Category: Satire

Pangloss was professor of metaphysico-theologico-cosmolo-niology. He proved admirably that there is no effect without a cause (Voltaire 8).

The use of satire is the key point of Voltaires success in his work. One of the first examples of satire as the possibility to introduce some philosophical ideas was the description of the professors activities. The point is that the field of his work is hard to pronounce quickly as well as to understand at the very beginning. And the idea that is offered by the professor is too simple still too educative to consider. In other words, people should better pay more attention to the essence of the idea, its core, and basis instead of thinking about the ways of how to make everything more complicated then it is now.

Come, sir, seat yourself; not only will we pay your reckoning, but we will never suffer a man as you to want money; men are only born to assist one another (Voltaire 10).

Such combination of ideas can make the reader smile or even being confused. The combination of tragic and comic theme is perfectly observed in these lines. The author describes the real challenges men face in ordinary life: on the one hand, they are usually forced to earn money and create appropriate conditions for living; and on the other hand, men do not have too many rights to control their money as well as be connected to the financial affairs which may be perfectly controlled by women.

America

A hundred times I was upon the point of killing myself; but still I loved life. This ridiculous foible is perhaps one of our most fatal characteristics (Voltaire 32).

What the author wants to disclose in this chapter is the idea of why so many unfortunate people who think about suicides a lot cannot kill themselves. The satire used in these lines underline the fact that how tragic a human life can be, a person will never agree to make it worsen being aware that no one can help him/her any more. It is an ordinary think to take a number of stupid actions without any reasons, but when the time to do something serious comes, people are too weak to sacrifice themselves in order to make the world better.

You have seventy-two quarterings, and not a farthing; it is now in your power to be wife to the greatest lord& who have very beautiful moustachios (Voltaire 34).

In this phrase, several human principles are hidden. First, it is one of the evident questions whether women have to marry because of love or because of money. It seems to be tragic to recognize that the vast majority of people are mercenary; however, it is always possible to find some pleasant aspects of the chosen principles and believe that the ideas of humanism and true feelings may be traced even while a too mercenary choice is made.

Ottoman

There is no doubt of it: but in this country it is found good, from time to time, to kill one Admiral to encourage the other (Voltaire 67).

There are a number of actions which may be characterized as both of positive and negative impact on society. The chosen citation serves as a powerful example of how the death of one person that has to be considered as a personal tragedy may become the required stimulus for more people. The question is whether it is necessary to neglect the life of one person in order to improve the conditions which other people will live under. The author criticizes still uses one human death as a means to encourage the others.

It is a chaos  a confused multitude, where everyone seeks pleasure and scarcely any one finds it, at least it appeared to me (Voltaire 76).

The peculiar feature of this idea is all about the possibility to find some kind of satisfaction in chaos. It is hard to understand how people may be happy in the chaos they create. There are so many ways to improve human life, and people cannot understand that it is still possible to live in a good and properly organized world and search for their pleasure under the most appropriate conditions. It is time to stop taking unreasonable steps and evaluate the life and human needs to realize a true worth of life.

Works Cited

Voltaire. Candide. New York: Echo Library, 2010.

Introduction

In his 18th-century work titled A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift investigates poor Irish peoples boundaries. The piece mocks financial policy-makers non-existent empathy for the economically disadvantaged populations daily issues and emotional connection to their families. Aside from culture-related themes, one aspect of the assigned reading that deserves further discussion pertains to Swifts skillful manipulation of facts to make selling poor children as food seem a righteous idea.

Discussion

Just like successful manipulative politicians, Swift carefully selects and presents facts to shift societys attention from the proposed measures ethical inappropriateness to the practical benefits that it can promote. Specifically, implementing his writing talent, Swift connects the legalization of child trade and cannibalism to the opportunity to reduce the incidence of abortions in poor households. Despite being exaggerated for a humorous effect, this example resembles the act of channeling the crowds negative attention to another unpleasant phenomenon by vilifying the latter. Politicians can actively instrumentalize it when justifying decisions that gain negative reception.

Similar to much less extreme political speeches that can be encountered today, Swifts humorous arguments for sacrificing the poors offspring are permeated with demonstrative righteousness, double standards, and incomplete logical sequences. For instance, he suggests that treating the poors children as a commodity will discourage low-income women from engaging in the heartless act of killing children born outside of marriage or adulterine bastards. At the same time, the fact that these children will still be slaughtered a bit later in life does not deserve Swifts critical remarks and gets ignored. Such decisions reveal his ability to place accents wisely and stop reviewing the proposals implications when necessary. Technically, the rich purchasing low-income children as their livestock should also be condemned for taking human lives away, but Swifts argumentation carefully avoids any negative labels for the hypothetical consumers, revealing how double standards work.

Conclusion

Overall, the essayist effectively satirizes political leaders unchanging persuasion tactics by appealing to the poors collective identity. Swifts writing mocks the act of condemning certain behaviors in one group while ignoring the same actions in a more privileged group, playing with facts, and biased evidence selection practices. From this perspective, the essay has not lost its actuality and still represents a thought-provoking piece to shed light on manipulative rhetorics.

Introduction

In his 18th-century work titled A Modest Proposal, Jonathan Swift investigates poor Irish peoples boundaries. The piece mocks financial policy-makers non-existent empathy for the economically disadvantaged populations daily issues and emotional connection to their families. Aside from culture-related themes, one aspect of the assigned reading that deserves further discussion pertains to Swifts skillful manipulation of facts to make selling poor children as food seem a righteous idea.

Discussion

Just like successful manipulative politicians, Swift carefully selects and presents facts to shift societys attention from the proposed measures ethical inappropriateness to the practical benefits that it can promote. Specifically, implementing his writing talent, Swift connects the legalization of child trade and cannibalism to the opportunity to reduce the incidence of abortions in poor households. Despite being exaggerated for a humorous effect, this example resembles the act of channeling the crowds negative attention to another unpleasant phenomenon by vilifying the latter. Politicians can actively instrumentalize it when justifying decisions that gain negative reception.

Similar to much less extreme political speeches that can be encountered today, Swifts humorous arguments for sacrificing the poors offspring are permeated with demonstrative righteousness, double standards, and incomplete logical sequences. For instance, he suggests that treating the poors children as a commodity will discourage low-income women from engaging in the heartless act of killing children born outside of marriage or adulterine bastards. At the same time, the fact that these children will still be slaughtered a bit later in life does not deserve Swifts critical remarks and gets ignored. Such decisions reveal his ability to place accents wisely and stop reviewing the proposals implications when necessary. Technically, the rich purchasing low-income children as their livestock should also be condemned for taking human lives away, but Swifts argumentation carefully avoids any negative labels for the hypothetical consumers, revealing how double standards work.

Conclusion

Overall, the essayist effectively satirizes political leaders unchanging persuasion tactics by appealing to the poors collective identity. Swifts writing mocks the act of condemning certain behaviors in one group while ignoring the same actions in a more privileged group, playing with facts, and biased evidence selection practices. From this perspective, the essay has not lost its actuality and still represents a thought-provoking piece to shed light on manipulative rhetorics.

In the changeable world of politics the words are almost always do not relate to the particular actions. In this respect on the controversies of what politics do and how they act the satirical genre appears. Political satire is the field where the concrete remarks and actions of politics are analyzed by means of humor. Satirical survey on the current policies in the country really promotes a drive for the political circles. It is seen on the example of mass media. Contemporary media generates the scope of ideas about which the publicity may think. The conclusions and the results of the political satire can greatly influence on the public opinion. This is a so-called base for debates.

Thus, the paper illuminates the themes of satire, politics, real state of social economical and political affairs etc. The concept of word freedom is especially highlighted in the discussion. This approach is strong due to the democratic position stated in the United States. However, it does not matter where the situation takes place. It is vital to appropriately react on the political contradictions if such appear in the society. This assertion is fair for further discussion which may lead to certain improvements. Stephen Colbert and his The Colbert Report are under discussion. His show is the example of how politics can be criticized if there is a ground for such intentions. He is merciless in laughing at officials. It is even seen in his speech about political satire at the White House Correspondent Dinner. At that moment being close to former president George Bush Jr. he did not hesitate to satirically comment everything done by the president. In fact, Stephen Colbert continues his show on the Comedy Central today. The audience of potential and current viewers is still growing due to the sincerity of what is depicted in it by means of satire. Such lively stories intend to get closer to serious matters which seem so funny. In turn it is a force that is able to make authority listen to the message of the reason through one or several people on the screen.

The appearance of political satire is not based on occasional grounds. There were some reasons for this new kind of arguing politics. The thing is that the mass media is all-pervading means for influencing people. This may serve politics from both good and bad perspectives for their acceptance in the society. In other words, political satirists such as Stephen Colbert and John Stewart have enough information from their own observation, so that to state about the drawbacks in the political sphere. It becomes today a new way for communication with people on various themes as of the politics. It is he approach to politics not to put blame on them due to their wrong actions and fallacies. All in all this communication is the part of political relations: As media genres become more fluid, new forms of political communication evolve and contribute to an arena in which previously unauthorized voices become participants in the debates of the day (Gray 168). This is why the new phase of providing dialogue with candidates or current politics is so important for contemporary stage in development of the United States. One may think it is unserious, and jokes will not solve the situation. However, from this side politics are known better than from pre-arranged speeches and persuasions.

Current findings show that logically people cannot say with assurance that they are quite right informed according to political issues. Decoding the news is the result of impact from the side of mainstream institutions (Willis 73). Thereupon, a conflict appears in whether or not to believe the officials in the proclamations. A mature observer would definitely notice the pieces of lies in such speeches of politics. This is why satire is one of the most applicable stylistic devices to help situation. Satire is inevitable when looking at some points of absurd and paradox which officials state at some moments. This is why news should take into consideration not only official side but an independent force in order to provide weighty arguments. Satire promotes nation-building and solidarity in assuming the steps which current state power follows. On the one hand, political shows like that of Stephen Colbert criticize the course in political relations. On the other hand, such shows correlate the necessity of choosing right way, so that not to be blamed by the society and public opinion. The analytics inform the following feature of satire in mass media: As a form of cultural bonding, satire, and its relationship to power and marginality, is particularly effective as a mode of symbolic resistance to the perceived power of the dominant other (Gray 169).

Stephen Colbert once admitted a very strict and funny remark: Im a fake candidate (And so can you!) (Gray 77). This message is for every politics in the United States. It is lack of biases and assurance in transparency of a person being elected or elected at the moment. This is why it is necessary to observe how messages of officials influence the society. To be precise, mediated political messages are at a core of discussion today. Everyone should think of the news character via TV. In most cases it promotes a desired effect of concernment. In other words, political messages tend to appeal to relevant situations and high emotions (Willis 68). Thus, an immature viewer scarcely can designate the motives of such messages and their previous background as well.

For instance, the claim of former president Bush for war in Iraq touched upon all spheres of American well-being. Unless the war started, Americans would experience the effects of 9/11,  such remark is a concise character of Bushs speech in 2003. This approach, as seen, fell into nothing but deaths of Americans in the Middle East. Looking at both reasons and arguments of the politics and then stating the outcomes of such policies, one becomes aware of the fallacy in which he/she was involved. It is a total blindness to listen to and believe such suggestions of officials. If the state power is so apt to involve society in fallacy, then the society should be more aggressive in criticizing the way of such reforms. Satire is applicable in this case. Its urge is intended on demonstration of how things take place in policy and what is the real face of politics themselves (Andersen and Gray 298). Stephen Colbert in his The Colbert Report represents the model of social position in the domain of mass media. Its impact is high on resisting mediated political messages and giving them real evaluation.

Works cited

Andersen, Robin and Gray, Jonathan Alan. Battleground: the media. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008.

Gray, Jonathan, Jones, Jeffrey P., and Thompson, Ethan. Satire TV. New York: NYU Press, 2009.

Willis, William James. The media effect: How the news influences politics and government. New York: Praeger, 2007.

Bildungsroman is a German word/term which refers to a coming-of age novel. Coined by famous German philologist, Johann Carl Simon Morgenstern, the bildungsroman novel traverses the psychological, moral and social molding of the main, character/protagonist from childhood to adulthood. In most cases the impetus for such a journey is sparked by loss and discontent as well involves abrupt separation from family and familiar setting (Tennyson, 1968, pgs.135-146). Sarcastic and comic in tone with an erratic, fantastical, and fast-moving plot, Candide (1759), emblematic of this genre, was written by illustrious/prolific French Enlightenment writer, essayist, and philosopher Francois-Marie Arouet better known as Voltaire. Although comic and mordantly matter-of-fact, Voltaire uses historical events such as the 1755 Lisbon Earthquake and Seven Years War as a premise. Such events prompted Voltaire and others of his day to wrestle with the problem of evil in world. Congruent to the bildungsroman theory, Candide embarks upon a painstaking journey across three continents (Europe, South America, and Asia) engulfed with great hardships and disillusionment and discovers that the imperfections by far make this not the best of all possible worlds. Through allegory, Voltaires personal views on humanity and the world profusely permeate throughout Candide in which he conspicuously assaults armies/governments, philosophies/philosophers, and in particular hypocritical religions/ theologians via his major as well as minor characters.

Voltaire viewed organized religion as contemptible and his disdain is best expressed in his statement Ecrasons linfame, meaning We must crush the vile thing (Hersberger, 2005). The major and minor character which epitomizes his intense feelings is the Grand Inquisitor and Jacques, the Anabaptist. An official of the Catholic Church, the Grand Inquisitor is cruel, hypocritical, and deceitful, traits Voltaire felt were indicative of organized religion. Jacques the Anabaptist exudes kindness to Candide and his mentor Pangloss. Sailing with them to Lisbon, Jacques drowns in a shipwreck. A Protestant sect, the Anabaptists advocated adult baptism (complete immersion into water) and believed children could not discern between good and evil thereby making them ineligible for baptism. Radical and extreme in their belief, Voltaire felt such characteristics were negative of organized religion as well. Candides relationship with Jacques and other minor fellow travelers illustrates, however, Voltaires views/value concerning community, friendship, love as well as respect (Lawall, 2005). Emblematic of eighteenth century intellectual views on God, Candide poses many questions regarding not just Gods existence but how is it possible for evil and suffering to exist in lieu of such an omnipotent presence (Lawall, 2005). Voltaire believed that God created the world, but He also gave man free will  free will which he felt was stripped away by fanatical/fatalistic religious institutions that where violence ridden and corrupt. Brutality and human injustice made the so-called perfect world God created anything but perfect. In a perfect society/world governed by righteous/Godly men one mans heaven cannot be another mans hell. Candides statement when he and his other fellow traveler Cacambo encounter the maimed slave in Suriname attests to such  Im through, I must give up [Pangloss] optimism after all& It is a mania for saying things are well when one is in hell (Voltaire, 1950, pg. 113.). Candide/Voltaire arrives at the ultimate conclusion that only when one cultivates their own inner world/garden in harmony and peace will the world become a better place.

Autobiographical and historical in nature, it is Voltaire and his life the reader comes in contact with in Candide, thereby establishing a personal connection with him/his feelings. Life is a journey which involves physical and mental experiences. Candide speaks unique to this experience/journey, transcending time and cultural boundaries, personifying the human development/evolvement process (mental, spiritual, etc.) which is indelible and universal.

Works Cited

Hersberger, Eli. Candide and Religion. Web.

Tennyson, G. B. The Bildungsroman in Nineteenth-Century English Literature. Medieval Epic to the Epic Theater of Brecht: Essays in Comparative Literature. Ed. Rosario P. Armato and John M. Spalek. Los Angeles: U of Southern California P, 1968. 135-46.

The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Vol. 2 (8^th edition). Ed. Sarah Lawall. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2005 Voltaire [1759] (1959), p. 113.

Introduction

Satire is a literary technique that considers the use of any genre and combines sharp humor and critique of a subject to improve its meaning, making authors like Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope use satire due to many societal problems. By deftly critiquing and making light of societys concerns, they hoped to bring attention to their subjects so that they may be corrected. Popes work on The Rape of the Lock is an excellent example of a mild and humorous satire since it uses epic poetic patterns to show that society needs to change its perspective on such trivial concerns. Swifts satirical works, including A Modest Proposal, appear to be sharp and have a great impact. Both authors incorporate satire to highlight their important messages through cool savagery, wit, brilliant damaging rhymes and metaphors.

Discussion

The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope and Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift are both comedic satires, yet they are very different in tone, purpose, and style. Alexander Pope uses humor in The Rape of the Lock to evoke an off-kilter, foreboding atmosphere highlighting the absurdity of squabbling over hairstyles. In this poem, the theft of a lock is tied into a sly indictment of modern society (Pope 21). A culture where outward appearances substantially impact ones sense of self and the inconsequential are given the highest priority. The title of this satirical epic provides a clue using the word rape and all of its implications.

Alexander Popes principal focus in The Rape of the Lock is crafting a satire of upper-class life while tackling moral and political issues. Using the conventions of epic poetry, this poem shows how societys perspective on such trivial matters needs to evolve (Pope 22). Pope uses mock epic traditions to ridicule the culture of the upper class during the Restoration era. As Pope points out, the restoration society values physical beauty above brains when he writes, If belles had defects to hide, if to her portion come female errors fall (22). The author goes ahead to create mythical creatures like Nymphs to symbolize the prevailing morals of contemporary culture and serve as a reminder to the reader. The hero prays to God in epic mythology, but Belinda worships her reflection in the mirror.

The Rape of the Lock portrays the upper class as ridiculous due to their preoccupation with wealth and physical attractiveness. Pope exaggerates in this poem to demonstrate the need for elite culture to change to forgive and overlook minor transgressions. Belindas stunning beauty has led some to compare her to a deity. In the poem, he attacks the questionable notions of the Restoration eras culture while relieving pressure on women and blaming the Catholic Church (Pope 23). His poems highly depicted word rape served as a metaphor for hair theft, arguing that the wealthy place too much weight on trivial matters.

Jonathan Swift took note of the plight of the Irish people and offered suggestions for improvement. After writing several proposals that were ultimately shot down, Swift resorted to satire to shock his audience into paying attention to the subject he addressed (McBride 94). In A Modest Proposal, Swift disguised his proposal as a scientific investigation because he did not trust modern science. During the Age of Reason, when science and rational thought triumphed over romantic love, Swift creates a fictional persona, the projection, the speaker in A Modest Proposal. The projectionist is a scientist and logistician who may be a member of the recently founded Royal Society. No reasonable person would agree to the projectors modest request, which turns out to be completely ridiculous.

Swift uses the phrase of eating children as a satire for the most delightful, healthy, and wholesome ways of dealing with children, also showing his idea that the problem could be easily fixed. Swift used irony to enrage the well-to-do and the illiterate, whom he blamed for failing to distribute money throughout the Irish economy and advocating cannibalism to solve the countrys economic troubles. Despite its modest title, this answer exhibits his intelligence by making readers re-evaluate their current situation (McBride 116). The wealthy treat the poor as if they were animals, stripping them of their humanity rather than accepting responsibility for the impact of their lavish lifestyles.

Swift uses political humor to voice his thoughts, often focusing on the challenges moms face in todays world of a rising population and scarce resources. Swifts plan is a mock-serious attempt to provide a fair, low-cost, and easy solution to the problem of Irelands hungry children growing up to be good citizens and contributing members of the Commonwealth. Swift does not want the Irish to trade their children for food, but he uses the ridiculous idea to make a point (Freiburg 99). Husbands will treat their wives with more respect, and the value parents place on their children will increase beyond comprehension. He claims his plan will solve Irelands political, social, and economic problems more than any previous law.

Conclusion

Jonathan Swifts works on A Modest Proposal and Alexander Popes work on The Rape of the Lock exemplify the power of satire to capture an eras spirit. Their work highlights the urgent need for change in a society that, among other things, viewed the poor with disdain and placed a premium on superficial values like beauty and wealth. The employment of Popes epic traditions in The Rape of the Lock reveals the sarcastic goal to lampoon the aristocrats actions to draw readers attention away from more urgent societal issues. Swift similarly attacks the upper class on how politicians think just as stupidly as their own opinions, and he wants to get people to think critically.

Works Cited

Freiburg, Rudolf. Jonathan Swift, Irish Political Writings after 1725: A Modest Proposal and Other Works, by Jonathan Swift. The Scriblerian and the Kit-Cats, vol. 53, no. 1, 2020, pp. 98-101. Web.

McBride, Ian. The Politics of a Modest Proposal: Swift and the Irish Crisis of the Late 1720s. Past & Present, vol. 244, no. 1, 2019, pp. 89-122. Web.

Pope, Alexander, and Thomas Marc Parrott. The Rape of the Lock and Other Poems by Alexander Pope. Web.

Swift, Jonathan. A Modest Proposal and other Stories. General Press, 2018.

Introduction

The adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a controversial 19th-century humorous novel. Twain is the leading humorist whom the United States has produced in any century (Dudden, 1987, p. 38). Twain uses a variety of techniques to create a humorous atmosphere, which nevertheless hides a violent social satire. As with other works, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the author uses hoaxes and frauds to create a comic effect, but in this novel, he also portrays satire and irony to a greater extent. Thus, in the novel, these humorous elements are added to criticize society and depict the general theme of the deceiver and the deceived.

Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Satire is a common technique Twain uses in The adventures of Huckleberry Finn. notes that he was acutely aware of the equivocal social position of the humorist and its effect upon his humor (Sklar, 1970, p. 115). In the novel, Twain succeeded in expanding the scope of American humor to the whole society satire and not only using it as a way of portraying class division (Sklar, 1970). In particular, through satire, the author expresses his skeptical attitude towards humanity and its inhuman nature (as cited in Nafi & Daghamin, 2019). Thus, Twain uses a humorous mask to portray reality and simultaneously convey his attitude towards it.

The clearest examples of satire can be found in the book regarding religion and the hypocrisy that it implies. Thus, an episode of a dispute between Shepherdsons and the Grangerfords exposes Twains attitude to this aspect of society. The author notes that on Sunday, everyone went to church, but the man took their guns along& The Shepherdsons did the same (Twain, 1987, p. 139). Praying and going to church is a kind of social obligation that exists only for the external image. People discuss brotherhood and kindness, but during a dispute, they are ready to kill each other, for which they walk with weapons. Twain says that it was pretty ornery preaching  all about brotherly love, and such-like tiresomeness (Twain, 1987, p. 139). Thus, he once again emphasizes his disdain for this ritual, which in reality has no value. Twain illustrates through satire that society has lost its moral guidelines, and for the most part, they exist as useless conventions.

Another telling example of satire can be found in the first chapter of the novel when Huck mocks Miss Watson for using slavery. He says that they fetched the niggers in and had prayers, and then everybody was off to bed (Twain, 1987, p. 4). Twain emphasizes that Miss Watson strives to appear a good person by praying and believing in God, but she still practices slavery and maintains slaves in poor conditions. Thus, the author again uses satire to criticize religion, as well as in a broader sense to criticize the behavior of society. He sarcastically notes that people tend to look god-fearing and kind, when in fact, they are two-faced and hypocritical. Twain shows that this is a universal trait that is common in society and is not exclusively a characteristic of individuals.

Twain addresses the topic of slavery numerous times in his novel, for which he has often been criticized. Lester (1984) notes that the author draws a parallel between Huck, who was physically captive by his own father, and Jim, who was in actual slavery. Moreover, the author emphasizes that Jim is portrayed as a stereotypical Black who is oppressed by Whites. Lester (1984) concludes that Twain assaulted Black people and does not recognize slavery as a serious problem. However, it is possible that Twain portrays the whole story with Jim, his journey into the slavery country, and his subsequent sale into slavery as a satire on the attitude of Whites to Blacks. Probably Jim, as a gullible, silent, and loyal companion, exists in history to create a satirical motive for the entire theme of slavery. However, Jim also comes to serve an important purpose for Huck (Traber, 2000, p. 29). Through the image of Huck, Twain illustrates that a person can escape social conventions and his alliance with a fugitive slave is confirmation. Perhaps Twain, through satire and derision of social norms, illustrates the kind of social equality which can overcome racial and class differences.

Thus, religion and slavery are the main objects of the authors satirical attitude. Twain primarily uses Huck as a character capable of moral improvisation. He has to choose between saving Jim, which involves going to hell, or denouncing him, which allows him to remain a good Christian. Notably, in chapter twenty-four, it is the belief in Providence that helps Huck break social and religious norms. This aspect is the climax of the paradox and satire of the novel since Huck commits a good deed that is condemned in society. However, both Huck and society are guided by the same thing  religion. Twain exposes the hypocrisy of people who determine the social norm according to their own convenience and benefit, considering truly moral actions against the norm.

Irony in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

In contrast to satire, which is evident in derision, irony is a more complex technique that Twain uses throughout the book and reveals only at the very end. Kaufmann (1987) notes that in chapter thirty-one Twain in effect forces the reader to trade places with Huck, to become the satiric protagonist (p. 73). The greatest irony of the work is that the protagonist is a liar, and the whole story is a satirical deception. Hucks dramatic dilemma at the end, when he needs to make a moral decision, is the main lie that Twain presents to the reader.

It may seem that the main conflict of the novel lies precisely in the transformation of Hucks thinking and his departure from the framework of social conventions. Indeed, Huck says in chapter ten: I made Jim lay down in the canoe and cover up with a quilt because if he set up people could tell he was a nigger a good ways off  (Twain, 1987, p. 65). This example shows that at the beginning of the book Huck is an adherent of stereotypes accepted in society and is sure that Blacks are fundamentally different from Whites. Towards the end of the book, he still believes in God and his punishment but oversteps his convictions to save Jim. However, everything is a lie, which Twain himself hints at the beginning of the book, indicating: I never seen anybody but lied (Twain, 1987, p. 1). Thus, the irony of the book lies in the illusory perception and unreliability of Huck as a narrator.

Twain presents the reader with a moral dilemma that Huck himself is not in. When Huck decides what to do, he already knows that Jim is free. Thus, he is deceiving himself, but he is also aware of this fact (Marks, 1982). Therefore, the climax of the story in the form of a moral dilemma is absurd because it does not exist, and this is the central irony. The reader initially experiences emotional joy at Hucks decision, but then, during the twelve-chapter protracted end of the book, he or she realizes that he has been deceived. Barksdale (1984) suggests that the main irony of the novel is that two boys of different races needed to escape civilization in order to become friends and gain racial and class equality. However, Twain offers to look at it differently, portraying transformation as a lie, which suggests his skepticism about possible change. Irony helps Twain to emphasize to a greater extent the depth of the moral imperfection of society, which is deeply rooted in the minds of people.

Frauds in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Since the irony of the novel lies in deception, the plot contains many episodes of fraud, which also represent the humorous character of the book. The King and the Duke are the most prominent examples of fraud depicted by Twain. The author shows how their scams illustrate the victims willingness to be deceived and the fraudsters to deceive in their interaction. Huck and the King, on their way to Cincinnati, met a young man who told them about the death of Peter Wilks. Huck notes that the King went on asking questions till he just fairly emptied that young fellow (Twain, 1987, p. 205). The King and the Duke pretend to be Wilks brothers who are so confident, despite the fact that they only know about the brothers from the words of a young man.

Huck is fine with this state of affairs since the King and the Duke do not cause problems, despite the fact that soon all their deceptions are revealed. Huck knows from the start that the couple is a fraud and notes: It didnt take me long to make up my mind that these liars warnt no kings nor dukes at all (Twain, 1987, p. 159). They will soon become the reason for Jims sale into slavery and Hucks moral dilemma. However, deceivers and frauds are an integral part of the novel, as they add comic effect and illustrate Twains satirical attitude towards society as gullible and careless.

Hoaxes and Pranks in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Twain uses several hoaxes throughout the story, which makes a comic effect. For example, Huck tries to convince Jim that he was on the raft with him the whole time. He says: I havent seen no fog, nor no islands, nor no troubles, nor nothing. I been setting here talking with you all night till you went to sleep about ten minutes ago, and I reckon I done the same (Twain, 1987, p. 107). However, Jim didnt believe Huck and his trick made him upset. Huck felt guilty and later said, I didnt do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldnt do that one if Id a knew it would make him feel that way (Twain, 1987, p. 108). Hoax, in this case, is unusual, as Twain punishes Huck, who wanted to trick Jim. Probably, this outcome is an indicator of the friendship between Jim and Huck, which is what the author wanted to show. Additionally, Twain stresses that Jim cannot be tricked by Huck since they are outside of society.

Conclusion

Mark Twain is adept at using comic elements to create satire and irony. However, even the images of fraud and hoaxes imply a general theme of constant deception, forming Twains Trickster humor (Bercovitch, 1999, p. 25). The irony of the book lies in deceiving the reader since the main character is a liar. Additionally, Twain criticizes society for how trusting and sometimes overly gullible it is. Humorous techniques turn the book and the events described in it into absurdity, through which the author discusses serious topics. However, it also seems to him that change in such a society is impossible since it is filled with fools.

References

Barksdale, R. K. (1984). History, slavery, and thematic irony in Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain Journal, 22(2), 17-20. Web.

Berkovitch, S. (1999). Whats funny about Huckleberry Finn. New England Review, 20(10), 8-28. Web.

Dubben, A.P. (1987). American Humor. Oxford University Press.

Kaufmann, D. (1987). Satiric deceit in the ending of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Studies in the Novel, 19(1), 66-78. Web.

Lester, J. (1984). Morality and adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain Journal, 22(2), 43-46. Web.

Marks, B. A. (1982). The making of a humorist: The narrative strategy of Huckleberry Finn. The Journal of Narrative Technique, 12(2), 139-145. Web.

Nafi, J., & Daghamin, R. (2019). Twains handling of humor and satire in his novel The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn. Journal of English Language and Literature, 7(5), 33-47. Web.

Sklar, R. (1970). Humor in America. The New Zeland Journal of History, 4(2), 107-119. Web.

Traber, D. S. (2000). Hegemony and the politics of Twains protagonist/narrator division in Huckleberry Finn. South Central Review, 17(2), 24-46. Web.

Twain, M. (1987). The adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Scholastic.

Examples of artists using the tools of visual media to comment on the current state of affairs in their communities can be found both today and in past centuries. To demonstrate the use of satire in the visual arts through time, I chose The Family of Charles IV, painted by Francisco de Goya. This is a Romantic era canvas of heroic size dating from 1800-1801, commissioned by Charles IV (Goya). The second work I chose is entitled Flag, or sometimes, Tesco Bag Flag Tesco Generation (Banksy).

This guerilla piece is attributed to the post-modern street artist known as Banksy (Banksy) and surmised to have been created in 2008. At first glance, these two works could not seem more different. Goya painted the royal family of Spain using oil paint on a 110 ½ X 123 ¼ canvas (Goya.net).

Banksy used spray paint, what appear to be stencils, and possibly additional mixed media on an exterior wall in London, for his creation (Franklin). Both works, however, communicate an unrest and dissatisfaction with the government and culture of their times. I chose them both because they satirize the state of affairs at the time of their creation, and because even across a span of 200 years, their messages of skepticism are so remarkably similar.

Goya reveals himself to be a crafty mastermind when it came to expressing his political opinions. While the picture seems at first glance to be merely a court painting, he manages to make the royal family seem a bit odd. This impression does not arise merely from the fact that that the studies for each individual portrait appear to have been created at different times and perhaps in different places.

The very structure of the group seems to convey a variety of messages. In the portrait you see that there is not an obvious hierarchical structure reflecting the rank of the subjects. There is not, for example, the king enthroned with his family below him. Instead, family members appear to be just milling about the room absent-mindedly while only incidentally getting their portraits painted.

The queen is more centrally located than the king, suggesting that her role is as important, or more so than the kings. This suggests that the accepted order of things is not always as it seems.

Another indication of Goyas lack of respect for the royal family appears in his treatment of their personal appearance. This artist does not indulge in the 19^th century equivalent of photo-shopping. Instead, Goya clearly paints the queens double chin and her heavy arms. He does not soften her hooked nose either. In this way he makes her seem particularly human and even similar to the wife of a tradesman. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the weakness of the claim of divine right.

The figure assumed to be Charless sons fiancée is not even looking in the direction of the viewer. This allows the viewer to infer that the identity of whichever fortunate young lady fulfills the role of his wife is not really all that important. Goya also painted most of the ladies in matching sashes, suggesting that they are all interchangeable. Although 1800 is very early for such feminist commentary, it strikes a modern viewer.

For a royal family portrait Goya did almost everything one could do at that time to make a mockery of it. Theopile Gautier, a French philosopher of his era, described them looking like the corner baker and his wife after they have won the lottery. (Licht) This refers to the gaudy gold lace on their dresses, and their awkwardness. Although, Goya was well-known, and admired by the court, he clearly did not reciprocate the feeling, and was not afraid to show the royal family as human, and fallible.

Banksy uses anonymity and non-institutional street art to accomplish his satirical commentary on contemporary life. There is no confirmed information on Banksys actual identity, date, and place of birth. Additionally, he often produces his art works secretly, and frequently in direct breach of municipal laws and institutional rules, sometimes implementing what Valesi terms museum interventions (Valesi, Marco).

Thus, the exact date of the work known as Flag is unknown, but can be inferred to fall between Banksys first appearance as a street or graffiti artist in 1992, and the present day. The press took note in 2008 when it is reported to have appeared overnight on Essex Street, one of Islingtons smaller byways, in the north of London (Franklin).

In Flag Banksy takes a seemingly innocent and traditional display of saluting the flag and replaces it with the truer, less acknowledged thing that people are loyal to. In placing a Tesco bag at the top of the flagpole, he is suggesting that money and consumption of products and resources are that which modern people in the western world revere.

The scene could be in any school yard. The stenciled children surrounding the flag appear as copied/blown figures from a 1950s childrens book. However, The Tesco bag replacing the British flag provides delicious contrast. Tesco is the British version of Wal-Mart. Located everywhere, although nicer than Wal-Mart, Tesco is known for their emphasis on high volume and low cost. Many fear this is leading to the Americanization of Britain.

In juxtaposing the scene of flag reverence with the shopping bag, Banksy questions whether we as a culture are teaching our children to respect and consume responsibly. The Telegraph inferred that Bansky was critiquing the use and abuse of plastic grocery bags. This seems too limited. He is critiquing the worship of materialism today. The clear, almost religious, devotion that you can see in the posture of the children is reminiscent of Sunday school texts from the 1950s.

The flag is arranged such that the stripes echo the stripes of the American flag, which offers a wry nod to the Americanization process that so many Britons decry. The pole appears to be some sort of utility pipe, perhaps protecting some wires or cables.

Banksy has used what is there, what is available without renting the space or stretching a canvas, to create the illusion of a flag raising and reverencing scene that actually has a sense of depth. This is another satirical jab, since one of the objections to giant retailers such as Wal-mart and Tesco is that they are not genuine parts of the community.

These works are similar in that both artists take a traditional scene and change it enough to make a powerful statement about the reality of the times in which they are living and working. Although these two works are 200 years apart the message of discontent with the way governments and populations behave is strong. Goya and Banksy have more in common than one would think. In many respects, these two works they are constructed and executed in exactly the opposite manner.

Goya took over a year to complete all the technical aspects of a giant, multi-subject oil portrait. Banksy probably spent about half of an hour painting, although stencils can be time consuming. The fact that they are so different in materials, setting, and execution, but so similarly satirical of the powers of their day is what shows that these two artists share more than they differ.

Works Cited

Banksy. Flag/Tesco Bag. 2008. Stencil and mixed media. Site installation, Essex Road. Islington.

Franklin, Katy. Banksy backs ban on plastic bags. Telegraph. 2008.

Goya, Francisco. The Family of Charles IV. 1800. Oil on canvas. Museo del Prado, Madrid.

Goya.net. The Family of Charles IV. goya.net. 2014.

Licht, Fred. Goyas portrait of the Royal Family. The Art Bulletin 49.2 (1967): 127-128. 2014.

Valesi, Marco. Topsy-Turvy-Tricksy&Banksy! On the Waterfront. Revistes Catalanes amb Accés Obert (RACO). 2014: n.p.

Introduction

Satire is a way of carrying out a specific task used by writers to uncover and condemn the inanity and wrongdoing of an individual or a society by applying comedy, mockery, overstatement, or sarcasm. A person, country, or, surprisingly, the whole world could be aimed in the form of satire by a writer.

The Role of Mockery in Satire

Traditionally, satire is a humorous section of writing that forms the enjoyment of an individual or a society to reveal its ignorance and imperfection. Satire’s job is to mock or attack those wrongdoings in society, which the writer contemplates as a warning to sophistication. The purpose of satire is not to create laughter towards people or ideas; it aims to inform society and to change their judgment regarding the succeeding dishonesty or surroundings. The most effective form of satire is the usage of mockery, making fun of and showing contemptuous language directed at a specific person or thing.

Mockery is applied in most elements of satire because it tends to create further enjoyment for the audience. Throughout a piece of satire, mockery is generally used to mock or make fun of something. While people read or watch a piece of satire, it is more enjoyable to view when someone is being made fun of. For example, The Simpsons 3 a.m. parody Donald Trump; mockery is constructed in this piece by making fun of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. In this video, you can see how mockery is being used because watching this will make you laugh. Mockery is intending to mock or make fun of someone, which this video does very well.

Not only is mockery used in films or videos, but it is additionally applied in cartoons. In this cartoon, there is a sign that says, “Caution children playing.” This sign declaims the opposing view of what the children are actually doing. It conveys how the kids are on their phones or electronic devices, not playing or interacting with one another. This relates to today’s society because kids nowadays are always on their phones. Kids would rather be on their phones than hanging out with friends. This is an example of mockery because it is making fun of today’s generation and how kids cannot stay off of their phones.

Mockery is also used in the novel Huckleberry Finn; the characters do not mock or make fun of this topic. Religion is being made fun of and mocked in this novel, even though the characters do not mention anything about it. The author implies that religion is being made fun of. In the first chapter of this novel, it states, “Now she had got a start, and she went on and told me all about the good place. She said all abody would have to do there was to go around all day long with a harp and sing, forever and ever.

So, I didn’t think much of it. But I never said so. I asked her if she reckoned Tom Sawyer would go there, and she said not by a considerable sight. I was glad about that because I wanted him and me to be together.” – The Huckleberry Finn, page 3. Twain shows how he does not like the proposal of heaven and communicates how the common person would think it was boring. This also shows how judgemental people can behave.

Authors often use irony as a satirical device. Irony is a literary device in which there is an incongruence in discordance between what one says or does and what one means or what is generally understood. Swift uses vast amounts of irony throughout his writing called A Modest Proposal. When Swift is talking about his proposal

Conclusion

In the Modest Proposal, mockery is used to mock a person. For example, “For first, as I have already observed, it would greatly lessen the number of papists, with whom we are yearly overrun, being the principal breeders of the nation as well as our dangerous enemies…” The author, Swift, is writing in the voice of an extreme, bigoted English Protestant in order to mock such a person. He reveals the stereotype that the Irish make a lot of babies by calling them “principal breeders.”

Introduction

Satire is regarded as an effective way to understand society and reveal its values. Satire can have a good effect when it comes to politics, but there can be some bad as well. Satire establishes it can be necessary for an excellent society to hold those in power publicly accountable. It is a vital picture of our freedom to conflict, know who our best satirists are, and listen to what they have to say carefully. Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and Comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is the #1 late-night show.

Body

Political Accountability Through Satire

Colbert talks with a diverse guest about what is new and relevant in the world of politics. The incongruity theory suggests that humor arises when things that do not usually go together replace logic and familiarity. Whether or not we agree with Colbert’s politics, his influence is a cue of the critical function of satire in public discourse.

Stephen Colbert’s comic voices have influenced the outlines of modern American media and politics in astonishing ways. Comedy programs like The Daily Show and Comedy Central, appearances on CNN’s Crossfire, Fox News’s The O’Reilly Factor, and even at college commencement ceremonies, their dialogs have permeated local and national arenas. Stephen Colbert’s speech at the 2006 White House Correspondent’s Dinner was viewed over 2.7 million times within its first two days on YouTube and was the number one downloaded item on iTunes.The Daily Show with Jon Stewart has a critical positive impact on political participation among the American people, and Comedy plays a big part in politics.

Unmasking Societal Issues and Hypocrisies

Stephen Colbert uses parodic polyglossia in much the same way, but with some slight differences, on his nightly television show, The Colbert Report. On a popular segment of the show called The Word, he split the television screen into two and compared his vocal comic persona on the left side of the screen against written statements on the right. Colbert reports: ‘You know folks, when I look back to the months leading up to our invasion of Iraq, one thing is clear…it seemed inevitable, thanks in no small part to the news media’s crack reporting’ (the words ‘On Crack’ then appear to the right of Colbert; Colbert, 2007a). Colbert uses Comedy to bring humor to a serious matter; people use laughter as a disguise. Colbert appropriates the form of CNN-style newsmaking (e.g., the use of scrolling sentences across the bottom of the screen), comparing two voices (in this case, the oral against the written) to chastise the mainstream media for its complicity in the government’s deliberations leading up to the Iraq war.

His likeability and charm have always characterized Colbert’s satire, but he has undoubtedly still been capable of really sharp moments–especially when he blasted then-President George W. Bush at the 2006 White House Correspondents Association Dinner. He was feet away from the President, and Colbert delivered a cutting speech insulting the President’s policies. He wanted Bush to pay no attention to his drooping approval rating, and reality has a well-known liberal bias. Whether we agree with Colbert’s politics, his influence is a reminder of the critical function of satire in public discourse. Colbert makes a mockery of something that needed to be mocked and helps shed light on a genuine enemy of free democracy. It helps to bring the political issues to light but uses humor to do it peacefully.

Colbert performs other characters to create multivoiced insights about American media and politics. Colbert plays several different characters in a segment where he visits Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Over the campus loudspeaker, Colbert broadcasts, ‘Students, this is your founder, John F. Kennedy; please report to the auditorium immediately’ (Colbert, 2006a). With a voice-over, Colbert then narrates to his television audience, ‘Time for Politics 101 with Professor Doctor Stephen T. Colbert.’ Colbert saw standing in front of the Kennedy school’s entire student body, wearing a red bowtie and tweed jacket.

Satire’s Influence on Political Participation

Russell Peterson describes the use of late-night TV show hosts’ satire when talking about politics and what people are genuinely laughing about the issues. ‘Losing Our Religion’ by Russell L. Peterson shows his view on how he feels about the political system itself losing its religion as that people do not care anymore about what they say or morals. Peterson believed that Christianity had done two things: it has developed the most explicit doctrine of good versus evil, and it has developed the most explicit and articulated doctrine of logos. Peterson states that he strives to live as if God exists when asking him about his religion. Peterson explains how, though democracy is a good idea, it does not work because that is why we find these comedians so funny; they are speaking the truth.

Peterson believes that more people listen to comedians because they say the same thing news anchors do but in a more humorous way. Peterson believes that people know that they should be more interested and involved in current events and not what people are wearing but their views on religion and politics. People shy away from talking about politics in general and religion. Politics and religion are something that people hate to talk about because they know no matter how worked up one gets, there is not much to be done about it in this democratic nation in which we live. They forced us to choose between two bad candidates, and whichever one is not the worst will win.

Politics, as well as religion, have changed so much over the years. People are starting to pay more attention to what is new in Hollywood rather than who is controlling our nation. People are no longer watching the news because it is not entertaining. Why watch something boring when we can watch something humorous and learn the same information regardless? No matter the source, the information is going to be twisted, and Americans know that. Peterson points out that the late-night hosts do not just pick fun at the political candidates and the decisions they make, but they make fun of democracy itself and declare that it is all just a sham. In a country where we are proud to call ourselves run by the people, it is hard to believe that people are not running the country at all.

Conclusion

Satire is known as an effective way to understand our society, and it reveals the values of society. We can focus on the real issues at hand but in a more fun way. Colbert’s influence is a reminder of the critical function of satire in public discourse. People are willing to laugh, and that is power. Satire can vary in its quality, but the best satire has a definite point to make. It is not merely destructive but constructive. Peterson believes that more people listen to comedians because they say the same thing news anchors do, but more humorously, he and Colbert have the same style and agree with their style.

The term humor refers to a quality of action, speech, or writing that excites amusement. Humor takes up specific topics and actions and focuses on certain social issues. Incongruity is an astonishing relationship between two things thought to be disparate, a difference between what one expects and what one gets, and a lack of consistency and harmony. Incongruity fits here well; it allows for the possibility that by placing two disparate ideas in conversation, new aspects of both come to light, and humor can be used to provoke thought.

Work Cited

1. A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction: Jon Stewart and …. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10417940 802428212
2. Boler, M. (2006). The Daily Show, Crossfire, and the will to truth. Scan, pp. 3, 1–8.
3. Cohen, N. (2006, May 22). That after-dinner speech remains a favorite dish. Washington Post. Retrieved March 20, 2007, from
   https://glazer-dasinger.weebly.com/political-beliefs-and-behaviors/russell-peterson-from-strange-bedfellows
4. ‘Stephen Colbert’ The Importance of Satire – Christ …. https://christandpopculture.com/stephen-colbert-importance-satire/
   The Late Show, Stephen Colbert – CBS All Access. https://www.cbs.com/shows/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert/