MVP: Satire
Week Four
Multiple Choice Monday!
Thoreau’s MC questions
Elements and examples of Satire
Satire Definition

"a literary manner which blends a
critical attitude with humor and wit to
the end that human institutions or
humanity may be improved. The true
satirist is conscious of the frailty of
institutions of man's devising and
attempts through laughter not so
much to tear them down as to inspire
a remodeling" (Thrall, et al 436).
Forms of Satire
•
Drama
•
•
Journalism
•
•
(The Onion)
Fiction
•
•
(Tartuffe – Moliere, The Importance of Being Earnest – Oscar
Wilde )
(A Modest Proposal – Jonathan Swift, The Lowest
Animal – Mark Twain)
Poetry
•
(The Rape of the Locke – Alexander Pope)
Forms of Satire
•
Graphic Arts
•
•
Television programs
•
•
(editorial cartoons)
(Saturday Night Live, The Colbert Report)
Music
•
(With God on Our Side – Bob Dylan, Weird Al)
Examples of Satire in Pop
Culture
Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update
 The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
 Scary Movie
 Austin Powers
 Political cartoons
 Songs by Weird Al Yankovich



(White and Nerdy)
The Simpsons
Exaggeration
To
enlarge, increase, or represent
something beyond normal bounds
so that it becomes ridiculous and its
faults can be seen.
Incongruity
 To
present things that are out of place or
are absurd in relation to its
surroundings.
Incongruity
Cartoons!
 Dr. Seuss

Reversal
To
present the opposite of the
normal order (e.g., the order of
events, hierarchical order)
Reversal
“Last Man Standing”
 “Mr. Mom”
 “Modern Dads”
 Freaky Friday
 The Parent Trap
 The Change Up

Parody
To
imitate the techniques and/or
style of some person, place, or
thing.
Examples of Satire
~“President Bush on Global Warming”
~The Colbert Report
~The Today Show
~The Onion
~SNL: “Former President Reunite”

Write down aspects that make this
video/spoof a satire
AGENDA
Choice Reading
 Jonathon Swift’s (TEXTBOOK!)


“A Modest Proposal for Preventing
the Children of Poor People in
Ireland from Being a Burden to
Their Parents or Country, and for
Making Them Beneficial to the
Publick”

AKA: “A Modest Proposal”
“A Modest Proposal”

Language of Composition

Page 914-920/ Page 404-412
“A Modest Proposal”

A Modest Proposal, is a Juvenalian
satirical essay written and published
anonymously by Jonathan Swift in 1729.
Swift suggests that the impoverished Irish
might ease their economic troubles by
selling their children as food for rich
gentlemen and ladies.This satirical
hyperbole mocks heartless attitudes
towards the poor, as well as Irish policy in
general. ~Wiki

Juvenalian satire, named after the Roman satirist
Juvenal (late 1st century – early 2nd century CE),
is more contemptuous and abrasive than the
Horatian. Juvenalian satire addresses social evil
through scorn, outrage, and savage ridicule. This
form is often pessimistic, characterized by irony,
sarcasm, moral indignation and personal invective,
with less emphasis on humor. Strongly polarized
political satire is often Juvenalian.
Comp. Book page 27-28

Regular Textbook

(p. 920)
• Questions for
Discussion # 2, 6
• Questions on
Rhetoric # 2, 6, 12

New Version

(p. 410)

Question for Discussion #5
Questions on Rhetoric #2,3,7,
By publishing such an
outrageous text, what might
Swift have hoped to bring about
among the people of Ireland?


AGENDA
Discuss “A Modest Proposal”
 Visual Text Analysis



Political Cartoons
Collect Composition Books for
conferences
“A Modest Proposal”

Discuss what really stood out to you
from this piece

What do you think was Swift’s most
effective rhetorical strategy?
Switch It Up!
Partner Discussion

Questions for Discussion
#2
 #6


Question on Rhetoric and Style
#2
 #6
 #12

Analyzing Political Cartoons
What is purpose?
 Who/what is being targeted?
 HOW is cartoonist accomplishing his
purpose via visuals?



Colors, content, placement, words
Appeals to…?
Time 10/11/12
Time 10/26/12
Cagle Cartoons: Nov. 7
Cagle’s Cartoons 11/11/12
Collect
Composition
books for
Conferences!
Homework
Find and print/cut out a political
cartoon
 Write a GRAPESSS analysis
 Also consider appeals…

AGENDA

Political Parodies

Why They Matter

Share Political Cartoon and
GRAPESSS

HOMEWORK: “Nation’s Fast Food
Patrons No Longer Trusted To
Dispense Own Ketchup” (The Onion)
Spoofs Matter!

Note how Political Spoofs make a
difference in elections
Political Cartoons

Groups of four
Debrief and discuss GRAPESSS for
each cartoon
 Pick ONE and group will present to
class

“Nation’s Fast Food Patrons No Longer
Trusted To Dispense Own Ketchup”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Satire is defined as is “writing that ridicules or criticizes
individuals, ideas, institutions, social conventions, or other
works of art or literature.” What individuals, ideas, or social
conventions is the writer ridiculing?
What devises did the author use in this satire? Use
quotes, terms, and explanations. Why did the author use
the devices? What is the effect of the devices?
Why did the writer choose to develop his ideas with the
use of satire?
Also, in regards to style, the use of diction is evident. Give
examples of interesting diction and explain its purpose.
What is the significance of this text in today’s society?
You Do NOT have to write the essays at bottom. Debrief the prompt, find a person
That worked on the other and share ideas.
MISC

Misc. slides for this week
AGENDA

Non-Fiction Friday!

Ted Talk: Roy Bremner

“Nation’s Fast Food Patrons No
Longer Trusted To Dispense Own
Ketchup” (The Onion)

SSR/SSW
Roy Bremner:
One-Man World Summit
One of the UK's sharpest funny men, Rory
Bremner exposes the lunacies of modern
politics with devilishly clever political satire
and spot-on impressions of leaders from
around the world.
 Take notes of times uses satirist humor
and wit to accomplish getting his
purpose across to his audience
 Will share with partner at end
