Reminders about Satire and
Parody
PART II
TONE
Satire can be humorous or serious and is
aimed at a specific person or situation whereas
a parody is aimed at a person or situation, but
more humorous or tongue in cheek.
AIMS/PURPOSE
Satire unlike parody isn’t merely to make fun
or light of a situation or person. Its aims are
one of three:
 To create awareness of a problem
 To warn against a situation or problem
 To promote reform/call for reform of a
situation
Note: The goal of satire is not merely to abuse,
but rather to trigger change or reform.
ELEMENTS OF SATIRE OR PARODY (SPOOF/SEND UP)
FOUR ELEMENTS In BOTH SATIRE AND PARODY
1. PurposeMake fun or light of a situation (Parody)
Call for reform (Satire)
To warn (Satire)
To raise awareness (Satire)
2. TargetSpecific person or situation
3. ToneSpecific attitude of the author
4. AudienceSet group of people towards whom the text
Characteristics/Techniques of Satire
Satire isn’t just poking fun at people. A satirist has a
whole range of tools at her/his disposal to make
her/his point. Listed below are some of the
techniques that a satirist employs.
 Allusion a reference, either direct or indirect, to
something in literature or history – Bible, Shakespeare,
myths. Example: The President was a modern King Lear,
uncomprehending of his fate and his responsibility. Or
saying The President is a modern Julius Caesar, needing
to safeguard being stabbed in the back by one of his
political colleagues or other political figures or candidates
if he’s not careful.
Continued: Techniques of Satire

 Black humor a form of humor that regards human suffering as absurd rather
than pitiable—often to a disturbing effect. Example: dead baby jokes, Helen
Keller jokes.
 Caricature exaggeration which is achieved by distorting parts or
characteristics; a graphic parody. Example: political cartoons.
 Dramatic irony when the audience knows more than at least one character in
a piece of literature. (Romeo not knowing that Juliet was alive.)
 Euphemism the substitution of a bland, inoffensive word or phrase for one
which is considered offensive or unpleasant. Example: “passed away” instead
of “died” or “collateral damage” for the number of deaths or casualties.
 Exaggeration enlargement beyond the bounds of truth; overstatement.
Example: There were a million people waiting in line.
Continuation of Techniques of Satire
 Hyperbole intended overstatement or exaggeration, used for effect.
Example: Ms. Stef nearly dropped dead when _____ turned in his
homework on time. My parents are going to kill me if I don’t get an A
in English. Or Alex knocked the socks off of the English teachers with
his satire on the life of a teenager.
 Reversal a dramatic change in outcome from what we expect (similar to
situational irony)
 Sarcasm verbal irony that is often cutting and intended to give pain to the
person addressed. Example: Nice perfume. Did you take a bath in it. Or Your
mama’s so fat that when she sits around the house, she sits AROUND the
house!
 Send-up an entertaining or humorous parody or take-off
 Tone the writer or speaker’s attitude toward the subject; emotional coloring of
a work
Continuation of Techniques of Satire
 Spoof a mocking imitation of a person or institution, usually light and good-
humored; parody. Example: Weird Al’s “Amish Paradise”, “Like a Surgeon”,
etc. (We also had the cartoon depiction of Queen Elizabeth with the electronic
device from Obama).

Understatement a statement that is restrained, in ironic contrast to what
could have been said. Example: When the streets of Caracas have been flooded,
someone might comment to someone from elsewhere, we are having a bit or
rain or bad weather. Another example might be when someone has been in a
car accident, he might refer to the damage as a “scratch” or a “dent” to describe
the damage.
(From our reading: Holden Caulfield tells the mother that he has to have an
operation, but it’s nothing serious, just a brain tumor.)