1. Definitions
Literary genre that mixes wit and humor in an effort to improve humankind and human institutions;
to expose humanity’s vices and foibles, giving impetus to change or reform through ridicule.
At its best, satire has a serious purpose.

2. From THE COLUMBIA ENCYCLOPEDIA:
“From ancient times satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishness in all its guises — vanity, hypocrisy, pedantry, idolatry, bigotry, sentimentality — and to effect reform through such exposure.”

3. Some Satire is
meant to make
us laugh at
human
foolishness and
weaknesses.

4. Some satire is
meant to make us angry about
human vices and
crimes.

5. Targets of Satire Society and its institutions
A particular person or group of people
A place (city, state, nation)

6. Vehicles (or modes) of Satire
Literature: prose, poetry
Cartoons/comic strips
Dramas/television; films
Art; music

7. Questions
Who or what is the subject of the piece? Is there another target?
What makes the piece amusing/powerful/attention-getting?
How do word choice, sentence structure, visuals, tone of voice, and body language work to convey a particular idea or meaning?

8. Some Examples of Satire
Television
SNL’s “Weekend Edition,”T
The Colbert Report
Publications
The Onion
Doonesbury
Political Cartoons
Literature
Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,”
Twain’s “A War Prayer” and “Advice to Youth”

9. Some Examples of Satire
Movies
Blazing Saddles – parody of Western movie
Vampires Sucks
Life of Brian – (Monty Python)

10. Elements of Satire
Irony -Contrast between appearance and reality or expectation and outcome
Verbal: saying one thing but meaning
another, often times the opposite of what speaker says.
Sarcasm: particularly cruel or cutting irony, in which praise is often used tauntingly to indicate its opposite in meaning. Saying "Mr. Garner's class is the most
interesting class I have ever taken!
Situational: when what actually happens is different from what is expected to happen or what is appropriate.

11. Elements of Satire Hyperbole/Exaggeration Understatement
To enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen.
Understatement
Deliberate playing down of a situation in order to make a point.
Saying "It's a bit wet out there" during a flood.
Reversal
To present the opposite of the normal order (e.g., the order of events, hierarchical order).

12. Parody
To imitate the techniques or style of a person, aspect of literature or culture, etc., exaggerating purposely to create a comic effect.
The Colbert Report – a parody of cable news pundits. 
Blazing Saddles – parody of Western movies
Vampires Suck
Life of Brian – (Monty Python)

13. Incongruity
To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings.

14. Satire in Shrek Exaggeration Shrek example:
Princess Fiona fights and successfully defeats Robin Hood and all of his Merry Men without any help and without any weapons.

15. Reversal
Shrek example:
The roles of the hero and the damsel in distress have been reversed. In this clip, it is Princess Fiona, the rescuee, who fights and defeats the foe.

16. Incongruity
Shrek example:
Princess Fiona uses her ponytail to deliver a knockout punch to one of the Merry Men. While frozen in a mid-air martial arts kick, Princess Fiona pauses to fix her disheveled hair before knocking out two of the Merry Men.

17. Parody
Shrek example:
The fight scene is an exaggerated imitation of the martial arts style and special effects used in movies such as The Matrix and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

18. Comment or Criticism of Society
The traditional story of the knight rescuing the damsel-in-distress is not a realistic depiction of the roles filled by men and women in modern society.