SATIRE
A Rhetorical Strategy
What is Satire?
 Human
or individual vices, follies, abuses,
or shortcomings are held up to censure
with an intent to bring about improvement.
 Satire
is usually meant to be funny, but the
purpose of satire is not primarily humor,
and in itself, may often be quite an angry
attack on something the author strongly
disapproves of, using the weapon of wit.
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The Necessary
Ingredients:

Humor

Criticism, either general criticism of
humanity and human nature, or
specific criticism of an individual or
group.

Some kind of moral voice; simple
mocking or criticism is not satire.
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Tools of the Satirist
What is Irony?
A
rhetorical device, in which there is an
incongruity between what a writer says and
what is generally understood.
 May
arise from a discordance between acts
and results, especially if it is striking, and
seen by an outside audience.
 Understood
as an aesthetic evaluation by an
audience.
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What is Sarcasm?
 The
sneering, sly jesting, or
mocking of a person, situation
or thing.
A
type of verbal irony intended
to insult or wound by stating the
opposite of the intended
meaning.

Used mostly in a humorous manner, but can express
annoyance or anger.
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What is Parody?
 Also
called a Lampoon.
 An
imitation of another work,
person, event, etc., in order to
ridicule, ironically comment on,
or poke some affectionate fun at
the subject being lampooned.
 Depends
on hyperbole and
allusion.
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What is Burlesque?

High Burlesque refers to a burlesque imitation where a
serious style is applied to commonplace or comically
inappropriate subject matter.

Low burlesque applies an irreverent, mocking style to a
serious subject.

Pure burlesque is simply comedy.

Intentionally ridiculous in that it imitates several styles
with absurd descriptions.

Depends on the reader's contextual expectations; when
the comedy needs to be explicated, the effect is blunted.
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What is a Double
Entendre?

A figure of speech similar to the pun, in which a spoken
phrase can be understood in either of two ways and is thus a
clever play on words.
Example: The title of the short story, “The Most Dangerous
Game."

For many, a risque, even sexual, element is central to their
understanding of double entendre. The first meaning is
presumed to be the more innocent one, while the second
meaning is risque, or at least ironic, requiring the hearer to
have some additional knowledge.
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What is a Caricature?
A
description of a person using
exaggeration of some
characteristics and
oversimplification of others.
 Usually
focuses on the
weaknesses, frailties, or
humorous aspects of an
individual or group.
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What is
Defamiliarization?

The technique of forcing the audience to see
common things in an unfamiliar or strange way, in
order to enhance perception of the familiar.
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What is Diminutization?

The portrayal of something generally perceived as
very important as trivial or unimportant.

** Write a five sentence summary of these
notes. **
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Identify which Satirical Tool is
being used in each of the following
examples…
When speaking of moving a couch:
“It was huge, and took forever
to get inside.”
“That's what she said!”
Answer: Double Entendre
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Weird Al Yankovic’s song
“White & Nerdy”
Answer: Parody
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“Schmitt’s
Beer” ad, starring Chris Farley and
Adam Sandler: The guys, who are watching a
house for friends, discover a magic pool in the
back that becomes a party when the water is
turned on. Sandler and Farley are suddenly
surrounded by tons of hunky men, with whom
they frolic in the pool. They even aim a video
camera at a guy's crotch. Not long after,
numerous brewers have turned to gay themes for
their real ads.
Answer: Defamiliarization
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The first video ever played on MTV was “Video
Killed the Radio Star”.
Answer: Irony
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Answer: Caricature
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When somebody states something that everybody
knew already: "Well done, Sherlock Holmes…”
Answer: Sarcasm
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The article, “Loser Spends Entire Day in Bed”, as it
appeared in The Onion.
Answer: Burlesque
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Zoolander and the “Fashion World”
Answer: Diminutization
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