Exploration
Students will research and develop mini presentations on the Scientific gains, artistic gains and what the average life looked like for people during this time.
Satire
Are you familiar with satire? I bet you are. From The Daily Show to the Simpsons, satire is all around us, but why?
People have all sorts of methods for getting their message, or views out into the world. Some people like to just be straightforward and serious about it, while others like to do it just the opposite, with comic relief and support for the opposite opinion. These people choose satire. Satire has been around since the age of reason; as literacy rates were climbing, and the social barriers of the educated were also beginning to lose their rigidity, more and more people could form educated and informed opinions. And, still true today, if you have an opinion you must be heard!
Here are two examples of a modern satire-
Ebola Virus Open Letter to President Obama.
Republicans Welcome Ebola.
After reading the articles you will need to analyze and answer the following -
What is their right there claim? What is their actual claim?
What evidence/flaws do they use to support your claim?
It's important when writing satire that writers have both a detachment from the topic as well as a solution. Satire is supposed to be used to make change. This where many modern/contemporary satirists stray away from true satire. It is important that in the midst of the satire, a proposal is made about how to solve this problem. Just disparaging an element of society as ludicrous is defined as gallows humour.
People have all sorts of methods for getting their message, or views out into the world. Some people like to just be straightforward and serious about it, while others like to do it just the opposite, with comic relief and support for the opposite opinion. These people choose satire. Satire has been around since the age of reason; as literacy rates were climbing, and the social barriers of the educated were also beginning to lose their rigidity, more and more people could form educated and informed opinions. And, still true today, if you have an opinion you must be heard!
Here are two examples of a modern satire-
Ebola Virus Open Letter to President Obama.
Republicans Welcome Ebola.
After reading the articles you will need to analyze and answer the following -
What is their right there claim? What is their actual claim?
What evidence/flaws do they use to support your claim?
It's important when writing satire that writers have both a detachment from the topic as well as a solution. Satire is supposed to be used to make change. This where many modern/contemporary satirists stray away from true satire. It is important that in the midst of the satire, a proposal is made about how to solve this problem. Just disparaging an element of society as ludicrous is defined as gallows humour.
A Modest Proposal and Elements of Satire
While reading a modest proposal you should be underlining or circling elements that support Swift's claim.
Choose a partner with whom to work. Discuss each question, finding specific evidence from the text that supports your response. Write thoughtful notes on your responses and the evidence (please cite all examples by paragraph #).
After reading we are going to identify these as elements of satire. Satirists use several main elements to help them argue their claims.
Parody - imitates another work in order to make fun of it. IE The Colbert Report imitates other talk shows to ridicule them.
Irony - a gap between what speaker/writer says and what may reasonably expect. IE Not being able to find a knife in a knife factory.
Sarcasm - sneering, jesting, or mocking
Understatement - give something less than it really is. Monty Python when the knight says his leg is just a flesh wound.
Hyperbole/Overstatement - Exaggeration of the effects, idea IE In only a matter of days every person in the world will have Ebola.
Reversal - Typically roles are reversed or changed IE parents being the children, while children are in charge.
Choose a partner with whom to work. Discuss each question, finding specific evidence from the text that supports your response. Write thoughtful notes on your responses and the evidence (please cite all examples by paragraph #).
- How does Swift portray himself throughout the essay? In what places does he reveal an egotistical persona? (tone, attitude)
- How does Swift dehumanize the people in this essay? What is his purpose in doing so?
- How does Swift make himself appear to be an expert? (ethical appeal)
- Why does Swift focus on the benefits of his plan before giving us the details of it? (organization)
- What point is Swift trying to make about landlords in paragraph 12? (diction)
- What can you infer about the social and political conditions in Ireland from the essay?
- How does Swift ironically criticize Catholicism in paragraph 21?
- Paragraphs 21-28 detail the advantages of Swift’s proposal. What criticisms of society are implied in these paragraphs?
- Does Swift hold out any hope that Ireland will be able to save itself without resorting to his “modest” proposal? Hint: reread paragraphs 29-30. What does Swift really want the Irish to do?
- Reread the final paragraph. What is ironic about Swift’s comment about his own family?
After reading we are going to identify these as elements of satire. Satirists use several main elements to help them argue their claims.
Parody - imitates another work in order to make fun of it. IE The Colbert Report imitates other talk shows to ridicule them.
Irony - a gap between what speaker/writer says and what may reasonably expect. IE Not being able to find a knife in a knife factory.
Sarcasm - sneering, jesting, or mocking
Understatement - give something less than it really is. Monty Python when the knight says his leg is just a flesh wound.
Hyperbole/Overstatement - Exaggeration of the effects, idea IE In only a matter of days every person in the world will have Ebola.
Reversal - Typically roles are reversed or changed IE parents being the children, while children are in charge.