1. Satire

2. A literary technique in which an aspect of culture, human nature, or society is analyzed and criticized or even ridiculed. At its best, it is a vehicle for change; at its worst it is meaningless or insulting.

3. Satire is… Created by word choice and situation, but depends entirely on the background knowledge of the audience.

4. Satire is not… It is not sarcasm, which depends on the vocal tone and inflection of the speaker contrasting perceived reality.

5. Satiric Directives  Irony - The tension created by the discrepancy between reality and expectation  Hyperbole/Understatement - Gross exaggeration or negligence toward a significant issue  Parody & Imitation - A skewed reflection of reality  Generalization - Assuming commonalities between people regardless of individual differences  Incongruity/Anachronism - Placing something where it does not fit in place or time  Reversion/Inversion - Reversal of normal order, place, procedure, or age. Turning the inside, out.

6. Modern Satire in Magazines and Newspapers New Yorker/Esquire Comics Spy National Lampoon Doonesbury Dilbert Cathy The Far Side Dave Barry: excellent columnist and satirist

7. Modern Satire on the Internet/ “TV News” Theonion.com Rubberfaces.com Sportspickle.com Adbusters.org/spoofads.com The Daily Show with Jon Stewart The Colbert Report

8. Satire on T.V. Shows The Simpsons The Office Outsourced Saturday Night Live Conan O’Brian, David Letterman, Jay Leno, George Lopez, et al Shows have even been known to satirize other shows, even on the same network:  Arrested Development  Critique of The O.C.  Scrubs  Critique of E.R.

9. Satire in Political Cartoons http://www.newyorker.co m/online/covers/slidesho w_blittcovers#slide=1

10. Satire Questions 1. What aspects of life/culture/ personality are being satirized? 2. What satiric directives are present and how is each shown? (Irony, Hyperbole/Understatement, Parody & Imitation, Generalization, Incongruity/Anachronism, Inversion/Reversion) 3. Are there enough satiric directives that the meaning of the satire is clear? Does it just cause confusion or insult? Explain. 4. What affect or reaction is desired by the author or creators?

11. Apply your satire questions to this picture.

12. The Onion: “Girl Moved to Tears…” “Girl Moved To Tears By 'Of Mice And Men' Cliffs Notes “ http://www.theonion.com/articles/girl-moved-to- tears-by-of-mice-and-men-cliffs-note,2029/ http://www.theonion.com/articles/girl-moved-to- tears-by-of-mice-and-men-cliffs-note,2029/