Thursday, September 26, 2013
Satire is a criticism of politics, movies, literature, etc. through exaggeration, reversal, incongruity, and parody. Satires have become so popular that movies and literature have created their own separate group for satires. An example of a satire is "Too Late to Apologize a Declaration." This song takes the original "Too Late to Apologize" and parodies it. They uses the chorus and the beat, but change the lyrics to follow that course of making the Declaration of Independence. This satire was addressing the issue of the Declaration. Do you think that all satires have an underling meaning of politics, or do they occasionally have a mocking underline? Are satires informational? Are there any modern satires that deal with our political issues today? Do you think that all satire are sociable acceptable, or do you think that some satires should be banned?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think that satires are used a lot to establish a mocking underline. They take what we expect and flip it on its head. I think when an author used satire in order to bring a certain issue to attention they can be considered informational. Because satires are so unexpected, there is a shock factor that will be more effective to the general public. It stays in their mind and just mulls around so that they find themselves thinking about it without realizing what is happening. I also think that because of this effect that satires have that they should not be banned from the public. Just as when one remembers that time they were scared out of their wits, they will remember the story that shocks them as opposed to the one they are expecting.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that satire can be informational; although, I believe that it is hard to get both sides of the argument from satire. Satire is usually one sided and agrees with the author's or director's point of view. Some people do not realize that something is satire unless the reader has some prior knowledge of what the satire is referring to. To some people the author's use of satire is absolutely useless because they do not link the satire with what the author is actually referring to. I agree with you that some satire can be shocking. I think that this is because the real crisis is brought to a story with a whole new light. This can help us see more clearly on the issue at hand.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think that satire is a great tool for writers and creators of all types. Satire can be used to make works creative, funny, informational, political, or even persuasive. Parodies are mostly used to create a funny aspect to something serious, or to mock something or someone. Satire takes the expected and already known and switches it up, making it unexpected, leading often times (especially in parodies) to humor. Lars and the Real Girl is a movie about a man who is not particularly social, but is very lonely, so he purchases a doll, a "sex doll," not for that purpose, but instead to give him company. He treats her like a real human being that he falls in love with. Everyone in Lars's small community must learn to accept this doll into their lives in order to help Lars, and bring him out of his shell. This is reverse satire, something is used for one specific type of pleasure, but is transformed into something that is purely innocent, bringing a different type of pleasure (happiness and friendship) to an entire community. Lars's doll is looked at no longer as just a doll, but as an actual person to everyone. All satires are put in a piece of work to bring some sort of meaning to the work, even if just to make a point or to inform the viewer.
ReplyDeleteI like the example you used. It is a very apt example for satire. In order to help one of the people in their community, they except a non living person so that the living one feels more excepted. The fact that the non living person is in fact a sex doll, that Lars uses as company instead of the intended use, only makes the story more satirical. I also agree that satire is a very useful tool, but only when one understands it. While parodies are often humorous, I think that they more often prove a point about the original story. Robin Hood Men in Tights is a parody of the original Robin Hood movie. By blowing Robin Hood's heroic out of proportion, they attest to how heroic he was during his time.
DeleteThis is a refreshment to read. It was interesting to look at a reverse satire because it made it even more unexpected. The use of the "sex doll" was not only to bring a comedic element to the story, but it is also used to convey his absolute innocence. You mentioned that Lars is not very social. Being in a constant state of loneliness, he never has an outside force to create anger, hostility, lust, or any other impure emotion. He simply wishes for company. With humans, basic needs are essential before other needs can be reached. Lars was only focused on finding a friend, so therefore, he did not feel as though he needed anything beyond that at that time. One need must be fulfilled until the nest one is desired. So with the purchase of this doll, the only intention in his mind was to have a friend. His innocent mind did not need anything else to make him happy. This satire creates a model to show purity of the mind. It goes beyond the actual story, which may seem humorous and ridiculous to the normal human being.
DeleteI believe that satire is a great tool that authors and directors use. It, often times, links many stories to what is going on in the real world or what has happened. Satires usually have a mocking underline although satire is often used in order to mock the politics in our world. Satire allows us to see situations in a whole new light than before. Often times, we see how ridiculous something is by using the same situation in a different story. Some satire pushes the boundaries set by our society. While some satire might be pushing a boundary, it allows the author or director to really shine light on his or her opinion on the matter. Satires are many times invisible to the eye unless the reader links the story to an outside matter. This gives the satire much more power. If the reader does not recognize this link, the satire is almost useless. I believe that using satire exercises our first amendment right of Freedom of Speech and Press. It is great that we can express our opinions without getting in trouble with our government.
ReplyDeleteColton, you make some great points. I agree, it is a great thing that we have the right to Freedom of Speech. Without this right, a great deal of entertainment would be gone. By being able to express our opinions and outlooks on different subjects, we are able to communicate with each other and build, learn, and grow from one another. Movies, books, articles, events, without the Freedom of Speech, we would not be privileged to any of these. With being able to express our opinions, comes the use of satire. I also agree with you, Colton; satire only serves its purpose if viewers catch that there is satire. In A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift, Swift suggests a highly inhumane and illogical proposal to resolving the famine that took place in Ireland: eat babies! Of course, he is using satire. Swift's entire essay is highly sarcastic. He is proving a point by suggesting a solution opposite of what a logical solution would be. Anyone reading this article, if they don't catch the satire, would think Swift was serious.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree with the point you made about connecting the satire to the events, and how many people, if they don't read deeply enough, don't connect the parody to the actual reference. What exactly is the boundary set by society? Boundaries seem to move with everything and every subject. But quite a few do seem to verge upon being unacceptable, such as when they parody tragic events of history.
DeleteMany satires do have an underlining political theme. Television shows such as Saturday Night Live constantly make parodies of events within our nation be they political or everyday news. But the satire in the skits of the political debates and actions that Saturday Night Live uses always has an underlying political meaning, but also during the skits that don't directly draw from political events within the nation, such as those dealing with the people, when in reality many of the problems may have come from decisions by the government. Also, many people do not always immediately recognize satire within literary works and television or movies, therefore, many people may not recognize that the authors or actors are actually making a parody of an event or simply making light of happenings around the globe. People may see them as offensive, as in "A Modest Proposal" by Jonathan Swift, if people do not recognize the satire he uses, they may actually think that he is serious in his idea to stop the famine. So, some satires that are more controversial may need to be looked over, but don't necessarily need to be banned.
ReplyDeleteSatire is a way of mocking. It is also a way of belittling a subject so that more people are able to better understand it. The ways that media uses satire varies from both sides of the spectrum. I believe that there are many times when satire is taken too far. I don't, however, think that this should be a reason to "ban" some satire. As citizens of the US, we all have the right to speak our minds and our opinions. To ban certain satire would be to strip somebody's right of speech. They legally have a creative licence to share their thoughts and show the public their view. Satire being taken far can happen in many subjects including politics, pop culture, lifestyles, and so much more. An example of Political Satire is used in the movie "The Campaign." This movie is putting a satirical twist on the components of competing in a campaign. The two candidates battle for the top and their personalities encompass all the traits of politicians put together. This is a way to show the ridiculousness that comes from the actual truth about those that run for office in our country. All examples of satire are not political. There is a widespread of the different lives that get turned into satire. Satire can be a helpful tool to connect with the public, but it can also be a dangerous tool of humility.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that there is no logical reason to ban satire pieces of work. It goes against everything that makes our country unique. It is up to the people in this country to recognize when a piece of work is poking fun or showing a reverse world. I think that it makes for a much more interesting way to get an idea to an audience. It makes the readers or viewers stop and think about what the underlying meaning is. I know you are a huge fan of Saturday Night Live and I will admit that they are probably the most watched television show on satire. They bring everyday issues to the public in ways that entertain them at the same time while making the public think.
DeleteSatire can be a very dangerous literary tool when around people who are uneducated on what it is really meaning. To those who are not familiar with satire, these methods could be considered socially unacceptable. I think that they are a great way to grab the attention of the audience. It is even better when a person is unfamiliar with satire; it allows people to understand more about writing techniques while at the same time getting across a point that is not usually seen. It provides a whole new perspective to the same daily problems whether they be political, informational, or entertainment.
ReplyDelete