RWS 100
Fall 2010
M. Hess
Project 4 Prompt: Parody and Satire / Environmental Humor
Text: You may choose to work with a text that we have covered this semester in class, a text of your own
choosing, or your project may be entirely creative without a basis in another’s text.
Part One (35 points): A creative endeavor that encompasses elements of humor, parody, or
satire on the subject of the environment and/or sustainability.
Your creative project can parody some well-known cultural element in order to support the
environment, mock some element of the environmental movement or one of the texts we’ve read
in class, or walk a balance between the two (as Scott Adams does). These will be presented in
class on December 9th and 14th.
We will look at several examples in class, and your project will be pre-approved through your
prospectus. As for sufficiency in length, etc, follow the general rule of “2”: a 2-minute video, a
2-page piece of writing, a 2-minute skit, a 2-minute speech, 2 editorial cartoons.
Some suggestions:
1. A satirical op-ed (2 pages).
2. A commercial, either done from scratch or “adapted” from a pre-existing advertisement (2 min).
3. A political speech (2 min).
4. A comic strip.
5. A set of editorial cartoons (2 cartoons).
6. A music video (2 min).
7. A poem (singular).
For those projects—such as a poem or a comic strip—which are singular, please bear in mind
that creative work requires just as much thought, energy, and editing as essays. If you would like
to work in a pair or a group (of up to four, no more) for this project, you are welcome to do so—
but your project should expand correspondingly in length, scope, and/or quality. A terrible tenminute video is less valuable than a well-crafted four-minute one.
Part Two (40 points): A two-page analysis of the rhetorical choices and strategies made in part
one.
This is essentially a critical reflection on your own work. It is your chance to make connections
to the texts we’ve read and the rhetorical tools we’ve learned this semester. You must defend,
justify, and argue for your creative work, explaining why it is the way it is—what are the PACES
represented here? Why have you chosen that word, that color, that structure?
For part two: Formatting and citations: MLA
Length: two pages, double-spaced, 1” margins.
Due: Either Thursday, December 9 or Tuesday, December 14. Sign-ups in class.
Project Four: Grading Rubric
PART ONE Creative Work
Displays a level of rigor and creative engagement appropriate to a final project:
i.e., shows attention to detail, is well-crafted, and overall is quality work.
Earned
Possible
10
Creative choices effectively communicate your argument and purpose.
Demonstrates the ability to use rhetorical strategies effectively and persuasively.
10
Relates to concepts learned in the class (as concerning the environment,
sustainability, and/or class texts). Displays critical understanding of humor, satire,
and/or parody.
10
Conceptualization and presentation are thoughtful and comprehensive.
5
Total points for creative work:
35
PART TWO Analysis (two pages double-spaced)
Effectively and persuasively explains, analyzes, defends, and justifies choices
made in the creative portion of the work with attention to rhetorical strategies used.
What is the argument your project makes? Its purpose? Who is your audience?
What strategies did you choose? How are they displayed? Why did you choose
them? Why are they effective in this particular context?
Earned
Possible
20
Organization: Uses an effective structure that guides the reader from one idea to
the next. Uses transitions.
5
Topic Sentences: Uses strong topic sentences to indicate the focus of each
paragraph.
5
MLA formatting: Follows all MLA formatting guidelines. Uses proper in-text
citations. Works Cited page is free of mistakes (your Works Cited page should
include any texts referenced or parodied in your creative work, or any texts which
contributed to your formulation of these ideas).
5
Editing: Is thoroughly edited. Is free of typos and grammar mistakes.
Style: This includes the appropriate use of academic language, including word
choice, voice, diction, syntax. In general, articulation and eloquence. These
papers should be concise and precise.
5
Total point for analysis
40
Other comments:
Total
Earned
Total
Possible
75
Parody and Satire Texts:
1. Parody in Poetry: William Carlos Williams and Kenneth Koch
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15535
http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~richie/poetry/html/poem191.html
2. Op-Eds:
Scott Adams “How I (Almost) Saved the Earth:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704868604575433620189923744.html?
mod
Peter Singer “Should This be the Last Generation?”
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/should-this-be-the-lastgeneration/?th&emc=th
3. Write down any elements of humor you can think of.
4. Share some elements of humor. Continue writing as we watch these next videos and see
what you can add to the list.
5. Did you know the book?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhcPX1wVp38&feature=player_embedded#!
6. Working Stiffed: The Daily Show http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-september20-2010/working-stiffed?xrs=share_fb
7. Chevy Tahoe Commerical Parody:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oNedC3j0e4&eurl=http://peswiki.com/index.php/Dir
ectory:Chevy_Tahoe_2007_Ad
8. What are elements you recognize from original Chevy commericials? What’s new?
What would it normally say? Can we move both backward and forward? Do you even
need to know the original commercial in order to understand what this is making fun of?
9. Chevy Tahoe Parody taking it even further:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foR3sfWu5IQ&feature=related
10. What about this? How many layers does it mock? What are the elements of humor?
11. Cartoons: I hate Al Gore http://ihatealgore.com/?page_id=796
12. Sesame Street: This Tumblr is Now Diamonds (parodies Old Spice ad)
http://sesamestreet.tumblr.com/post/1271948697/this-tumblr-is-now-diamonds
13. Parody with a Purpose: Plastic State of Mind (music video parody of Empire State)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koETnR0NgLY&feature=player_embedded