Satire

1. Satire A text or performance that uses irony, derision, or wit to expose or attack human vice, foolishness, or stupidity

2. How Is Satire Used to Create Social Commentary? • Satire tries to persuade the reader to believe or to do something by showing the opposite view as absurd, vicious, or inhumane • Satire is complex because it addresses multiple audiences at once, with multiple intents

3. Three Audiences • Those whom the author believes to already be in agreement with their viewpoint (aka those on your side) • Those whom the author would like to ridicule for their opposing viewpoint (aka those whom you will stealthily ridicule) • Those whom the author believes may be persuaded through exposure to the satirical work (aka the “swing” audience)

4. Three Intentions of the Author • To show yourself intelligent and accomplished to those on your side • To make those whom you disagree with look foolish • To persuade to your point of view those who are intelligent enough to understand irony and recognize the ridiculous (thereby “swinging” them to your side)

5. Useful Techniques for Satire • Tone: attitude of the author toward his/her subject • Wit: humor in order to criticize, verbal cleverness • Sarcasm: use of language to hurt or ridicule; not subtle • Understatement: creating emphasis by saying less than what is actually or literally true • Hyperbole: a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to emphasize strong feelings or to create a satiric effect • Verbal irony: words of praise which convey criticism and words of criticism which convey praise • Parody: humorous imitation of serious works