Satire

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What is all around us? What is used every day? What makes some laugh? What is the answer to these questions? The answer is satire. Satire is a form of criticism that can be used in many ways and in many different situations. Sometimes satire is easy to spot, other times it may be incognito. Satire is commonly found in literary works, movies, cartoons, and even some news casts.

The formal definition of satire is the use of humor to expose human follies. (Dictionary.com). Satire is mostly written because a certain issue bothered the author. Through satire, these issues are brought into the sight of others so that issues could possibly be improved. There are four techniques that are used to create a satire. There is exaggeration, incongruity, reversal, and parody. Exaggeration is where the faults of a person or institution are exaggerated to make it look ludicrous. Incongruity is where something is presented out of place in accordance to its surroundings. A reversal is where something like the order of events is abnormal. The last technique that is used is parody. Parody is where the style or technique of a person, place or thing is imitated.

Satire can be broken into two different sub categories. There is Juvenalian satire and Horatian satire. Juvenalian satire is a very harsh form of satire. This form of satire is full of dislike and is very bitter towards a certain institution or person. Juvenalian satire tends to produce anger form the reader. This type of satire can be found in political cartoons. Horatian satire is the complete opposite of Juvenalian satire. Horatian satire is very witty and may seem to be amused with the topic at hand. The author is very gentle with any criticism towards a person, institution, or issue. ...

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...ng out of my head. . .” which is talking about the actual song because it has a catchy tune and annoying lyrics, therefore it has a tendency to stay stuck in one’s head.

Satire is used in our everyday lives all around us. Sometimes one can spot it if it Juvenalian satire, or sometimes it is less obvious like Horatian satire. It can be found in classic, well known novels, it is found in some movies, cartoons, and even some commercials on television. No matter what method or shape that satire comes in, it has been and still will be a prominent language in our society.

Works Cited

"satire." The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 14 Feb. 2012.

Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Perigee, 1954. Print.

Larson, Gary. The Far Side Gallery 3. Kansas City: McMeel Universal Co, 1980. Print

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