Theme and Satire
ELA 11
I. Theme
A. Life lesson the story is meant to present to the
reader.
A. Like a fortune cookie—straight to the point, clear
prediction about your life.
I. Theme
A. It must be universal- everyone should be able to
learn something from it
1. Theme is that lesson you learn after watching a movie,
reading a book, or listening to a song.
Theme
C. Rarely stated in the text – instead, the reader must
usually consider the plot, characters, and setting to infer
the theme.
1. Theme should not confused with other literary
elements such as topic or setting of the story.
a. Topic= Main idea of the story.
(time
b. Setting= Where the story takes place
period, event, experience).
c. Theme= Message the author wants the
reader to get from the story.
Theme
D. Ambiguous Theme
1. When a theme can be interpreted in more than
one way.
2. There can be more than one theme in a story!
Topic vs. Theme
 For example, think about the Topic and Theme of the
classic story Cinderella.
 If you are describing the TOPIC, you might say it is a
story about a poor girl who marries a prince.
 But if you are describing the THEME, it could be
described as an example of karma or good things
happening to good people.
Topic vs. Theme Pt. 2
The Wizard of Oz
 Topic
 A girl goes on an adventure in a magic land.
 Theme(s)
 Friendship
 Appreciate What You Already have
 Things You Seek Are Already Inside You
Setting vs. Theme
 Similarly, somebody might describe the “theme”of “The
Things They Carried” as war.
 War is the setting not the theme!
Examples
Which of the following is the THEME of Horton Hears a Who?
A. An elephant struggles to save a community.
B. Elephants have very good hearing.
C. True friendship knows no boundaries.
 Which of the following is the THEME of The Tortoise and the
Hare?
A. Friendship is magic
B. You should be able to run faster.
C. Perseverance pays off.
Examples
Which of the following is the THEME of Horton Hears a Who?
A. An elephant struggles to save a community.
B. Elephants have very good hearing.
C. True friendship knows no boundaries.
 Which of the following is the THEME of The Tortoise and the
Hare?
A. Friendship is magic
B. You should be able to run faster.
C. Perseverance pays off.
II. Satire
A. Uses irony, humor, and sometimes sarcasm in an
attempt to change or improve society.
B. There are several types of satire.
1. Horatian: This is a gentle, sympathetic form of
satire.
a. Mildly mocks the subject.
b. The audience is asked to laugh at
themselves as much as the
players.
II. Satire
2. Juvenalian/juvenille: harsh and bitter satire
a. Often, it seeks to address some evil in
society through scorn and ridicule.
b. Approaches satire in a more serious
manner and uses dignified language to
attack incorrect thinking or vice.
C. Types of Satirists (people who write satire)
1. Optimist
a. Likes people, but people are dumb
b. Tells the truth with a smile
c. Wants to cure people of their ignorance
d. Writes satire in order to heal
2. Pessimist
a. Loves individuals, but hates mankind
b. Aim is to wound, to punish, and to destroy
c. Juvenalian satire
Example: The Onion
Satire
Horation Example
Juvenalian Satire
Characteristics
D. Characteristics of Satire
1. Irony
a. expression, through words (verbal irony) or
events (irony of situation), conveying a reality
different from- and usually opposite to
appearance or expectation.
b. The surprise recognition by the audience
often produces a comic effect, making irony
often funny.
Characteristics
2. Hyperbole and Sarcasm
a. Hyperbole= deliberate exaggeration to
achieve an effect; overstatement.
b. Sarcasm= is intentional derision, generally
directed at another person and
intended to hurt.
obvious,
effect
i. Sarcasm usually involves
verbal irony, achieving its
by jeeringly stating the opposite
of what is meant so as to
heighten the insult.
Example
Yes….
Characteristics of satire
3. Ridicule
a. Ridicule is the use
of words intended to
belittle a person or
idea.
b. The goal is to
condemn or criticize
by making the thing,
idea, or person seem
laughable and
ridiculous.
Forms of Satire
D. Forms of Satire
1. Parody
a. A parody is an imitation of an author or
his/her
work with the idea of ridiculing the
author, his/her
ideas, or the work itself.
b. Borrows a pre-existing form
Examples: The Daily Show, The Colbert Report
Example: Spaceballs
Forms of Satire
2. Invective
a. speech or writing that abuses,
denounces, or attacks.
b. It can be directed against a person,
cause, idea, or system.
c. It employs a heavy use of negative
emotive language.
For Example: “I cannot but conclude the bulk of your natives to
be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature
ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth.” (Swift,
Gulliver’s Travels)
Practice
Watch the following video:
http://youtu.be/OSXNU1_bouc
1. As you watch, jot down all of the various
characteristics of satire you see in the
video.
2. Then, determine whether the video is
Horatian or Juvenalian satire and write a
sentence or two explaining why.