Satire uses humour, especially irony and exaggeration, to criticise people, institutions or society. Dickens satirises Scrooge's greed through comic exaggeration; Austen satirises attitudes to marriage through ironic narration.
Verbal irony says the opposite of what is meant. Understatement presents something serious as minor for effect. Puns play on double meanings: “They often ‘came down’ handsomely, and Scrooge never did.”
When you analyse satire, identify the target (who or what is being criticised) and how the humour makes the criticism sharper.
Worked example
Explain the pun in “They often ‘came down’ handsomely, and Scrooge never did.”
- Weather comes down as rain or snow.
- To come down handsomely also means to pay generously.
Answer:Rain comes down generously, but Scrooge never gives money generously.
Key words
- satire
- humour used to criticise
- target
- who or what is being criticised
- pun
- a play on words with two meanings
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.9-10.5a