Satire: Twain

• LA 12.2.1.b Generate a draft that interprets complex ideas, raises relevant questions, solves problems, or evaluates ideas through synthesis, analysis, reflection, and use of effective organizational patterns that are appropriate to the purpose and intended audience
• LA 12.2.1.d Applying standard rules of sentence formation, including parallel structure and subordination
• *LA 12.2.1.e Revise writing for format and conventions (e.g., spelling, capitalization, grammar, punctuation)
• *12.2.2.a Communicate information and ideas effective in analytic, argumentative, descriptive, informative, narrative, poetic, and reflective modes to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats

Students will be able to:

• Cite specific and relevant evidence from Twain's essay "Advice to Youth" when responding to text-dependent questions.

• Determine the meaning of selected words from Twain's essay.

• Recognize elements of satire, and use of irony and exaggeration to achieve humor in Twain's essay.

• Interpret Twain's use of satire, irony, and exaggeration throughout his essay and their role in the text.

• Determine what advice Twain gives to the youth throughout his satire.

• Make a claim about the relevance of Twain's advice to today's youth, support the claim(s) using relevant ideas and textual evidence from Twain's essay, as well as use of appropriate transitions to connect claims, reasons, and evidence, and provide an appropriate conclusion that supports the argument.

Definitions of Satire

• “Satire is a sort of glass wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own, which is the chief reason so few are offended by it.” (-18th c.Anglo-Irish satirist Jonathan Swift)

• "Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in which vices, foolish practices and ideas, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually meant to be humorous, its greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as a weapon and as a tool to draw attention to both particular and wider issues in society." (wikipedia).

• "The goal of satire is to improve humanity by criticizing its foolish practices and ideas... In addition, writers or artists using satire hope that those he/she criticizes will improve their characters by overcoming their weaknesses." (litsources.net)

Historical Context

This satire by Mark Twain was published in 1882 – well over a century ago. He was one of America's great humorists and social critics. In "Advice to Youth," a talk he delivered to a group of young girls, Twain flips the conventional moral lecture. He wrote this with the intent to be sarcastic and ironic.

Close Analysis

*skim the pages of the Bedford text over "Close Analysis" to review what this means.

You will be digging deeper into Twain's essay in this activity and analyzing different sections, a chunk at a time.

Consider the following annotating methods:

• Read the chunk once and make notes to answer these questions about that chunk:

  • What is Twain critiquing about society or the behaviors of people in it?

  • In what ways does he want society and the people in it to improve their behaviors?

• Read the chunk again to make notes to answer this question:

  • What advice does Twain give to the youth in this chunk?

• Read the chunk a final time to make notes to answer these questions:

  • How does Twain use language to create humor?

  • How does Twain use irony and exaggeration to reveal his advice?

Guiding Questions:

• In his satirical essay "Advice to Youth," what is Twain critiquing about society or the behaviors of people in it?

• In what ways does he want society and the people in it to improve their behaviors?

• How does Twain use language to create humor?

• How does Twain use irony and exaggeration to reveal his advice?

• What advice does Twain give to the youth throughout his essay?

• Is Twain's advice still relevant to the youth of today?

Independent Practice:

Use the vocabulary graphic organizer, text-dependent questions answers, and analysis handout to write an argumentative essay about Twain's "Advice to Youth."

1. Think about and respond briefly in writing to the following questions to stimulate thinking:

• With the criticisms Twain had about society in 1884, are those problems still a problem today? Why or why not?

• Do you agree with the advice that Twain provides throughout his essay?

• Which advice to you agree with? Why?

• Which advice to you disagree with? Why?

• Is Twain's advice valid for today’s youth? Why or why not?

2. If time, exchange ideas with a partner or small group and add notes based on this conversation.

3. Essay writing prompt:

• Mark Twain offers advice to young readers in his essay, “Advice to Youth” written in 1882. Are his critiques about society and the behaviors of people in it relevant to today's society? Is Twain’s advice relevant to today’s youth? Write an argumentative essay in which you state your claims in answer to each of these questions, making your claims and reasons clear and supporting them with appropriate and specific evidence, including evidence from Twain's essay.