Literary Terms:
Satire
Satire
A work that attacks human vice or
foolishness using irony, wit, and sarcasm
– Primary purpose is to provoke a response or a reform
(rather than just for entertainment)
– Has a purpose
– Tone: humorous, critical, sarcastic, sardonic
(disdainfully or ironically mocking), tongue-in-cheek
(gentle irony; meant as a joke), hyperbolic
(exaggerated)
Four Techniques to Satire
Hyperbole (Exaggeration)
Incongruity
Reversal
Parody
Hyperbole/Exaggeration
To enlarge, increase or represent
something beyond normal bounds so that it
becomes ridiculous and its faults can be
seen
– We write every day in English class; it’s so
boring!
Incongruity
To present things that are out of place or
are absurd in relation to its surroundings
– Today in English class, we are going to bake a
cake!
Reversal
To present the opposite of the normal order
(the order of events, hierarchical order,
etc.)
– Mr. Schweigert and Mr. Ingrum often come to
me for advise.
Parody
To imitate the techniques and/or style of
some person, place, or thing.
– We’s a gonna be in dis here class fo’ sum tem.
Examples-- “Shrek”
Exaggeration:
– To enlarge, increase or represent something
beyond normal bounds so that it becomes
ridiculous and its faults can be seen
– Princess Fiona fights and defeats Robin Hood
and all of his Merry Men without help or
weapons.
Examples-- “Shrek”
Incongruity:
– To present things that are out of place or are
absurd in relation to its surroundings
– 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,
Fiona pauses to fix her messy hair before
knocking out two of the Merry Men.
Examples-- “Shrek”
Reversal:
– To present the opposite of the normal order
(the order of events, hierarchical order, etc.)
– The roles of the hero and damsel in distress
have been reversed. In the end, it is Princess
Fiona, the rescuee, who fights and defeats the
foe.
Examples-- “Shrek”
Parody:
– To imitate the techniques and/or style of some
person, place or thing
– 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.
Other Examples?
“The Simpsons”
The Onion
Austin Powers
Weird Al Yankovich
“Joe Schmo”