Create your own satirical
parody
After reading Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” you will now create a
parody of the piece, while using satire to critique a common issue, event, or
circumstance in today’s society. You MUST work individually; overall, the project will be
worth 40 points and will be due by November 7th, 2014. (Proposal 10 points, Project 30
points).
How Does One Create a parody? Consider “A Modest Proposal.” What was he
proposing? Was it modest? How was it organized. You will be creating your own
modest proposal, but about something you care about. Even your title should reflect
parody. Remember the in class activity “This is just to say.”
How Does One Create Satire? First, it’s important to remember the PURPOSE of
satire:Satire attacks a certain aspect of society in hopes of creating change or bringing
an issue to the forefront of our minds. With that overall purpose in mind, you need to
find something that you find worthy of criticism.
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Pick something timely. Satire is usually current.
Find something you disagree with, find offensive, think needs to be
changed; it can be something wrong, something absurd/ridiculous,
extreme, etc.
Make a small, astute observation about the way humans act/human nature.
Consider a serious issue and think about a humorous way to tackle it.
Consider a genre (writing or visual) that you want to make your target by
parodying.*
Here are some possible methods/techniques to use in creating your satire:
1. Turns a seemingly insignificant event into one that has far-reaching
consequences for the sake of humor
2. Connect/compare things that are seemingly unrelated to make your point
3. Exaggerate
4. Include entertaining characters (through interviews or create a fake writer/unique
persona).
5. Utilize clever dialogue
6. Create catchy/ironic titles
7. Include ironic pictures to go along with ideas
8. Use a very serious tone for a trivial subject
9. Reverse audience’s expectations
10. Use a specific jargon to compare the topic to something unrelated
11. Use sarcasm
12. Use paradoxes or oxymorons
13. Use ironic situations
14. Use clever opening lines to set the tone for the rest of the text
15. Imitate a specific format to make fun of something unrelated
16. Use stereotypes to make a meaningful commentary about society
17. Use parody
a. Be careful with parody; if you’re parodying something, you’re making fun
of that genre/format by using its own traits, but distorting and exaggerating
them,
***** With all of these, be creative and use your own sense of humor ****
Satirical Parody Proposal
10 points- MUST BE APPROVED BY THE END OF THE DAY
1. Subject: What is the subject for your satirical parody?
2. Why did you choose this subject? How is it a fitting subject choice to be a parody of
“A Modest Proposal?”
3. Context/Background knowledge: What background information is necessary for your
satire? What previous knowledge do you have or what do you need to research?
4. Purpose: What criticism/ commentary are you trying to make?
5. Audience: Who is your target audience?
6. What techniques will you utilize? Pick at least 4 from above and explain specifically
how you will employ them.
7. What do you need to consider about the structure and organization of the piece.
Remember, a parody mimics the tone, structure, and organization of the piece it is
imitating.
Satire Reflection
15 points
After the project has been completed, compose a reflection
about the process. Use the following ideas to generate
developed content that is about one to one and a half typed
pages, double spaced.
Why did you choose the subject you picked?
What interest did you have previously?
Did this project generate any new interest in this topic?
What characters were created in the creation of this satire?
How effective was the choice of text for this satire – visual or written?
How effectively was tone conveyed to the audience?
How were techniques used? Were they effective? Should you have added others or
strengthened the ones you used?
What was the most difficult part of the creation of your satire?
Did the end product turn out the way you expected?
If you were to revise or redo the project, what would you change in your process or in
the product?