90 likes | 267 Views
SATIRE. THE USE OF LANGUAGE TO CRITICIZE A SUBJECT BY MAKING IT RIDICULOUS AND EVOKING ATTITUDES OF AMUSEMENT, CONTEMPT, SCORN AND/OR INDIGNATION. IDEALLY, SATIRE AIMS TO IMPROVE OR REFORM THE CONDITION/CONCEPT THAT IS BEING SATIRIZED BY ATTRACTING ATTENTION TO THE MATTER THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.
E N D
SATIRE • THE USE OF LANGUAGE TO CRITICIZE A SUBJECT BY MAKING IT RIDICULOUS AND EVOKING ATTITUDES OF AMUSEMENT, CONTEMPT, SCORN AND/OR INDIGNATION. • IDEALLY, SATIRE AIMS TO IMPROVE OR REFORM THE CONDITION/CONCEPT THAT IS BEING SATIRIZED BY ATTRACTING ATTENTION TO THE MATTER THAT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.
THE “VICTIMS” OF SATIRE • SATIRE IS TYPICALLY AIMED AT HUMAN WEAKNESSES, VICES, OR STUPIDITY. • This may be done by attacking: • An individual • A type of person • A social class • A social or political institution • A nation • The entire human race • “Alternative fuel sources.”
SATIRE VS. COMEDY COMEDY SATIRE • evokes laughter as an end in itself; meant solely to amuse. • laughter is used as a weapon to deride the subject. • The latest • iPhone app: • iExplode
POPULAR SATIRIC FORMS • LITERATURE (poetry, essay, novel, short story) • John Wilmot • “A Satyr Against Mankind” (1675) • Jonathan Swift • Gulliver’s Travels (1726), “A Modest Proposal” (1729) • Mark Twain • Huckleberry Finn (1885), “The Lowest Animal” (1899) • Flannery O’Connor • “Wise Blood” (1952) • Ray Bradbury • Fahrenheit 451 (1953) • The Onion (contemporary fake news network originally only in print; now also online and on television)
DRAMA (stage, movie, television) • Moliere’s Tartuffe (play satirizing the power of the Roman Catholic church) • Dr. Strangelove (film satirizing the cold war) • “Mockumentaries” (Christopher Guest films, e.g.) • The Daily Show, South Park, The Colbert Report, Family Guy
CARTOON • Political • Social
SATIRIC TECHNIQUES • HUMOR • OVER-EXAGGERATION • IRONY • SARCASM • PARODY
ASSIGNMENTS: • CLASSWORK: • Read “The Lowest Animal” on pp. 458-462. • Answer questions #1-5 on p. 465 under “Making Meanings.” (You do not need to write the questions, but please answer in complete sentences.)
HOMEWORK: • Read front and back of handout. • Write one paragraph for each passage explaining what is being satirized and why or why not the satire is valid in your opinion.