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Warm-up:  Copy these notes

1. Irony: The ability to recognize irony, one of the chief elements in satire, is a sure test of intelligence and sophistication. Those who read only for literal meaning are apt to misinterpret an ironic tone. A writer’s ironic tone may seem unemotional and detached from the material, whereas he/she is more than likely disguising deeper feelings, or real outrage and moral indignation.

Among the devices writers use to achieve irony are:    1)Hyperbole: exaggeration for emphasis or humorous effect  2) Understatement: a statement that says less than is actually or literally true  3) Sarcasm: a critical, contemptuous statement expressed as verbal irony  4) Incongruity: the result of combining inappropriate or unfitting elements

In addition to “ironic,” some tone words that characterize satire are: facetious, mocking, flippant, indignant, vehement, and bitter.

2. Verisimilitude: This is the appearance or semblance of truth in literature, achieved when details, however far-fetched, give the appearance of truth and sweep the reader, for the moment at least, into an acceptance of them.

3. Structure: The organization of a satire may be carefully structured to build to a point or create suspense. It may also mimic the original in a type of satire called parody. In other words, the satirist, like all good writers, organizes in way that helps make his/her point.

4. Style: Diction: Satirists may choose words that are deliberately shocking to the reader. They may also mimic or parody the work or person being satirized.

5. Theme: The primary target of satire is a problem the writer wants the audience to recognize and/or change. The issue may be social, political, or cultural.

Classwork:  turn in Swift classwork (from last Friday) and green essay revisions), discuss expectations for synthesis prompts due tomorrow (15 minutes of group time to work on questions/citing sources); discuss Swift and what we have learned about satire; go over the steps to write a satire and begin writing

1). Choose the vice or folly

2). Choose the target audience to help create the appropriate language (rhetorical triangle)

3). Consider and choose a minimum of at least 3 of the elements that develop a satirical  writing (see satire handout for devices to use)

4). Develop at least 3 well developed paragraphs that fully address the above information where the writer would be able to complete a rhetorical analysis of your writing in addition to being able to pick out the SOAPSTone and devices used to create the satire.

5). Once complete, you will indicate the following:

~highlight/label where you have used the 3 minimum satirical devices

~Separate from the essay, identify the vice/folly used, the targeted audience  and a direct statement of your purpose.

Homework:  synthesis prompt due tomorrow (2nd checkpoint)