Andy Ramjattan
Purpose:
Along with being its own genre, it is a literary device that criticizes political figures and events by exposing their flaws and behaviors. Typically, the function of satire is not considered egocentric (seek validation in the form of belittling the subject), but rather is more moral and altruistic in that it warns the public about prevailing conditions in the world. Authors who use satire strategically would generally be dependent on sarcasm, irony, and exaggeration. Satire makes the reader wonder what the author is thinking about, the comedic premise of the work, and the tone of the work all together to analyze what the writer is actually saying.
Authors use satire to draw attention to their work because it picks at the curiosity of the reader. It entertains audiences and cause them to think more deeply about a subject. It is often humorous, but does not have to be. There are three types of satire that can be used in specific situations. Most common in political cartoons is Horatian satire. This type of satire typically uses humor to ridicule a person or event in a comedic way. It is meant to be light-hearted and encourage change. Second is Juvenalian Satire which is much more serious than Horatian. Commonly exhibited in dystopian literature, it sounds more frustrated and is often controversial due to little or no restraint. Lastly, Mennipean critiques general systems of belief rather than a person or individual. This approach is repeatedly used in the television show South Park to ridicule topics like racism, classism, homophobia, and xenophobia. Therefore, the Menippean style often requires a greater length of work to create their point.
Steps for analysis:
a) Consider the following
Who or what is the subject of the satire? For example is it about a single person, a group of people, a value or humanity all together
What key issue about the subject is the author is trying to bring attention too?
What other literary techniques have they used to get this message across?
What is the backdoor lesson of this satire- what change does the author want to see?
b) With these questions considered, think about:
The type of satire (Horatian, Juvenalian, or Mennipean)
Decide on the meaning
Example from "The Onion" article:
“We at Johnson & Johnson have been making bath time a safe and soothing experience for far too long,” says J&J CEO William C. Weldon in the article (but not really). “Years of pampering have left our newborns helpless, feeble, and ill-equipped for the arduous road ahead. It’s time our children got the wake-up call that’s been coming to them. It’s time they cried their precious little eyes out". The result of five years of intensive research and market testing, the company's "Nothing But Tears" shampoo contains only the most abrasive of natural ingredients and is nearly impossible to rinse from a baby's screaming face. According to directions printed on the label, the bath-time product is best used with scalding hot water for optimal toughening-up of newborns.
the ONION. www.theonion.com/johnson-johnson-introduces-nothing-but-tears-shampoo-1819569996. Accessed 6 Sept. 2022.
Analysis of Passage:
Satire is meant to ridicule a certain group of people making a point to bring awareness to the problem at hand. Coincidentally, the Onion's whole purpose is to post satirical articles. The immediate unsettledness that the reader feels for the argument in the article lets you know it is satire with the more comedic purpose. The use of the proper nouns adds to the satirical effect because it makes the argument seem legit, which is a key component to Satire. This article stabs at the societal norm of people who perhaps "over-care" for their newborn. It has been normalized to coddle your baby, not letting them do anything without you being present for 2-3 years before letting them go on some level. The article also pokes at the companies who make their products with advertisements and labels claiming that it is "tear-free" or that it is all natural. Instead of portraying the product as healthy and safe, it makes the baby cry, scalds its face, and toughens up the baby. The piece makes satirical remarks about other companies such as Fisher-Price releasing a dangerous playset disguised as "new adventure play set" which contains 85 easy-to-choke-on pieces. the Onion achieves the awareness of over-coddling your baby and the error parents make in doing so. Parent testimonials in the article state that the baby was annoying until the shampoo was used, but in reality, the shampoo is substituted for a good scolding or beating in the real world.