SATIRE 2013
Definition
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An art form in which human or individual vices,
follies, abuses, or shortcomings are criticized
through ridicule ideally with the intent to bring
about improvement
Say what?
Basically, it’s art (literature, film, song, image) that
points out and criticizes a problem with humanity or
society. In the best case scenario, it causes people
to RETHINK their behavior and change it.
Audiences

1.
2.
3.
There are three audiences:
Those whom the author (or artist) believes to
already be in agreement with their viewpoint. (aka
those on your side)
Those whom the author (or artist) would like to
ridicule for their opposing viewpoint. (aka those
whom you will stealthily ridicule)
Those whom the author (or artist) believes may be
persuaded through exposure to the satirical work.
(aka the "swing" audience)
Horatian satire
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Satire in which the voice is tolerant, amused, and witty
(funny/clever). The speaker holds up to gentle ridicule
the absurdities and problems of human beings, aiming
at producing in the reader not the anger of a Juvenal,
but wry smile or laugh. (Aims to correct through
humor)
It is tolerant, witty, wise and self-effacing
Juvenalian satire
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Formal satire in which the speaker attacks problems
and error with disrespect and anger. Juvenalian satire
in its realism and its harshness is in strong contrast to
Horatian satire.
It is angry, caustic, resentful, personal
Satiric Devices
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Humor
 Surprise
– twist endings, unexpected events
 Exaggeration
– think of Jim Carrey’s
exaggerated facial expressions
 Understatement
- An Army officer has just
lost his leg. When asked how he feels, he
looks down at his bloody stump and
responds, "Stings a bit.“
Satiric Devices

More Humor

Incongruity – things do NOT belong
together

Deflation – the English professor
mispronounces a word, the President slips
and bangs his head leaving the
helicopter

Linguistic games – weird rhymes,
malapropisms (misusing words habitually)
Satiric Devices
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Irony – incongruity in what someone says or does
and what is meant or what is generally understood
Invective – name calling, personal abuse
Mock Encomium – praise which is
only apparent and which suggests
blame instead
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Satiric Devices
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Comic Juxtaposition – linking together with
no commentary items which normally do
not go together
Mock Epic/Mock Heroic – using elevated
diction and devices from the epic or the
heroic to deal with low or trivial subjects
Parody – mimicking the style and/or
techniques of something or someone else
Satiric Devices
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Inflation – taking a real-life situation and
blowing it out of proportion to make it
ridiculous and showcase its faults
Diminution – taking a real-life situation and
reducing it to make it ridiculous and
showcase its faults
Grotesque – creating a tension between
laughter and horror or revulsion – the
essence of all “sick humor” or “black humor”
Now for some examples
What type of
satire: Juvenalian
or Horatian?
What Satiric
Devices does it
use?
What does it
criticize?
Example 1 – from Despair.com


What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 2– Political Cartoon


What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 3 – (once) Popular song


What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 4 – Political Cartoon


What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 5 – Children’s Film

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What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 6 – Mock News

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What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 7 – Musical Parody

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What tools
are used?
What type of
satire is it?
Example 8 – War is Kind
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Do this on your own!
Read through it and determine
 What
the author is using to make his point
 The element of society that s/he is criticizing
 What type of satire the poem represents
Animal Farm

Key Terms:
 It
is a SATIRE
 It is also an ALLEGORY (a story in which EVERYTHING
stands for something beyond the actual story on the
page)

Reading Schedule:
 On
your original calendar
 Expect reading quizzes
 Chapter 1-2 due Wednesday along with Edmodo
posts!