SATIRE Notes? Lexicon? I don’t know.

DEFINITION  Writing that pokes fun at society’s or humanity’s inconsistencies, vices, and foibles as a impetus for change  A literary mode based on the criticism of people through ridicule

JUST TO CLARIFY… Is it always funny?Is it always mean?  Not always. It’s main goal is not to entertain and amuse, but, rather, to reform.  No. It’s main goal is not to abuse, but, rather, to point out ways people/society could improve.  As such, satire does not make fun of things that cannot be changed (such as disabilities).  Generally, satire deals with groups of people or types of people rather than individuals. If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

MAJOR CATEGORIES OF SATIRE Direct/FormalIndirect/Informal  A first person narrator either directly addresses the reader or another character in the work (called the adversarius)  “On the Decay of the Art of Lying”  “A Modest Proposal”  Colbert Report  Satire is expressed through a narrative and the characters who are the butt of jokes are ridiculed by what they themselves say and do.  The king and duke in Mark Twain  Mrs. Bennett in Pride and Prejudice  The Simpsons

TYPES OF DIRECT SATIRE Horatian SatireJuvenalian Satire  Gentle, pokes fun with a witty, even indulgent tone  Encourages audience to laugh at itself  Light and humorous  Named after Roman lyric poet, Horace  Biting, bitter, angry  Points to corruption of human beings and institutions with a contemptuous, indignant tone  More clearly judgmental  Named after Juvenal, a Roman satirist

THE GENERAL METHOD  First, the targets are usually transformed from their complex selves to a simplification or exaggeration of their stance.  Second, targets are often relocated to a place that aids in the simplification or exaggeration of the issues Note: Satire does not follow a prescribed format. This is just a fairly common method for satire writers. Note: Satire does not follow a prescribed format. This is just a fairly common method for satire writers.

MAJOR TOOLS OF SATIRE  Parody:  A style, which imitates a subject, person, or style using humor  Burlesque  A literary term to describe a work that twists a serious issue or subject into a humorous one, or takes a humorous subject and treats it as though it is serious.  Caricature  a literary style focusing on one characteristic, quality, or feature of a person or group of people, exaggerating it to a humorous level

TOOLS OF SATIRE  Irony  Exaggeration  Understatement  Ambiguity  Innuendo  Caricature  Sarcasm  Allusion  Juxtaposition  Contrast  Look For:  A contrast between what the speaker says and how he/she says it  A contrast between ideas presented by the speaker  Things that just seem “wrong”