SATIRE

what is satire?

• a genre

• the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose & criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics & other topical issues, w/ the ultimate goal of bringing awareness to a flaw w/i a system in a humorous way

• people are generally hesitant towards change so satire attempts to bring awareness

satire approaches social/political/economic change through various steps

1. through the use of humor, it makes a complex subject approachable & understandable on a basic level w/o nuance

2. the humor takes away some of the severity of a problem & humanizes it

3. the humor opens up the subject for real discussion & possible problem solutions

rhetorical strategies

• situational irony - when the outcome of a situation is contrary to or diff from what is expected

• verbal irony - using language in an indirect & non-literal manner w/ an intended meaning that is diff from & often opposite to the literal meanings of the words

• caricature - description or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect

• understatement - the presentation of something as being smaller, worse, or less important than it actually is

• hyperbole - exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

hillary clinton thesis statement

• the author criticizes how politicians attempt to humanize themselves with excessive relatability in order to appeal to voters