Literary Devices

Satire, Irony & Humor

Style
• The manner of expression of a particular writer,
• produced by choice of words,
• grammatical structures,
• use of literary devices,
• Some general styles might include
• scientific
• Ornate
• plain
• emotive
 Formal vs. Informal major
Vocabulary: categories ofVocabulary
style. :
sophisticated; business-like simple; slang; dialogue

Organization of text:
Organization of text – more
structured; perhaps with so narrative or note-like
subtopics
Audience – usually personal
Audience – professional
Sentences –mostly simple or
compound sentences
Sentences: structure varies
(s/cd/cx)
 Style: Formal vs. Informal
Formal:
Dear Sir,
After examining your job description, I feel I am an excellent
candidate. I have many years of experience performing these
specific duties. My résumé is attached. Please read it over at your
convenience and contact me if you have questions.

Sincerely,
Andrew Meyer

Informal:
Hey, Sara! What's going on tonight? Call me before you guys
leave, okay?
--Beth
Formal vs. Informal Style:

• 1. Which of the following should NOT use formal language?

• a) Advice to a close friend
• b) A letter to the local paper
• c) A speech to teachers or parents
• d) A newspaper article aimed at adults
• 
• 2. Which of the following would you NOT write using informal language?
• a) A letter to a friend
• b) An essay about a Shakespeare play
• c) A talk aimed at students your own age or younger
• d) A diary entry
• e) A story written from the point of view of a character (in the first person)
 Tone…
• The writer's attitude toward his readers and his subject;
• his mood or moral view!
• Tone and style can both be used to convey an attitude.
• Tone must be inferred through the use of descriptive words.
 Which tone is represented in the following line? 
• Wow! With a top speed of one hundred fifty miles per hour, that car can almost
fly!
• A. Calm B. Annoyed C. Scary D. Excited
• 2-Which tone is represented in the following line? 
• She delicately placed the cooing baby on a soft, freshly cleaned blanket.
• A. Calm B. Annoyed C. Scary D. Excited
• 3-Which tone is represented in the following? 
• As that hurricane threatened, the wind's blast caused angry fifteen-foot waves
to crash over the small houses near the shore.
• A. Calm B. Annoyed C. Scary D. Excited
• 4-Which tone is represented in the following? 
• Ugh! Do I really have to sit through another boring lecture on data entry again?
• A. Calm B. Annoyed C. Scary D. Excited
• "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in
possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
• A. Satiric B. Scornful C. Reproachful D. Weary
“This is one of the best essays I’ve ever seen. It’s clear, concise, and
convincing”
A. Ironic B. Sarcastic C. Complimentary D. Humorous
8-Which tone is represented in the following?
“Did you see what he just did? My goodness!”
A. Satiric B. Sarcastic C. Reproachful D. Surprised
9-Which tone is represented in the following?
“A teacher talks to her student: “Mr. Ali, since you obviously appear to
know everything, would you like to come up here and teach this class
for me?
A. Satiric B. Sarcastic C. Ironic D. Humorous
Satire
• a literary genre that uses irony, wit, and sometimes sarcasm to
expose humanity’s vices and weaknesses, prompting reform
through ridicule.

• Implies the desire of the satirist to instruct his readers by

setting moral standards to reform social conduct, or criticizing
everything in human nature that he finds distasteful.

• While some writers use a serious tone to persuade their

audiences to accept their perspective, most writers specifically
use humor to convey a serious message.
• If voting changed anything, they would make it illegal.
• (sarcasm to undermine democracy.)
• Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a
bad reputation.
• (exaggeration to highlight the vices of politicians.)
• When I was a boy, I was told that anybody could become
President. Now I'm beginning to believe it.
• (humor to allude that the current President has no talent.)

• (irony to attack the idea of censorship)

 The necessary ingredients
• Humor
• Criticism,
• either general criticism of humanity or human nature or
specific criticism of an individual or group.
• Some kind of moral voice: mocking or criticism is not “satire.”
• Sarcasm is not a manner in which satire is presented as it
is usually spiteful
• Satirists frequently use
• Exaggeration [ caricature ]
• Incongruity
• Parody
• Reversal
• Humor
• Sarcasm
• Irony
 Exaggeration

• To enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond

normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its
faults can be seen.
• Representation of something as better or worse than it
really is…
• Stretches the truth….
• I have told you a million times..
• The baby cries all night…he never sleeps
• making a mountain out of a molehill.
Caricature
Caricature is the exaggeration of a physical feature or
trait. Cartoons, provide extensive examples of caricature.

a character who should use

formal, intelligent language
speaks like a fool.
 Incongruity
• To present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its
surroundings.
Parody
• a kind of comedy that imitates and mocks individuals or a piece
of work, it makes satire more effective.
• appeals to the reader’s sense of humor.
• the writer poking fun at the set of ideals of society and become
aware of the lighter side of an otherwise serious issue.
 Reversal
To present the opposite of the normal order.

• focus on the order of events

• serving dessert before the
main dish
• breakfast for dinner
• focus on hierarchical order
• a young child making family
decisions
• an administrative assistant
dictating what the company
president decides and does
 Sarcasm

• Intentional mockery, directed at another person and intended to

hurt.
• Greek word meaning “to tear flesh like dogs”
• and signifies a cutting remark.
• involves obvious, verbal irony, achieving its effect by stating the
opposite to increase the insult
 Humor
• Humor is an integral part of our everyday interactions, whether we’re
trying to go through a bookstore or make conversation at our favorite
coffee shop
• Our natural desire to laugh motivates us to share funny YouTube videos and
respond to text messages with an LOL or the iconic smiley face.
 Irony
• irony (n.) - incongruity between what is expected
and what actually occurs;
• often indirect contradiction between the surface
meaning and the underlying meaning.
• The use of a word or phrase to mean the exact
opposite of its literal or expressed meaning.
• is the discrepancy between
• what is said and what is meant,
• what is said and what is done,
• what is expected or intended and what happens,
Types of Irony
 Verbal Irony
• occurs when a speaker or narrator says one thing while
meaning the opposite…
• crudest form _ sarcasm,
• In conversation, the speaker intends to be understood as meaning something
that contrasts with the literal or usual meaning of what he says.
• It is easy to stop smoking. I’ve done it many times.
• “I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception.”
• That is just what I needed. (i.e., It isn't.)
• I am so glad it has started raining. (i.e., I'm not.)
• Mother comes into the TV room and discovers her 11-year-old watching
South Park instead of doing his homework, as he was set to a dozen minutes
ago. Pointing to the screen she says, "Don't let me tempt you from your
duties, kiddo, but when you're finished with your serious studies there,
maybe we could take some time out for recreation and do a little math."
 Situational Irony
• occurs when a situation turns out differently from what one
would normally expect –
• Example:
• You wash your car and it rains.
• A deep sea diver drowning in a bathtub.
• An ambulance driver goes to a night-time bike accident scene
and runs over the accident victim because the victim has
crawled to the center of the road with his bike.
• Ali arrived late to chair a town-planning meeting due to the
roads being grid locked with traffic.
 Dramatic Irony
• occurs when a character or speaker says or does
something that has a different meaning for the reader
than they do for the characters.
• “a detective does not know that the criminal responsible
for the crimes in the city is his partner”.
• The audience however is already aware of this fact and
waits anxiously to know what will happen once the
character finds out what they already know.
• In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Romeo finds
Juliet in a drugged state and he thinks she is dead. He kills
himself. When Juliet wakes up she finds Romeo dead and
kills herself.
 Identify the irony type
  Verbal - Dramatic –Situational irony

1. In real life, an ambulance comes to a woman' s house to take her to the

hospital, hopefully to save her life. On the way to the hospital the
ambulance is hit by a semi truck and everyone on board the ambulance is
killed.
• Situational irony
2. A movie you are watching shows a woman jogging in the woods. The next
scene shows a mountain lion lying in wait down the path where the woman
is jogging.
• Dramatic irony
3. In your history book, you read about a young man in the Revolutionary War
who kills a British soldier. That soldier who was killed turns out to be his
favorite cousin.
• Situational irony
4. The son of the police chief is arrested for attempted burglary.
• Situational irony
 Satire vs Irony
Satire and irony are commonly used to portray something that is contrary to
the truth, in order for this to be exposed to the general public for the purpose
of awareness and change.

• Satire is conveyed through the use of • Irony is a figure of speech,

graphic arts, a performance or literary therefore it is limited to written
text. and spoken forms.
• a literary form, can be presented as • Irony: careful play of words and
commentaries, performances, and in wit
illustrations . • a technique employed by writers
• a technique employed by writers to in satire
expose and criticize follies and • three types of irony: verbal,
shortcomings of an individual or situational and dramatic.
society
• Uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or
ridicule particularly in the context of
contemporary politics
 Practice

• When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan, all of his sh

ots initially missed the President; however, a bullet ricocheted off the bull
et-proof Presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest. Thus, a ve
hicle made to protect the President from gunfire was partially responsible
for his being shot.
• A. Dramatic irony
• B. Situational irony
• C. Verbal irony
• Ans= B
• In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus kills his own father without
realizing that the man is actually his father. This act brings
on a plague and Oedipus swears that he will murder the
man responsible; not knowing that he himself is
responsible.
• A. Dramatic irony
• B. Situational irony
• C. Verbal irony
• Ans=A
• A mean old man ate a large meal at a restaurant. The waitress
tried to provide him with excellent service, but every time she
brought him a dish, he complained. First he thought that the
soup was too cold when it was hot. Then he said that his steak
was dry and chewy, when it was moist and succulent. Then he
complained that one of her blonde hairs was in his mashed
potatoes, but the hair was actually grey like his own. She
remained patient and continued to try to help him until the end
of the meal, when he left her a quarter for a tip. She replied on
his way out, “Thank you for the generous tip, Mister.”
• A. Dramatic irony
• B. Situational irony
• C. Verbal irony
• Ans= C
• In the Truman Show, the viewer is aware that Truman is on a
television show, but Truman himself only gradually learns this.
• A. Dramatic irony
• B. Situational irony
• C. Verbal irony
• Ans= A