1. Satire

2. What is satire?
“A work or manner that blends a censorious attitude with humor and wit for improving human institutions or humanity.” -Harmon and Holman
Today, forms of satire can be literary (books, essays, stories, i.e. the printed word), but also cartoons, songs, and the performing arts.

3. For example

4. Social Commentary Parody Social Change irony Exaggeration INCONGrUITY
Elements of satire
Social Change

5. Parody To deliberately use wit to imitate style of a
work or individual
Similar:
Take-off, spoof, lampoon, burlesque

6. Incongruity
To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to their surroundings

7. Satire uses irony: the recognition of a reality different than appearance.
Verbal Irony: the actual intent of words is the opposite of overt meaning
Situational Irony: Because of the context of an event the event is the opposite of what would be expected.
Dramatic Irony

8. We all know what exaggeration is, taking things to an extreme degree, thereby revealing foolishness or weaknesses of the subject. Exaggeration of a person’s traits is termed caricature

9. Targets? The Usual Suspects.
What makes satire satire?
Social commentary. That is, the writer ridicules or pokes fun at certain aspects of society he or she finds repugnant in hopes of changing it.
Targets? The Usual Suspects.
Vanity, hypocrisy, religion, bigotry, human vices, sentimentality, greed, celebrity worship, materialism, hubris, dumbing down of education,
snobbery, foolishness, cruelty, insensitivity, laziness

10. Advantages of Satire
Most miss author’s true intent; therefore, censors don’t “get it” and author stays out of prison
Nice change from “preachiness” of other approaches to reform
“Stealth” weapon useful when taking an unpopular stance in repressive society
Short and punchy

11. Great British satirist Jonathan Swift is a case in point
Great British satirist Jonathan Swift is a case in point. His “A Modest Proposal” suggests that poor Irish parents be encouraged to sell their own children as food. His true purpose, of course, is to attack indifference to the plight of poor.

12. Read the following excerpts from Huck Finn and try to identify what social problem
Twain is criticizing. What P.I.I.E. techniques does he use to make his point?
Huck: “Pretty soon a spider went crawling up my shoulder, and I flipped it off and
it lit in the candle, and before I could budge it was all shriveled up. I didn’t need
anybody to tell me that was an awful bad sign and would fetch me some bad luck,
so I was scared and most shook the clothes off of me. I got up and turned around
in my tracks three times and crossed my breast every time; and then I tied up a
little lock of my hair with a thread to keep witches away (4)
Pap: “Well, I’ll learn her [Widow Douglas] how to meddle. And looky here—you
drop that school, you hear? I’ll learn people to bring up a boy to put on airs over
his own father and let on to be better’n what he is. You lemme catch you fooling
around that school again, you hear? Your mother couldn’t read, and she couldn’t
Write, nuther, before she died. None of the family couldn’t before they died. And
Here you’re a swelling yourself up like this. I aint the man to stand it – you hear?
(19)

13. Group Scavenge Reformer mindset Parody:(Widow D)
In groups of 3-4, comb through Chapters 1-12 of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and excerpt passages demonstrating satire. Identify what is being satirized, how it is being satirized (which of the P.I.I.E. elements), and what Twain may be hoping to change.
Excerpt
Topic being Satirized
P.I.I.E.
Hope for Change
Example: “The widow she cried over me and called me a poor lost lamb…she put me in them new clothes again and I couldn’t do nothin’ but sweat and sweat and feel all cramped up” (1).
Reformer mindset
Parody:(Widow D)
Inconguity:(streetwise Huck as lost lamb)
Help others based on their needs not one’s own ego.