Isn’t it ironic?

1. Isn’t it ironic? Satire, Irony, Sarcasm and more fun

2. What’s the difference? • Sarcasm- often an exaggerated form of irony. It’s more obvious and meant to hurt someone • Irony- is usually directed at a situation and usually isn’t meant to hurt. Not meant to improve things, merely to observe the ridiculous situations people find themselves in • Satire- ridiculing human weakness in order to bring about change- ultimately most satire is trying to draw attention to a situation in order to bring about change

3. Satire • A literary genre that uses irony, wit, and sometimes sarcasm to mock. Often shows problems with society, sometimes hopes to change them. Common targets of satire include individuals ("personal satire"), types of people, social groups, institutions, and human nature. Like tragedy and comedy, satire is often a mode of writing introduced into various literary forms; it is only a genre when it is the governing principle of a work. Same with Irony • Two major types • Indirect- satire is communicated through characters in a situation- Ex. Huck Finn • Direct-satire is directly stated • Juvenalian- attacking, bitter, angry- Sicko • Horatian- lighthearted, intended for fun- SNL sketches. Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon

4. Common Techniques of Satire • Exaggeration- to enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond normal so that it becomes ridiculous and it’s faults can be seen • Example “chastity belt” in Men in Tights • Sub-type: Caricature- an exaggeration or distortion of an individual’s features or characteristics so extreme that the person looks ridiculous • Think Obama’s ears on political cartoons • Incongruity- presenting things out of place or absurd in relation to their surroundings • Example- combat boots on a prom queen

5. More characteristics of satire • Burlesque- imitating a serious work in a mocking way • Example- mockumentaries, The Colbert Report, South Park • Parody- a type of burlesque imitating the techniques or style of a particular work or author for comic effect, usually to ridicule or criticize the work, author or style. Can also apply to film, songs and paintings. • Example- Austin Powers, Dance Flick, Spaceballs • Reversal- the opposite of the normal way of doing things • Example- the girl rescuing the boy, Shrek

6. Basic Definition of Irony • Irony- a contradiction or incongruity between appearance/expectation and realityEvents, situations, even how something is structured can all be ironic. When used repeatedly, an ironic tone can be created.

7. Types of Irony • Verbal (rhetorical) Irony- • Most common • Meant to be an obvious discrepancy in what a speaker says and what they believe • Often they say the exact opposite of what they mean • Examples- “funny as a heart attack” • “clear as mud” “oh yeah, I had a great day”

8. Situational Irony • Created by events or situations rather than statements. • People involved may not understand the irony. • Examples- • “Gift of the Magi”, • the myth of King Midas • winning the lottery and dying the next day- a la Alanis Morisette’s “Ironic”

9. Types of Situational Irony • Dramatic Irony- when the audience knows more than the characters do • Wiley Coyote and Roadrunner • Soap operas • Tragic Irony- the consequences of the character’s ignorance is catastrophic • Hamlet’s murder of Polonius • Socratic Irony- pretending to be dumb to ask innocent questions and get your opponent to wind up agreeing with you • Used in legal-show interrogations

11. Structural Irony • Something separate from plot, but which creates a discrepancy to get audiences to question surface statements or appearances • Often done by using a naïve or unreliable narrator. Readers distrust the narrator’s perceptions • Example- • SNL sketches • Daily Show/Colbert Report • The Great Gatsby