Modest+Proposal

" Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own, which is the chief reason so few are offended by it." - [|Jonathan Swift]

[|Satire] Definition :
 * A text or performance that uses irony, derision, or wit to expose or attack human vice, foolishness, or stupidity.
 * It is a literary technique of writing or art which exposes the follies of its subject (individuals, organizations or states) to ridicule
 * Often inteded as a means of provoking or preventing change
 * Uses a variety of devices such as
 * [|Irony] : using __language__ to imply the opposite of their literal meaning or a situation where the outcome is opposite from that intended or expected.
 * verbal
 * situational
 * dramatic


 * [|Sarcasm] : similar to irony but a more cutting remark and contains intent to insult or slight.


 * [|Parody] : to copy or imitate for comic affect the style of something or someone else. By nature, parody exaggerates and mocks the original. It only works if the person or thing being copied is well known to the audience.


 * [|Hyperbole] : A figure of speech that uses exaggeration to express emotion, make a point, or evoke humor.


 * [|Double entendre] : an indirect, often derogatory hint. The speaker appears innocent and the innuendo is "discovered" in the mind of the listener.


 * [|Understatement] : deliberately minimizing whatever is being spoken about whatever is being spoken about.


 * [|Wit:] verbal cleverness. Wit suggests intellectual brilliance and delight in its ability to entertain, and requires verbal skill beyond a simple knowledge of words. Wit is often used ironically, or even sarcastically, to ridicule or insult someone.
 * Types
 * __[|Horatian]__ - this type is meant to be playful
 * Identified as foolish, not evil
 * Gentle, mild, and light-hearted humor
 * Sympathetic in tone


 * __[|Juvenalian]__ - this type is more contemptuous and abrasive
 * Seeks to address some evil in society through scorn, outrage, and savage ridicule
 * Less emphasis on humor
 * Pessimistic in tone

WARM UP A>What are two or three of the most important political or societal issues in the country? Write a sentence or two detailing how you would solve this problem?



B. Example from [|The Onion] [|Industrial Revolution Provides Millions Of Out-Of-Work Children With Jobs]

Do you __agree__ with the ideas put forth in the article? Why or why not?

What is your definition of satire?

What is the point of satire? Why not just __present__ the problem and the solution in a realistic way? Why not just directly present an issue? What does satire accomplish?

What are some contemporary examples of satire?

C. Analyze the argument: SOAPS: S ubject: What is the article about? O ccasion: Why was it written? What is going on at the time the author is mocking? A udience: Who is this article aimed at? P urpose: What does the author hope to achieve by writing it? S peaker: How does the author establish himself/ herself as an authority on the subject?

[|Tone Words]

[|The Modest Proposal: text]

[|Wikipedia] Modest Proposal [|Background of Swift's time] [|Baby Cakes: Modern Comic]

Classwork and Analysis

It is essay is clearly an example of verbal irony or sarcasm. How does sarcasm affect its environment? How does sarcasm affect interpersonal relationships? How does it affect the moral of the people who use it or who hear it?

Group __Work__ Quiz: Satire - BCR

Self Portrait





[|SparkNotes]

You Tube: [|How to Write Satire]