1. What Is Satire?
Professor Will Adams
Valencia College
Fall 2011

2. Definition
O A literary work that ridicules its subject in
order to make a comment or criticism
about it.
O Although satire is usually witty, and often
very funny, the purpose of satire is to
criticize in order to shame someone or
something into reform.
O Satire usually has a definite target, which
may be a person or group of people, an
idea or attitude, an institution or a social
practice.

3. First Type of Satire
O Formal
O In formal satire, the satiric
voice speaks, usually in the
first person, either directly to
the reader or to a character in
the written work.
O There are two types of formal
satire: Horatian and
Juvenalian

4. Horatian Satire
O Horatian
Satire, named
for the Roman
poet, Horace, is
gentle, urbane,
smiling; it aims
to correct
through gentle
and
sympathetic
laughter.

5. Horatian Satire

6. Juvenalian Satire
O Juvenalian Satire,
named for the
Roman poet
Juvenal, is biting,
bitter, angry; it
points with
contempt and
moral indignation
to the corruption
and evil of human
beings and
institutions.

7. Juvenalian Satire

9. Second Type of Satire
Indirect Satire:
O In indirect satire, the satire is
expressed through a narrative,
and the characters or groups
who are the focus of the satire
are ridiculed not by what is said
about them, but by what they
themselves say and do.
O Much of the great literary satire
is indirect.

10. Examples of Indirect Satire:
O The Simpsons O Clueless
O Family Guy O Saturday Night
O South Park Live
O Brave New World O MAD TV
O Great O Naked Gun
Expectations O The Truman Show
O Scary Movie 1, 2 O Scrubs
and 3 O Huckleberry Finn
O Chappelle’s Show

11. Questions to Consider
O What is the author’s
tone?
O What is the author’s
purpose?
O Is it effective?
O What is the
dominant satirical
device used?

12. Four Techniques of Satire
1. Exaggeration
To enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond normal
bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen.
2. Incongruity
To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation
to their surroundings.
3. Reversal
To present the opposite of the normal order (e.g., the order of
events hierarchical order).
4. Parody
To imitate the techniques and/or style of some person, place or
thing.

13. Exaggeration

14. Incongruity

15. Reversal

16. Parody

17. Let’s Practice!
Identify the satire being utilized.

18. Horation or Juvenalian?

19. Horation or Juvenalian?

20. Horation or Juvenalian?

21. Horation or Juvenalian?

22. Horation or Juvenalian?

23. Horation or Juvenalian?

24. Horatian or Juvenalian?

25. Horation or Juvenalian?

26. Horation or Juvenalian?

27. Horation or Juvenalian?

28. Horation or Juvenalian?

29. Which of the Four Types?

30. Which of the Four Types?

31. Which of the Four Types?

32. Which of the Four Types?

33. Which of the Four Types?

34. Which of the Four Types?

35. Which of the Four Types?

36. Which of the Four Types?

37. Which of the Four Types?

38. Which of the Four Types?

39. Which of the Four Types?

40. Which of the Four Types?

41. The Harvard Sailing Team’s “Boys Will
Be Girls” – All Four Techniques!

42. Saturday Night Live – Modern Political
Satire Using All Four Techniques!