how does satire work?

Question

how is it different from ridicule? can a person be politically correct and use satire to talk about attitudes toward race??

thanks people. meggie had a really good answer!!!

Answer 1

Satire is kinda like using a story to poke fun at something without being straight forward about it. Ridicule is being out right nasty to people.

Good examples of satire are shows like Family Guy and the Simpsons. They make funny little stories about people, but deep down they are pointing out the flaws in society.

As for being PC. Satire is all about being PC. That is its purpose. To poke fun in a tasteful PC way.

Answer 2

Satire is a useful tool for communication!
What a great question!!

Satire employs subtelty to convey formal irony to a clever audience. For instance, in The Modest Proposal, Swift prepares a pamphlet that seems to honestly advocate the sale and consumption of Irish babies as a humanitarian solution to poverty and over-population. But That's Really Absurd! Don't you think?!

The meaning of satire is the reverse of what is presented! Do you get it? hahaha. The tactful author gives the audience clues. And if you're not paying attention you won't get it! Hahaha. Joke's on you!

All satire is ridicule, but not all ridicule is satire! A clown with a pie has nothing to hide!

Of course you can be PC and use satire, know how? Just make stupid characters say the racist remarks. Us smart people will get the joke ^^ "Don't be like that guy"!

Satire is like a secret club. When it works the audience may laugh at what seems tragic, but also be convinced by the absurdity! Get how it works?!

I hope you learn how to see and use it! ^^
WELCOME TO THE CLUB!

:D

Answer 3

S A T I R E

Satire is a technique used in drama and the performing arts, fiction, journalism, and occasionally in poetry and the graphic arts. Although satire is usually witty, and often very funny indeed, the primary purpose is not humor as such – but to criticize a person, an idea or attitude, an institution or a social practice by holding it up to ridicule, and, ideally, shaming it into reform. An essential, defining feature of satire is a strong vein of irony or sarcasm, in fact satirical writing or drama very often professes to approve values that are the diametric opposite of what the writer actually wishes to promote. Parody, burlesque, exaggeration and double entendre often occur in satiral speech and writing – but it is strictly a misuse of the word to describe as "satire" works without an ironic (or sarcastic) undercurrent of mock-approval. Our cartoon for instance is perhaps not actually "satirical" in the very strictest sense of the word.

Ridicule is making fun of, Satire is making fun with.

Yes one can be politically correct. Grape Soda, Fried Chicken and Watermelon!

What could be better?

“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat”

Answer 4

Ask yourself the question: Am I laughing with them, or at them? That's the difference you're looking for.

Satire addresses anything and everything...race has been the subject of a lot of satire...

Answer 5

There's an excellent definition of satire in the text "A Glossary of Literary terms" by Abrams. Abrams writes: "Satire is the literary art of diminishing a subject by making it ridiculous and evoking toward it attitudes of amusement, contempt, indignation, or scorn. It differs from the comic in that comedy evokes laughter mainly as an end in itself, while satire 'derides'; that is, it uses laughter as a weapon....Satire has usually been justified by those who practice it as a corrective of human vice and folly..."

As you can see, satire may contain outright ridicule of certain human foibles. BUT, again, as Abrams points out, generally speaking, writers should "ridicule the failing rather than the individual." And, to limit the ridicule to faults which can be corrected, and exclude from ridicule those faults which cannot be corrected. In other words, you would not wish to ridicule someone who has a birth defect, a speech impediment, physically handicapped, etc. (of course, these "rules" have been broken by satirists.) But Swift, the greatest English satirist of all time wrote (about himself):
"Yet malice never was his aim
He lashed the vice, but spared the name
His satire points at no defect,
But what all mortals may correct
He spared a hump, or crooked nose,
Whose owners set not up for beaux." [beaux means beauty].

Thus, I think one COULD satirize attitudes toward race (attitudes can be changed) -- but not satirize, say, a person's skin colour (since skin color cannot be changed; it's something one is born with).

Answer 6

I don't think they've ruined it but it does make satire more challenging. It is difficult to play the devil's advocate because a large percentage of the populace thinks you're actually advocating for the devil. It's like what a fundamentalist (Christian variety) said about the Simpsons cartoon show: "I don't understand a lot of the humor but that Flanders fellow makes a lot of sense!" [Ref: "funwithfundies" website.]

Answer 7

Satire Works

Answer 8

i'm not sure, but i think satire is a literature term for dark humour.

Answer 9

watch national lampoon movies for answers

Answer 10

s work that mocks society. google it.