Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Terms Helpful for Analyzing Satire*
Many of these literary devices are not the sole property of satire.
Wit
Irony
Dramatic
Situational
Verbal
Humor
Sarcasm
Fantasy
Morality
Hyperbole
Hypothetical
Understatement
Mockery
Mythosis
Parody
Juxtaposition
Allegory
Wit
Humor
Bathos
Litotes
Metaphor
Couplets
Rhyme
Rhythm
Paradox
Simile
Logos
Ethos
Pathos
Oxymoron
Metonymy
Polysyndeton
Asyndeton
Synecdoche
Horatian
Juvelnalian
Mennippean
Thesis/Antithesis
Non Sequitur
Paralipsis
Mock Heroic
Language Level Shifts
Farce
Puns
Repartee
Burlesque
Stock characters
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Literary Term Quiz
Devices of Satire
1. All of the following are common devices of the satirist EXCEPT:
a. ridicule
b. irony
c. elegy
d. paradox
2. “Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.”
a. oxymoron
b. juxtaposition
c. thesis/antithesis
d. polysyndeton
3. Lack of conjunctions between coordinate phrases, clauses, or words
a. polysyndeton
b. asyndeton
c. apostrophe
d. paralipsis
4. “All the perfumes of Arabia/Will not sweeten this little hand.”
a. polysyndeton
b. hyperbole
c. paralipsis
d. wit
5. A particular form of understatement, is generated by denying the opposite or contrary of the word which
otherwise would be used
a. litote
b. hyperbole
c. paralipsis
d. wit
6. Another form of metaphor, very similar to synecdoche (and, in fact, some rhetoricians do not distinguish
between the two), in which the thing chosen for the metaphorical image is closely associated with (but not
an actual part of) the subject with which it is to be compared
a. allegory
b. oxymoron
c. metonomy
d. mock heroic
7. The checkered flag waved and victory crossed the finish line.
a. allegory
b. oxymoron
c. metonomy
d. mock heroic
8. A paradox reduced to two words
a. puns
b. understatement
c. parody
d. oxymoron
9. An assertion seemingly opposed to common sense, but that may yet have some truth in it
a. paradox
b. understatement
c. parody
d. hyperbole
10. A gentle, good humored and sympathetic kind of satire, narrated by first person, and somewhat tolerant
of human folly even while laughing at it. Tends to ridicule human folly in general or by type rather than
attack specific persons.
a. Juvenalian satire
b. Menippean satire
c. Horatian satire
d. Socratic irony
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Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Part 2: Find examples of the following rhetorical devices in “A Modest Proposal.” Copy enough of the
passage to identify it and then explain the impact on Swift’s argument.
1.
Paralipsis:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2.
Understatement:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3.
___________________________________________________________________________
Litote:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4.
___________________________________________________________________________
Rebuttal:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
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Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
___________________________________________________________________________
5.
___________________________________________________________________________
Ironic Inversion:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
6.
___________________________________________________________________________
Bathos:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7.
___________________________________________________________________________
Understatement:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
8.
___________________________________________________________________________
Hyperbole:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
4
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
___________________________________________________________________________
9.
___________________________________________________________________________
Verbal Irony:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
10. Logos:
a. Example: _______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
b. Rhetorical Purpose: ____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Related Resources
For further research on this topic, consider the following:
Capitol Steps
At this Web site, current and former Congressional staffers use songs to provide a humorous look at
political events and personalities.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
A smart and funny "fake news" broadcast that satirizes current events through interviews, features,
and Stewart's analysis. This program is taped Monday through Thursday and airs on Comedy
Central.
Doonesbury
Find the daily Doonesbury comic strip online, as well as portraits and biographies of the characters
featured in Doonesbury to assist new readers.
NOW with Bill Moyers: Who's Laughing Now? American Political Satire
This feature details the history of satire in U.S. politics. Links to satire examples from the 1700's to
the present are also provided.
The Onion
Online newspaper featuring satirical articles related to the current events of the day and people in
the news.
Political Cartoons
A Web site containing political cartoons from well-known cartoonists around the world.
Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update"
This "fake news" broadcast segment delivers headlines with a humorous twist. The Web site
includes transcripts from 1998 to the present.
The White House
This online newspaper features satirical articles related to the President of the United States and
other Washington leaders and their political agendas, policies, and procedures.
http://www.pbs.org/now/classroom/satire.html
accessed April 7, 2006
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Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Satire Review
Gulliver’s Travels and Pride and Prejudice
Part 1
This activity has two purposes: a) review devices of satire b) become more familiar with
the novel you just completed.
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
Make certain you understand the term.
Using the e-text from www.gutenberg.org, find specific examples of the
device from either Gulliver or Pride and Prejudice.
Cut and paste enough of the text that I know to what you referring to.
Explain how the SPECIFIC REFERENCES reflect the satiric device.
Explain how the device and passage contribute to the author’s theme
Analyze the author’s tone in the selected passage.
Satire: A literary mode based on criticism of people and society through ridicule. The
satirist aims to reduce the practices attacked by laughing scornfully at them--and being
witty enough to allow the reader to laugh, also. Ridicule, irony, exaggeration, and
several other techniques are almost always present. The satirist may insert serious
statements of value or desired behavior, but most often he relies on an implicit moral
code, understood by his audience and paid lip service by them. The satirist's goal is to
point out the hypocrisy of his target in the hope that either the target or the audience will
return to a real following of the code. Thus, satire is inescapably moral even when no
explicit values are promoted in the work, for the satirist works within the framework of a
widely spread value system. Many of the techniques of satire are devices of comparison,
to show the similarity or contrast between two things. A list of incongruous items, an
oxymoron, metaphors, and so forth are examples.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
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Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Farce: A type of low comedy that employs improbable or otherwise ridiculous situations
and mix-ups, slapstick and horseplay, and crude and even bawdy dialogue. The humor is
by no means subtle; it smacks the audience full-force in the face, aiming simply to
entertain and evoke guffaws. Comedies or dramas may contain farcical elements without
being farcical themselves.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Comedy of Manners: A satiric form of comedy, characterized by a contrived plot in
which the artificialities of a sophisticated society are exposed. The characters are more
important than the plot which often uses amorous intrigues as its basis for action.
Dialogue is light, witty, and cynical.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Non sequiturs or Inverted Logic: A literary device often used in comedy (opposite of
formal logic), it is a comment which, due to its lack of meaning relative to the comment it
follows, is absurd to the point of being humorous. Its use can be deliberate or
unintentional. Literally, it is Latin for "it does not follow." A non sequitur can denote an
abrupt, illogical, unexpected or absurd turn of plot or dialogue not normally associated
with or appropriate to that preceding it. Non sequiturs often appear to be disconnected or
random comments, or random changes in subject, especially socially inappropriate ones.
Passage:
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Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Caricature: A distortion of a person or group of people’s distinctive features or
idiosyncrasies with the intent to ridicule. Often associated with low comedy and stock
characters.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Lampoon: A satiric, often vicious, attack on an individual (or occasionally an institution
or society in general). Usually, however, lampoons are harsh personally directed
extended caricatures.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Bathos: A special type of verbal irony that moves quickly from the serious to the
ridiculous.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
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Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Situational Irony: A discrepancy exists between what is expected to happen and what
actually happens. The reader and characters are equally surprised by the unexpected turn
of events.
Passage:
Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition:
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Dramatic Irony: A type of irony in which a discrepancy exists between knowledge the
characters and reader possess. The readers know the truth while the characters belief in a
discrepant reality.
Passage:



Explanation of how the passage reflects the definition.
Explanation of how the passage contributes to the novel’s theme:
Analysis of the author’s tone:
Part 2: Consider each of the four following concepts of satire articulated by critic
Northrup Frye. Discuss BRIEFLY to what extent the concept is applicable to your
novel.
1. Two essential elements of satire are:
a. wit or humor founded on fantasy or a sense of the absurd /grotesque
b. an object of attack must exist
2. Satirists write because of shifting ambiguities in a world of unrealized idealism.
3. “Satire is militant irony: its moral norms are relatively clear, and it assumes standards
against which the grotesque and absurd are measured.” In other words, the satirists is
also a moralist.
4. Satire must have a degree of fantasy. [If irony is portrayed in a totally plausible way,
we have tragedy]. The grotesque items an author chooses reflect his or her moral
judgment and contain the satire.
10
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Satire Presentations
Group
Members:_______________________________________________________________
Subject and Theme of Satire:________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Rate the Tone:
Words to Describe Tone:___________________________________________________
Type of Satire (circle correct choice): Horatian
Juvenalian
Menippean
Literary Devices:
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Group
Members:_______________________________________________________________
Subject and Theme of Satire:________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
11
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Rate the Tone:
Words to Describe Tone:___________________________________________________
Type of Satire (circle correct choice): Horatian
Juvenalian
Menippean
Literary Devices:
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Group
Members:_______________________________________________________________
Subject and Theme of Satire:________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Rate the Tone:
Words to Describe Tone:___________________________________________________
Type of Satire (circle correct choice): Horatian
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Juvenalian
Menippean
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Literary Devices:
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Group
Members:_______________________________________________________________
Subject and Theme of Satire:________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Rate the Tone:
Words to Describe Tone:___________________________________________________
Type of Satire (circle correct choice): Horatian
Juvenalian
Menippean
Literary Devices:
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
13
Satire
Rebecca C. McFarlan
mcfarlan@ih.k12.oh.us
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Group
Members:_______________________________________________________________
Subject and Theme of Satire:________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Rate the Tone:
Words to Describe Tone:___________________________________________________
Type of Satire (circle correct choice): Horatian
Juvenalian
Menippean
Literary Devices:
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Device: __________________________________________________________
Example: _________________________________________________________
Rate the Presentations: Which was your favorite and why?
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