Download Satire Slide Show

The delightful way artists
deliberately mock or ridicule
society to inspire reform… the
artist’s dirty little secret.
• Last semester: Huxley’s Brave New World
• This semester: Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales &
Social Issues Project (propose a mock solution
for one of society’s flaws)
• Future: AP & other ENG courses!
Slide show will be
posted!  You will be
taking notes on
examples of satire on the
back of your Satire
Vocabulary!
So, what is satire?
Satire is an attack by a satirist that is designed
to cause discomfort due to his/her portrayal and
evaluation of man.
 The satirist’s justification lies in the evils
created and perpetuated by man. The constant
threat of vulgarity, pride, folly, and other assorted
evils are cause for social commentary to better
society.

Satire

Satire’s main purpose and goal is to inspire reform
through the use of ridiculing/mocking.
Designed to have the audience evaluate their own
belief system and understand the need for
correction within society.
What were Huxley’s purposes in Brave New World?
(government, instant gratification, truth, happiness, …)
Discuss with Table Partner!
Sarcasm/Verbal Irony vs. Satire
The distinction between satire and irony is this: all satire is ironic, but not
all irony is satire. (Irony might be used merely to amuse.)
 Irony – an actual discrepancy between expectation and outcome.
Types:
 Verbal irony is the use of language to express the opposite sentiment
than what is expected. The most recognizable form of verbal irony is
sarcasm, where the speaker says the opposite of what he/she means,
often for comedic effect.
 Situational irony is when the exact opposite of what you expect to
happen happens. Situational irony, like verbal irony, is powered by the
incongruity between the expectation and the actual outcome.
 Dramatic irony is when a playwright or a novelist creates an ironic
situation that only the viewer or reader knows about. Dramatic irony is
said to be a type of situational irony that the characters aren't in on
yet, which can create tension - the killer hiding somewhere we only
know about - or humor - a comedy based upon mistaken identity.

Rhetorical Technique & Purpose

Satire blends a hypercritical attitude with humor and
wit for the purpose of improving human institutions
or humanity. Satire will only attack aspects of society
which are correctable.
 We are bettering the world by mocking it because we
are forcing you to want to correct your behavior.
Rhetorical Technique & Purpose
Goal = to trivialize, emphasize, or maximize the impact of
a statement.
 To accomplish this, the satirist will hardly ever use a
specific name.
 By sparing the name of a target, the satirist becomes more
effective. You don’t “single out.” You point out general
patterns of human behavior that all individuals can agree
on.
 Further, by softening the criticism the target goal will be
more readily accepted and will also prevent any desire to
imitate the foibles being lampooned/ridiculed/attacked (see
Satire Vocab.).
Origins of Satire

Starts in Greece but is perfected in Rome by:
 Horace
(75 AD)
 Horatian satire:
 Tones: cheerful,
urbane, “tongue-in-cheek”
 Goal: to make readers smile at the foibles
committed by the individuals under attack.
The satirist aims to correct by employing
broadly sympathetic laughter. Often
misinterpreted because of the humor.
 Does NOT anger the reader nor make him/her
feel any sort of moral outrage.
Origins of Satire

Starts in Greece but is perfected in Rome by:
 Juvenal
(60 AD)
 Juvenalian satire:
 Tones: cutting,
biting, bitter, angry
 Goal: to point with contempt and indignation
to the corruption of human beings and
institutions and strives to produce in the
reader both contempt and moral indignation.
The goal is to attack and destroy; the work is
very dark in nature.
 Does NOT attempt to amuse the audience.
On to Satire handout!
Provide modern examples in
TV & movies (satirizing
social groups).