Satire

Horatian Satire

A gentle, light-hearted form of satire that pokes fun at human flaws; effect: creates amusement while still making a point.

Example of Horatian Satire

A humorous article gently teasing people obsessed with the newest phone trends.

Juvenalian Satire

A harsh, bitter satire that aggressively criticizes social evils; effect: provokes anger or moral outrage in the audience.

Example of Juvenalian Satire

A piece attacking government corruption with dark, angry humor.

Direct Satire

Author directly addresses the audience with criticism; effect: satire becomes clear and immediately recognizable.

Example of Direct Satire

A narrator openly ranting about political incompetence.

Indirect Satire

Satire revealed through characters, actions, or situations; effect: audience discovers foolishness through observation.

Example of Indirect Satire

A story where clueless characters unknowingly expose societal problems.

Parody

Imitation of a style, person, or genre for comedic effect; effect: exposes flaws or clichés in the original.

Example of Parody

A fake commercial mocking real infomercials with exaggerated enthusiasm.

Incongruity

Presenting things that are out of place or absurd in their situation; effect: highlights ridiculousness.

Example of Incongruity

A king attending a royal ceremony wearing pajamas.

Dramatic Irony

When the audience knows more than the characters do; effect: creates humor or tension by showing ignorance.

Example of Dramatic Irony

The audience knows a trap is set, but the character walks into it confidently.

Socratic Irony

Pretending to be ignorant to expose someone else’s ignorance; effect: forces flawed logic to reveal itself.

Example of Socratic Irony

Asking “So money just magically disappears from the budget?” to expose corruption.

Malapropism

Misuse of a word for a similar-sounding one; effect: creates humor and exposes a character’s foolishness.

Example of Malapropism

“He’s the pineapple of politeness!”

Invective

Harsh, insulting, abusive language; effect: strengthens harsh/judgmental (Juvenalian) satire.

Example of Invective

Calling greedy corporate leaders “parasites feeding on society.”

Caricature

Exaggerating physical or personality traits; effect: makes flaws obvious and humorous.

Example of Caricature

A politician drawn with an impossibly huge mouth to show they talk too much.

Burlesque

Exaggerating by treating serious subjects trivially or trivial subjects seriously; effect: reveals misplaced priorities or hypocrisy.

Example of Burlesque

Writing an epic poem about doing laundry as if it's a heroic quest.

Reversal

Presenting the opposite of the expected order (roles, hierarchies); effect: exposes absurdity in normal structures.

Example of Reversal

Children making all the household rules while parents obey.

Understatement

Downplaying something important; effect: emphasizes seriousness or creates dry humor.

Example of Understatement

Calling a hurricane “a little rainstorm.”

Travesty

Crude, grotesque imitation of a serious subject; effect: makes the original seem ridiculous or foolish.

Example of Travesty

Turning a courtroom trial into a chaotic clown performance.

Juxtaposition

Placing contrasting ideas or images side by side; effect: highlights differences or contradictions.

Example of Juxtaposition

A luxury car ad appearing next to an article about homelessness.

Analogy

Comparing two unlike things to explain an idea; effect: exposes faulty logic or clarifies absurdity.

Example of Analogy

“Running this school is like herding caffeinated squirrels.”

Hyperbole

Extreme exaggeration used for humor or emphasis; effect: makes flaws unavoidable or ridiculous.

Example of Hyperbole

“This assignment will take me a thousand years to finish!”

Satirical Précis

A concise paragraph summarizing a satirical text (author, claim, techniques, purpose, tone, audience); effect: helps analyze how and why satire works.