Tuesday, March 5, 2013

How to Analyze Satire


To analyze a satirical piece, employ the following questions:
1.  What are the underlying assumptions or unwritten attitudes in the piece?
2.  What foolish, flawed, or wrong human action or aspect of society is being lampooned?
3.  What would the author’s argument look like stripped of its humor?
4.  What resources of language does the satirist use to skewer the target?
5.  In what ways do these techniques disarm the intended target or sweeten the criticism to make it acceptable to its target?
6.  What is the goal of the satirist (i.e., how does the satirist wish society, the individual, the body politic, or an institution to change or amend itself?
7.  How effective are the methods of this particular satirist?

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