The document provides an overview of a lesson on satire that will be discussed, noting that thorough notes should be taken as there will be a summative test on the material on Monday, May 13th with no retakes allowed. It then defines satire and various satirical techniques like parody, irony, sarcasm, understatement, caricature, reversal, and reductio ad absurdum that may be seen in satirical works. Sample questions are also provided to analyze satirical targets, techniques, justification, and effectiveness.

1. Happy Tuesday!
 Today we will be discussing satire and
taking notes.
 You may take notes on loose paper or
leave the paper in your notebook—
whatever will help you keep track better.
 You will be tested on this material on
Monday, May 13.

2. Satire
Please take thorough notes.
You will have a summative test
on this material on
Monday, May 13
NO RETAKES!

3. Satire Definition
A literary technique using
humor to make fun of the
vices of society…
…for the purpose of
CHANGE.

4. What is Satire?
 Satire is a weapon used
– to ridicule
– to attack the vices and follies they see in human
behavior.
 Usually states or implies some idea of what
should be the correct behavior or thought.
 Goal of satire: self-examination and change
foolish ways.

5. Questions for Satire
 What does the satire ridicule? What are its
targets?
 What does the satire suggest is preferable
to whatever is criticized?
 What techniques does the satirist use to
convey his or her ridicule?
 To what extent is the satirist justified in
attacking his target?
 How successful is the satire?

6. Distance from Satirical Target
 To be effective, writers or performers must have
a detachment from their target.
 Henry Rule confessed, ―In truth I don’t ever
seem to be in a good enough humor with
anything to satirize it; no, I want to stand up
before it and curse it, and foam at the mouth—
or take a club and pound it to rags and pulp‖
(Nilsen & Nilsen 259).

7. Satire vs. Gallows Humor
 Satirists may use their humor to inspire
reform and change, or they may use it
to promote the status quo.
 Satire MUST HAVE A TARGET
– If the creators of satire don’t have a reform or
a solution in mind but are simply holding up
an aspect of the world as ridiculous, then they
are creating irony or gallows humor rather
than satire.
– Gallows Humor? Humor from stressful
situations, i.e., death at the gallows.

8. Two types of Satire:
 Juvenalian Satire:
– Dark, bitter, criticizing
– Author stands apart— ―YOU are doing this to
ME‖
 Horatian Satire:
– Playful, gentle, sympathetic
– Author includes self in group being criticized–
―We all have this vice, and we should all try to
do better.‖

9. Elements of Satire
A common type of satire is a parody.
A Parody is a form of satire that
imitates another work in order to
ridicule it.
Example: The Colbert Report is a parody,
because it imitates other talk shows in
order to make fun of them.

10. Elements of Satire
Irony: a gap or incongruity between what a
speaker or a writer says, and what is
understood, or between what one might
reasonably expect, and what happens.
―Ten thousand spoons when all you need is
a knife‖ = not ironic.
Not being able to find a knife in a knife
factory = ironic.

11. Elements of Satire
Sarcasm is sneering, jesting, or mocking a
person, situation or thing.

12. Elements of Satire
Understatement is a form of speech
where a lesser expression is used than
what would be expected
For example, in Monty Python's The
Meaning of Life, an Army officer has just
lost his leg. Asked how he feels, he looks
down at his bloody stump and says,
"Stings a bit."

13. Elements of Satire
Exaggeration or hyperbole
―I jumped 100 feet in the air‖

14. Elements of Satire
Caricature: A humorous description or illustration
that exaggerates or distorts the basic essence of a
person or thing to create an easily identifiable
likeness.

15. Elements of Satire
Reversal
Presents the opposite of the normal order…
– Order of events or expectation
 Dessert first, then main course.
 The princess saving Prince Charming
– Hierarchal order
 When a child runs the household and the parent is
treated like a child.

16. Elements of Satire
Reductio Ad Absurdum
(Reduction to Absurdity)
Author pretends to wholeheartedly agree
with the ideas being criticized, then takes
those ideas to a ridiculous logical extreme
in order to point out how ridiculous the
original ideas are.

17. Practice Time!
 I’m going to put up a slide of terms and
definitions. See if you can match them.
 Write down your answers in your notes.

18. A. Sarcasm
B. Irony
C. Satire
D. Caricature
E. Understate-
ment
1. A humorous description or illustration that
exaggerates or distorts the basic essence
of a person or thing to create an easily
identifiable likeness.
2. A form of speech where a lesser
expression is used than what would be
expected
3. Sneering, jesting, or mocking a person,
situation or thing.
4. A literary technique using humor to make
fun of the vices of society for the purpose
of change.
5. A gap or incongruity between what a
speaker or a writer says, and what is
understood, or between what one might
reasonably expect, and what happens.

19. A. Reductio ad
Absurdum
B. Parody
C. Horatian
Satire
D. Reversal
E. Juvenalian
Satire
F. Hyperbole
1. A type of satire that is gentle and understanding,
in which the author includes himself in the group
being criticized.
2. A technique in which the author uses a statement
claiming more than is possible, or more than
could have really happened.
3. A form of satire that imitates another work in
order to ridicule it.
4. A technique in which the author presents ideas or
concepts in the opposite of the usual order.
5. A type of satire that is dark, bitter, and critical, in
which the author stands apart from the group
being criticized.
6. A technique in which the author pretends to
wholeheartedly agree with the ideas being
criticized, then takes those ideas to a ridiculous
logical extreme in order to point out how
ridiculous the original ideas are.

20. Example:
As you watch this clip, find elements of
satire. Write them in your notes like this:
Video Clip #1
Element of Satire (name it) Example (what happens in the clip?)