Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts that exposes vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings of individuals, corporations, government, or society itself into improvement. It is a way of making someone or something look ridiculous, often with the intent of exposing or shaming the perceived flaws of its targets. Satire is often humorous and uses literary techniques such as exaggeration, humor, and irony. Some key features of satire include:
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Strong irony or sarcasm: In satire, irony is militant, according to literary critic Northrop Frye. This means that the irony or sarcasm often professes to approve of (or at least accept as natural) the very things the satirist wishes to question.
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Parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre: These are all frequently used in satirical speech and writing.
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Direct or indirect: Satire can be direct or indirect. With direct satire, the narrator speaks directly to the reader. With indirect satire, the author’s intent is realized within the narrative and its story.
The purpose of satire is to leverage a critique of society in a way that’s interesting, useful, and often funny. By creating a clever or surprising storyline around a familiar topic, the writer can point out flaws and encourage change.
