1. Understanding Satire, Parody, and Humorous Arguments
“Dying’s easy, but comedy will kill you.” --Sir Laurence Olivier

2. First, the Big Picture…Four “Shapes” of Literature
Tragedy: shape of Disintegration
Main character breaks from society, family, country, etc.
Government, society, family breaking down
Comedy: shape of Reintegration
Restoring family or social order
Things start out jumbled but sort out

3. Four “Shapes” of Literature
Romance: shape of Wish-fulfillment
Adventure full of excitement and passion
Main character desires something
(eventually) gets it
Satire: shape of Fragmentation
Chaos, uncivilized
Social fabric threatens to come apart

4. What is Satire? Humorous, wry, detached
Ridicules politics, society, human foibles
Makes us examine life & change it
Moral outrage is at core, then either:
Condemns
Warns/Heals

5. TYPES OF SATIRE FORMAL/DIRECT INDIRECT
Directly addresses audience or reader; openly criticizes topic
Classified as “Horatian” or “Juvenalian”
INDIRECT
Relies on ridiculous behavior of characters

6. TYPES OF FORMAL SATIRE HORATIAN Ridicules gently
Often laugh-out-loud funny
“Satirical physician”
JUVENALIAN
Derides subjects harshly and bitterly
Abrasive
“Satirical executioner”

7. Parody Humorous imitation of another work
Generally, original work is serious
Humorously imitates style, key ideas, form
Often tackles “inappropriate” subjects
Typically light-hearted or good-natured
May also mock shared/universal experience

8. Differences Between Satire & Parody
Satire invents fictitious situation
Purpose: ridicule people, events, or ideas
May include existing elements/real details
Parody imitates or mocks existing work
Purpose: Points out flaws of the original work
Absurdly exaggerates its characteristics

9. Keys to Writing Humorous Arguments
Humorous Techniques/Devices
Timing
Details
Incongruity

10. Humorous Techniques/Devices
Irony
Verbal (sarcasm, understatement, exaggeration)
Situational (unexpected)
Hyperbole (exaggeration)
Understatement or meiosis
Litotes (uses opposite: not a bad singer, not unhappy)
Jargon
Using expressions from particular group or field

11. Timing Use current events or topics
Audiences need to understand references
Build suspense, then drop punchline

12. Details
“And before you accuse me of being some kind of sherry-sipping ascot-wearing ballet-attending MacNeil-Lehrer-NewsHour-watching wussy, please note that I am a sports guy myself, having had a legendary atheletic career consisting of nearly a third of the 1965 season on the track team at Pleasantville High School (“Where the Leaders of Tomorrow Are Leaving Wads of Gum on the Auditorium Seats of Today”).
-- Dave Barry

13. Details Precise details add to humor Consider the difference:
“And before you accuse me of being some kind of wussy, please note that I am a sports guy myself, having had an athletic career on the track team at Pleasantville High School.”

14. Incongruity Juxtaposing diction
Colloquial expressions for lofty figures or situations
Overly formal language
Combine pop culture with “higher” subjects
Real current events or literary references
Consider bizarre “What ifs”