)How successful is the satire?

Distance from Satirical Target To be effective, writers or performers must have a detachment from their target. The writer or performer must create a persona, speaker or character who will do the talking for the writer. Henry Rule confessed, “In truth I don’t ever seem to be in a good enough humor with anything to satirize it [make fun of the topic]; no, I want to stand up before it and curse it, and foam at the mouth—or take a club and pound it to rags and pulp” (Nilsen & Nilsen 259). What does Rule mean by this quote? 7

Satire vs. Gallows Humor Satire MUST HAVE A TARGET – If the creators of satire don’t have a reform or a solution in mind but are simply holding up an aspect of the world as ridiculous, then they are creating irony or gallows humor rather than satire. – Gallows Humor? Humor from stressful situations, i.e., death at the gallows. 8

Gallows Humor: FedEx Castaway Commercial A&safe=active

In written satire, the pen can be a mace – hacking and bashing the victims to smithereens – or a rapier – delicately piercing the target. These are the two types of satire.

Two types of Satire: 1) Juvenalian Satire: Dark, bitter, criticizing Author stands apart— “YOU are doing this to ME” 2) Horatian Satire: Playful, gentle, sympathetic Author includes self in group being criticized– “We all have this vice, and we should all try to do better.”

Juvenalian Satire “A Modest Proposal”

Horatian Satire Saturday Night Live The Onion

Let’s look at different Types and Elements of satire…

Types of Satire A common type of satire is a parody. A Parody is a form of satire that imitates another work in order to ridicule it. Example: The Colbert Report is a parody, because it imitates other talk shows in order to make fun of them.

Parody of Fine Art

Elements of Satire Irony: a gap or incongruity (presents things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings) between what a speaker or a writer says, and what is understood, or between what one might reasonably expect, and what happens. “Ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife” = not ironic. Not being able to find a knife in a knife factory = ironic.

Examples of Irony Situational Irony: Occurs when a character or the reader expects one thing to happen but something else actually happens. There is a great difference between the purpose of a particular action and the result. Verbal Irony: Occurs when a writer or character says one thing but means another.

Elements of Satire (Back to HOW we say something) Tones: Means something other than what says: Sarcastic = saying the opposite of what you mean in order to ridicule something. Not subtle. Ironic = more subtle, when the writer gives the reader the opposite of what is expected Straightforward: Caustic = corrosive (chem), very harsh, destructive, eats away at you. Not necessarily mocking. Sardonic = haughty, disdainful, indicating you have a low opinion of something, think you are better.

Think of it like Sarcasm: Ms. McComb says “That’s a great idea!” Sincere or sarcastic? Depends on tone. Sincere: Meaning of words = Meaning of Ms. McComb Sarcastic: Meaning of words = Opposite of meaning of Ms. McComb

Another way to think about it: Author = Satirist. Person who is being critical of something in society. Ms. McComb’s real feelings: (This is not a good idea) Speaker = Fictional Narrator of the satire, who seems totally sincere. Ms. McComb’s words: (This is a good idea)

Ms. McComb says sarcastically: That’s a great idea! SituationWho is the speaker? Speaker viewpoint Author viewpoint Ms. M: That’s a great idea! Ms. M.That’s a great idea That’s a terrible idea We will come back to this later…