how to make a satire essay

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Mastering the art of writing a hilariously smart and witty satirical essay – tips, tricks, and techniques.

Embarking on a literary adventure that blends cunning humor and razor-sharp wit, satirical essays offer a refreshing escape from the mundane. With their clever wordplay and sly social commentary, these essays dance on the fine line between fiction and reality, challenging readers to question the absurdities of everyday life. Join us as we traverse the labyrinthine alleys of satire and explore the art of crafting thought-provoking and laughter-inducing prose.

Armed with irony as their weapon of choice, satirical essays take aim at conventional norms and societal absurdities, armed with sharp-witted prose that slices through hypocrisy. Through exaggerated storytelling, biting sarcasm, and unexpected twists, satirists challenge established powers and traditions, urging readers to question authority and seek truth beyond superficial appearances. Prepare to navigate a literary landscape that blurs the boundaries between humor and criticism, coaxing even the most skeptical of minds to ROFL (Roll On the Floor Laughing) and ponder upon societal follies.

Beyond their comedic allure, satirical essays often possess an undercurrent of social critique, with writers using laughter as a Trojan horse to smuggle insightful observations past our defenses. Like a master puppeteer, satirical writers manipulate language, satire their weapon to reveal the hidden fault lines of society’s facade. They unmask hypocrisy, expose contradictions, and coax readers into adopting fresh perspectives. So, sharpen your wit and tighten your belts, for we are about to embark on a satirical rollercoaster that will challenge your preconceptions and ignite the flames of satire within your very soul.

Understanding Satire

Satire is a literary tool that employs humor and irony to criticize and mock various aspects of society. It offers a unique perspective on societal issues by using wit, sarcasm, and exaggeration to expose the flaws and absurdities of human behavior, institutions, and beliefs.

Satire is not meant to be taken literally, but rather as a form of social commentary. It challenges commonly accepted ideas and norms, presenting them in a way that highlights their inconsistencies and hypocrisies. Satire can be found in various forms of entertainment, including literature, film, television, and even political cartoons.

• Wit: Satire often relies on clever, quick-witted wordplay and puns to make its point. It uses language to create humorous and thought-provoking observations about society.
• Sarcasm: Satire frequently employs sarcasm to criticize and mock certain individuals, groups, or behaviors. It uses ironic statements to highlight the hypocrisy or foolishness of its targets.
• Exaggeration: Satire often relies on exaggeration to emphasize the flaws and absurdities it wishes to expose. By taking things to an extreme, it can effectively highlight the irrationality and illogicality of certain beliefs or actions.
• Social Commentary: Satire serves as a form of social commentary, providing a critical lens through which societal issues can be examined. It challenges the status quo and prompts readers to question the systems and practices they may otherwise take for granted.

Understanding satire requires a keen sense of humor and an appreciation for irony. It offers a fresh and often entertaining perspective on societal issues, encouraging readers to think critically and question the world around them. By employing various literary devices and techniques, satire challenges readers to examine their own beliefs and assumptions, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of the complexities of human nature and society.

Defining Satire and Its Purpose

Satire is a unique form of literature that uses humor and sarcasm to critique and mock various aspects of society. It serves as a powerful tool for social commentary and provides a platform for writers to express their opinions on serious issues in an entertaining and thought-provoking way.

At its core, satire aims to expose the flaws, vices, and absurdities present in society and human behavior. It utilizes irony, exaggeration, and ridicule to challenge the status quo and prompt readers to question and reflect upon their own beliefs and actions. Its purpose is not only to entertain but also to provoke critical thinking and promote change.

Satire often targets individuals or institutions in positions of power or authority, highlighting their hypocrisy, corruption, or incompetence. It can also focus on societal norms, cultural practices, or prevailing ideologies, revealing their contradictions or shortcomings. By shining a light on these shortcomings, satire encourages readers to consider alternative perspectives and rethink traditional norms.

Furthermore, satire can act as a form of social catharsis by providing a collective outlet for frustration and dissatisfaction. It allows individuals to laugh at the absurdities of life and find solace in the shared recognition of societal absurdities. Through humor, satire can foster a sense of unity and solidarity among readers, encouraging them to question and challenge societal norms together.

In conclusion, satire is a powerful literary tool that uses humor and ridicule to expose and critique societal flaws. Its purpose goes beyond entertainment and aims to provoke critical thinking, promote change, and foster a collective sense of shared recognition and catharsis. Through satire, writers have the ability to challenge the status quo and inspire readers to question and reflect upon their own beliefs and actions.

Understanding Various Forms of Satire

Satire is a powerful form of communication that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to critique and ridicule society, individuals, or institutions. By employing various techniques, satirical writing aims to shed light on social or political issues and provoke thought in the reader.

There are numerous forms of satire, each with its own distinctive characteristics and purposes. One common form is verbal irony , where the intended meaning is different from the literal words used. This type of satire often relies on sarcasm and witty remarks to make its point.

Another form of satire is parody , which imitates the style, tone, or content of another work or genre. Parodies often use exaggeration and humor to expose the flaws or absurdities in the original subject matter. This form of satire is frequently seen in literature, music, and film.

Burlesque satire, on the other hand, is characterized by its mocking and disrespectful tone. It uses crude humor and vulgarity to ridicule societal norms or conventions. Burlesque satire often challenges the audience’s sensibilities and provokes discomfort while highlighting hypocrisy or moral corruption.

Another form of satire is juxtaposition , which involves placing two contrasting ideas or situations side by side to highlight their absurdity. Juxtaposition can be a powerful tool for satirists to convey their message by creating a stark contrast that exposes contradictions or hypocrisy in society.

Satirical caricature is yet another form that uses exaggerated or distorted elements to portray individuals or groups in a comically absurd way. By emphasizing certain features or traits, satirical caricature aims to expose the subject’s flaws or criticize their behavior or beliefs.

These are just a few examples of the various forms of satire that exist. Each form has its own unique characteristics and appeals to different audiences. By understanding these different forms, writers can effectively employ satire to entertain, challenge, and inspire readers.

Tips for Crafting a Witty Piece of Satire

Imbuing your writing with satire in a way that effectively pokes fun at societal norms or human follies is an art form few can master. To help you craft a humorous and thought-provoking essay, we have compiled some essential tips that will guide you through the satirical writing process.

1. Choose your target judiciously: Select a topic or subject that you wish to satirize, something that reflects the absurd or flawed aspects of society or human behavior.

2. Employ irony and sarcasm: Utilize these potent literary devices to mock or ridicule your chosen target. Make clever and witty observations by employing subtle irony or sharp sarcasm.

3. Embrace exaggeration: Exaggeration is key to successful satire. Amplify certain characteristics or traits to the point of absurdity to highlight their foolishness or impracticality.

4. Create engaging characters: Develop fictional or real-life characters that embody the flaws or qualities you wish to satirize. By doing so, you can effectively convey your intended message in an engaging and relatable manner.

5. Use humor wisely: Utilize humor to engage your readers and make your points more memorable. Employ wit, wordplay, and puns to make your satirical essay entertaining and thought-provoking.

6. Keep it relevant: Ensure your satire remains relevant and relatable to your audience. Address current events or cultural phenomena that are familiar to your readers, as this will enhance the impact of your essay.

7. Employ clever word choice: Select your words carefully, utilizing language that is witty and incisive. Play with puns, double entendre, and metaphors to add layers of meaning and depth to your writing.

8. Consider the tone: The tone of your satirical essay plays a significant role in how effectively your message is conveyed. Strike a balance between amusement and criticism, ensuring your tone does not become overly critical or offensive.

9. Revise and refine: After completing your initial draft, take the time to review and revise your work. Polish your language, refine your humor, and ensure the structure and flow of your essay effectively deliver your satirical message.

By following these tips, you will be well-equipped to embark on the adventure of satirical writing. Remember, satirical essays should prompt laughter and reflection, making your readers both smile and ponder the issues you subtly illuminate.

Choose a Relevant Topic

When embarking on the task of crafting a satirical essay, it is essential to carefully select a relevant topic that encompasses an aspect of society or human behavior one wishes to satirize. In order to effectively convey your satirical message, it is important to choose a topic that is familiar to your audience and holds some degree of cultural significance.

Consider current events, social issues, or trends that have gained widespread attention and provoke strong emotions or opinions. Look for topics that have inherent absurdity, hypocrisy, or irony that can be easily exaggerated and ridiculed in your essay.

Some potential areas to explore include politics, popular culture, technology, education, or any other aspect of modern life that may be ripe for satirical commentary. Keep in mind that your goal is not to offend or attack individuals, but to use humor and sarcasm to critique larger societal issues or institutions.

Furthermore, it is important to choose a topic that you have a deep understanding of, as this will allow you to effectively convey your satirical message and engage your readers. Conduct thorough research and gather relevant information and examples that will support your satirical argument.

In essence, choosing a relevant topic for your satirical essay is the first step towards creating a successful and impactful piece of writing. By selecting a subject that resonates with your audience and has ample material to satirize, you will be able to craft a compelling essay that entertains and challenges societal norms.

• Choose a topic that is familiar to your audience
• Select a subject with cultural significance
• Look for inherent absurdity, hypocrisy, or irony
• Avoid offending individuals and focus on critiquing larger societal issues
• Ensure a deep understanding of the chosen topic
• Support your argument with thorough research and examples

Develop a Strong Thesis Statement

In order to craft a successful and impactful satirical essay, it is crucial to develop a strong thesis statement. Your thesis statement encapsulates the main idea or argument of your essay and provides a clear direction for your writing. A well-crafted thesis statement not only guides your essay, but also elicits thought and provokes a reaction from your readers.

When developing your thesis statement, it is important to choose a topic that lends itself well to satire. Satire is a form of creative writing that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize or ridicule societal issues or human vices. Your thesis statement should reflect the satirical nature of your essay and make a bold statement about the topic you are addressing.

One strategy for developing a strong thesis statement is to identify a specific aspect or element of your chosen topic to focus on. By honing in on a particular aspect, you can highlight the absurdity, hypocrisy, or flaws inherent in the subject matter. This specificity adds depth and nuance to your essay, making your satirical critique more powerful.

Another important consideration when developing your thesis statement is to consider your audience. Who do you hope to target or engage with your essay? Your thesis statement should take into account the perspectives, values, and beliefs of your intended audience. By tailoring your thesis statement to resonate with your audience, you increase the likelihood of capturing their attention and sparking their interest.

Remember, a strong thesis statement is just the beginning of a well-crafted satirical essay. It sets the stage for your writing and provides a clear roadmap for your argument. Take the time to develop a thesis statement that is engaging, provocative, and thought-provoking, and you will be well on your way to writing a successful satirical essay.

Use Humor and Irony

Injecting humor and irony into your satirical essay is crucial for effectively conveying your message. It allows you to highlight the absurdity and contradictions of a particular topic or situation in a way that not only amuses readers but also prompts them to critically think about the issue at hand.

Witty remarks, clever wordplay, and sarcastic undertones can be your weapons of choice in bringing out the comedic elements of your essay. By using humor, you can grab your readers’ attention and keep them engaged throughout your writing. Furthermore, irony adds a layer of depth to your satire, allowing you to subtly critique societal norms, political ideologies, or human behavior.

Remember that effective satire uses humor and irony as tools, not as mere jokes or insults. The goal is to make a point and provoke thoughtful reflection, not just to entertain. So, weave your humor and irony with skill and precision, selecting your words carefully to achieve the desired effect.

Be aware that using humor and irony requires a delicate balance. While you want to evoke laughter and amusement, you must also be mindful of the potential for misunderstanding or offense. Satire should challenge the status quo and promote critical thinking, but not at the expense of respect and empathy.

Ultimately, by infusing your satirical essay with humor and irony, you can craft a piece that both entertains and enlightens. So, embrace your comedic side and let the laughter and irony guide your writing!

Employ Satirical Devices

In order to effectively convey your satirical message in your essay, it is crucial to employ various satirical devices. These devices serve as the tools that will help you create a humorous and mocking tone, and effectively critique the subject matter you are satirizing.

• Irony: One of the most common satirical devices, irony involves saying or writing the opposite of what you actually mean. By using irony, you can highlight the absurdity or hypocrisy of a situation or individual.
• Sarcasm: This device relies on sharp and mocking remarks to ridicule or criticize a subject. Sarcasm can add a comedic element to your essay and make your satirical points more impactful.
• Hyperbole: Hyperbole involves extreme exaggeration to emphasize a point or create a humorous effect. By using hyperbole, you can emphasize the flaws or ridiculous aspects of the subject you are satirizing.
• Parody: A parody is a satirical imitation of a specific work, genre, or style. By mimicking and exaggerating the characteristics of the original, you can highlight its flaws, make fun of it, or deliver your message in a more humorous way.
• Understatement: Understatement involves depicting a situation or a subject as less significant or serious than it actually is. By using understatement, you can ironically downplay the importance of something or make it seem ridiculous.
• Wordplay: Wordplay involves using puns, double entendres, or other linguistic devices to create humorous or satirical effects. By playing with words and their meanings, you can add a layer of wit and cleverness to your essay.

By consciously employing these satirical devices in your essay, you can effectively mock and criticize the subject matter while entertaining and engaging your readers. However, it is important to use these devices sparingly and thoughtfully, ensuring that they enhance your satirical message rather than overshadowing it.

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If there’s any genre of literature designed to make fun of humankind, it’s satire. In both prose and poetry, writers have employed satirical techniques as far back as Ancient Egypt, utilizing the conventions and elements of satire to write about our follies.

Satire writing has become more popular in recent years. This is partially due to the internet: greater access to information has given writers more follies to satirize. It also helps that satirical publications, like The Onion and Reductress , have amplified satires about the modern day.

While headlines like “ Overly Cautious Pregnant Woman Only Going To Ride Roller Coaster 6 Or 7 Times ” seem silly and unsophisticated, there’s actually a fine art to satire that many readers and writers overlook. This article covers the basics of how to write satire: the different types of satire, the various elements of satire, and different satirical techniques essential to the form. Along the way, we’ll analyze those elements and techniques through some satire examples.

But first, what is satire? It’s important to understand both what it is and what it isn’t . Let’s define satire accordingly.

Satire Definition: What is Satire?

Satire is the art of mocking human follies or vices, with the intent of correcting or criticizing those shortcomings of human nature. It is, quite simply, a tasteful means of ridiculing human behaviors, institutions, and politics.

Satire definition: the art of mocking human follies or vices, with the intent of correcting or criticizing those shortcomings of human nature.

Now, satire isn’t just senseless ribbing. Writing about something with sarcasm, irony, or condescension doesn’t make something satirical. Nor does it count if you simply make fun of something: an essay that laughs at arson victims, for example, would just be cruelty.

Rather, satire must criticize a specific action, belief, or institution. It must poke holes in the logic of those actions, beliefs, or institutions, without ever explicitly stating the humor. Finally, it must showcase this flawed logic with the intent of creating awareness and inciting change.

Let’s use an Onion article as an example. Read this brief story: “Mark Zuckerberg Asks Hawaiian Neighbor To Cut Down Unsightly, Overgrown Rainforest”

The title alone makes for a great bit of satire, but let’s break down what the article is doing.

• Realistic fiction: For starters, this never happened—but it sounds like something that would.
• Ironic use of “lack of respect”:   Zuckerberg finds the forest’s presence to be disrespectful, though his request to disrupt the natural land is far more disrespectful.
• Hyperbolic language: Phrases like “unkempt biome” and “obnoxious waterfall” are hyperbolic and unusual, signifying the comedy of the article.
• Scornful Tone: The writer of the article clearly expresses a scornful, satirical tone.
• Subtlety: The article never says “Mark Zuckerberg is a bad person.” But it does quote him as calling native Hawaiians “disgusting nuisances,” using a word play device called “paraprosdokian.”
• Logical extremes: The idea behind this article is that a billionaire is making unreasonable, hurtful demands to satisfy his own comforts. This article takes that idea to a logical extreme.
• Juxtaposition of incongruous features: There’s no HOA for Hawaiian rainforests. The inclusion of this detail satirizes the bureaucracy that wealthy people use to their advantage: if there was a rainforest HOA, it would certainly come to Zuckerberg’s benefit.

We’ll examine these elements of satire more closely in a moment. For now, take note that all of these elements—irony, juxtaposition, hyperbole, etc.—are working together in this short but highly effective article.

Elements of Satire

Whether you’re writing Juvenalian satire or Horatian satire (terms we’ll define in a bit), the following elements are useful to writing satirical works. You’ll notice some of these elements working in both the above article and the satire examples we include later on.

• Realism: A work of satire must sound like it could actually happen in the real world. Now, this isn’t always easy, especially if your essay is about a politician condoning the consumption of newborns. What’s important is that satire does not draw attention to its own farce . The story must ostensibly treat its subject matter seriously, even when it uses literary devices in jest.
• Irony :  Irony is when the opposite of what’s expected actually occurs. It is a contrast between “what seems to be” and “what is,” surprising and provoking the reader. Irony is pivotal to satire, as it allows the story to seem realistic while being hyperbolic, while also amusing the reader or challenging a certain assumption the reader has made.
• Hyperbole: Hyperbole is language that is incommensurate with the thing being described. For example, let’s say you walk outside on a hot July day, and you say “it’s a million degrees outside!” Hyperbolic language often makes for great satire writing. Note that “understatement” is an effective form of hyperbole as well.
• Tone: Tone refers to the author’s attitude towards a certain topic. Because the intent of satire is to criticize or make fun of something, the tone of a satire piece might be ironic, sarcastic, mocking, critical, or simply satirical.
• Subtlety: Satire writers need to strike a fine balance between realism and absurdism. The story should seem possible in the real world, but it should also lean into comedy and farce without explicitly stating the thing that’s being satirized .
• Logical Extremes: A logical extreme is when an idea or argument is amplified to a hyperbolic, but still possible, conclusion. Let’s take the argument “Cats are evil.” A logical extreme of this would be “ Kitten Thinks Of Nothing But Murder All Day .”
• Juxtaposition of Incongruous Features: Juxtaposition refers to the close placement of two related objects in text. In satire, writers will juxtapose incongruous features—items which don’t belong next to each other, but are written about as though they do. An example of this would be “ Geologists Find Historical Record of Last 3 Million Years in Woman’s Makeup Brushes .”

It is important to recognize that satire is all about imitation . The story seems like something that could or has happened in the real world, with only slight adjustments to make the story farcical or hyperbolic. These changes—these juxtapositions, hyperboles, and logical extremes—amount to a subtle, yet evocative, critique of the satire’s subject.

Works of imitation are often satire. Parody, for example, is a satirical imitation of another work of art, literature, or media. Similar to parody is the burlesque, which treats a serious work of art as something caricatured and risible. Slapstick, finally, can be satirical, especially when the characters of a slapstick comedy are public figures that the author views as unintelligent.

Pay attention to these elements at play in the satire examples we share throughout this article.

Satire vs. Parody

Because works of parody are intended to mock, riff, or imitate other works of art, parody is often confused with satire. Although parody can produce satire, there are a few key differences between the two.

Parody is always the comical imitation of a certain style or genre. One example of this is Don Quixote, a novel which parodies the romance novels of 17th century Spain. Another example is Candide . Candide is ostensibly a work of satire, but it uses parodies of the romance and adventure novel—for example, the picaresque and the bildungsroman—to construct this satire.

In media, parody is a huge aspect of Saturday Night Live skits. 1-800-Flowers , for example, is a parody of flower commercials on television.

Satire is much more complex than parody.

Satire is much more complex than parody: for one, it is much subtler than the parody, and for another, it specifically criticizes an idea, argument, or person. Parodies can make fun of certain styles or conventions without attacking a particular person or idea—though a parody can also be critical.

In short, parody is a work of imitative art that can stand on its own, or it can contribute to the development of a work of satire, but it is not the same as satire itself.

Satire vs. Sarcasm

A similar dilemma emerges with satire vs. sarcasm: they seem the same, but one is actually an element of the other.

Sarcasm is the use of ironic language to poke fun at another person’s faults. It is verbal irony with the intent of making fun. Let’s say you drop your phone and the screen cracks. Your sarcastic friend (or enemy!) might say “That was so graceful,” implying that what you did was the opposite of graceful.

Sarcasm, thus, is one of the elements of satire. A work of satire might have a sarcastic tone, employ sarcastic description, or rely heavily on inverted language.

People often employ the adjectives “satirical” and “sarcastic” as if they’re synonyms. They are, but they mean slightly different things. “Sarcastic” means “using wit and irony to hurt someone,” whereas “satirical” means “using wit and irony to expose or criticize human folly.”

Satire in Poems

Although most satire examples you’ll find are works of prose, you can also find satire in poems. Satirical poetry relies on the same techniques as works of prose do, but because the poem is constrained by poetry form , the poet must be much more discerning about which elements of satire to include in the poem.

Classical poets such as Dryden, Swift, and Shelley employed satire in poems, but let’s look at an example from the modern day: Read “Thank You For Waiting” by Simon Armitage .

The satire is readily apparent in this poem. The format riffs off of the language that airlines use to board their passengers. By taking this language to its logical extreme, the poem effectively satirizes the artificial class divisions perpetuated by airlines, corporations, and other wealthy, capitalist institutions.

What are the two types of satire?

What are the two types of satire? Literary theorists organize works of satire into two categories: Horatian and Juvenalian. These categories come from the names Horace and Juvenal, two poets of Ancient Rome.

Horatian satire is a typically lighthearted work that pokes fun at mankind’s follies. It is not caustic or overly critical. Rather, it laughs at the failings of mankind with a certain amount of sympathy, telling the truth about our imperfections with a smile.

By contrast, Juvenalian satire is much angrier, and is written with the intent of criticizing and condemning a certain person or institution that the satirist views as evil. These pieces of satire usually confront social and political issues.

There exists a third and less frequently discussed form of satire called the Menippean satire. This type satirizes certain ways of thinking, rather than particular individuals or groups. It tends to be a novel-length work that focuses on societal norms, often including philosophical discussions. Named after an Ancient Greek satirist, a contemporary Menippean satire might poke fun at, for example, altered states of consciousness ( Alice in Wonderland ).

The Menippean satire has its own history and genre conventions which are beyond the scope of this article. To learn more about those conventions, start here .

In the meantime, let’s look at some Horatian satire examples and Juvenalian satire examples.

Horatian Satire Examples

The Horatian satire is the most lighthearted form of satire. As such, these works of literature and journalism are intended to make you laugh—but that doesn’t mean a Horatian satire cannot also be thought-provoking.

Here are a few examples from literature:

1. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

Gulliver’s Travels is a novel that satirizes the “travelers’ tale,” a subgenre of literature that was especially popular during the ages of exploration. In the novel, Lemuel Gulliver’s travels take him to a land of tiny people (Lilliput), a land of giants (Brobdingnag), a floating island of the arts (Laputa), and a land of talking horses (the Houyhnhnms).

Throughout these travels, Gulliver often compares the societies and governments of the people he meets with that of 18th century Europe. Each land has its own problems, taken to logical extremes. The Houyhnhnms, for example, are honest and upright people who don’t have a word for lying. (Their name is an onomatopoeia for the sounds horses make.) Yet, they’re happy to suppress Gulliver’s status as an outsider to the local humans (the Yahoos), indicating that they believe silence is better than lying.

Additionally, the character Gulliver is rather easily misled and rarely employs critical thinking. As a result, his outlook on humanity becomes more and more depressing as the story progresses, because he becomes aware of the flaws in each of these societies and comes to believe that all men are the same, rather than recognizing the nuances in human civilization and psychology.

As a result, each element of the story is carefully crafted satire. It’s Horatian satire because many of the situations are intended to make readers laugh, such as the Brobdingnag giants crafting a tiny house that they can carry Gulliver around in. Nonetheless, the novel prompts readers to examine the ways they react to different cultures and lived experiences, as well as coming to terms with the fact that there is no ideal government.

2. The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer

The Canterbury Tales is noteworthy for a number of reasons, namely that it popularized the use of English vernacular in literature (when, previously, English was seen as a commoner’s language, and literature was written in Latin or French). Partially written in prose and partially written in verse, The Canterbury Tales provides an interesting window into culture and society during the turn of the 15th century.

It is also, when closely examined, a work of satire on the peoples of England.

The Canterbury Tales revolves around a group of pilgrims regaling each other with stories of their lived experiences. Those experiences range widely: characters include a friar, a knight, two nuns, a shipman, a physician, a cook, a pardoner, and many more. Each person’s tale is inevitably informed by their class and social standing. As a result, their stories end up being satires on the lived experiences they represent and, more broadly, satirize elements of medieval society as a whole.

For example, the Nun’s Tale satirizes “courtly love,” a literary genre (and true-to-life representation) of what relationships looked like among the ruling elite. The Nun’s Tale takes place in a barnyard, not in the high courts, which makes a mockery of the acts of chivalry described by the Nun.

The 15th century was a time of great social upheaval for Europe, particularly England, where the emergence of a merchant class and a (non-religious) intellectual class spawned new ideas about the structure of society. The Canterbury Tales capitalizes on these changes by satirizing the societies and psychologies of people in each class.

3. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is most frequently heralded as one of the first time travel novels. Apart from this, it is also a hilarious Horatian satire on the values of medieval Feudalism.

In the novel, Hank Morgan, an engineer from Connecticut, inadvertently travels to 6th century England after being struck in the head. Hank convinces the people of his “magical powers” by telling them about the future. Doing this, he gains power in King Arthur’s course and tries to bring modernity to the 500s. This results in a satire of the values and institutions in both medieval society and 19th century America.

For example, Merlin creates a veil of invisibility, which Sir Sagramor wears in a duel against Hank. Hank pretends that he can’t actually see Sir Sagramor, satirizing the superstitions about magic, as well as the institution of chivalry, prominent in medieval England.

Through the juxtaposition of incongruous societies, Mark Twain pokes fun at human society 1300 years before Twain’s time, while also demonstrating parallels between people then and now.

For contemporary satirical journalism, The Onion and Reductress are both generally examples of Horatian satire, though both are occasionally Juvenalian.

Juvenalian Satire Examples

While Juvenalian satire can certainly make readers laugh, the intent is to ridicule the actions and philosophies of certain societies and institutions. As such, the following Juvenalian satire examples often bear resemblance to the politics of their times, taking political philosophies to their logical extremes.

1. “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift

“A Modest Proposal” is quintessential Juvenalian satire. Written in 1729, the essay satirizes British policy concerning Ireland, as Britain’s occupation of the Irish state routinely caused famine and strife. The essay was originally published under the title “A Modest Proposal For Preventing the Children of Poor People From Being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For Making Them Beneficial to the Publick.”

The essay’s satire is effective precisely because of its shock value. Swift first describes the plight of Ireland, particularly the suffering of its many beggars and hungry citizens. Then, without warning, Swift’s essay pivots to the nutritional value of eating 1 year old babies (a juxtaposition of incongruous features, and an argument taken to its logical extreme).

Much of the essay is then devoted to the logic behind eating infants: the many ways they can be cooked, the financial benefits, and how it will resolve other issues like murder and taxation. The essay amounts to an argument that is almost convincing. If the reader doesn’t think about the morality of eating children, the satire is almost actually effective in proposing that the consumption of infants is pragmatic policymaking.

Nonetheless, the reader comes to sympathize with the Irish and hate the narrator of the essay, effectively undermining the policymaking decisions of 18th century Britain. Because this essay is criticizing British policymakers and their treatment of the Irish people, there is no doubt that the caustic tone of this piece makes it Juvenalian satire.

You can read “A Modest Proposal” for yourself at Project Gutenberg .

2. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Animal Farm is a Juvenalian satire that retells the establishment of the Soviet Union with farm animals in place of political leaders. As such, it adapts the form of the fable into a satirical novella about Trotsky, Lenin, Stalin, and the dramas that unfolded with the overthrow of the Russian monarchy.

Animal Farm begins on an old, dilapidated farm, run by the careless taker Mr. Jones, who represents the monarchy. The pigs band together around the wisdom of Old Major, an elderly pig who represents Lenin, as well as Karl Marx and his teachings. Inspired by the prospect of freedom from Mr. Jones, the animals revolt and claim the farm for themselves.

Much like the beginnings of the Soviet Union, the newly run Animal Farm begins in prosperity. The animals work to modernize the farm and make it self-sustaining, able to nurture all of the animals equally.

Before long, however, some of the farm’s leaders begin to grapple for power. Snowball, who represents Trotsky, tries to maintain the ideals of equality and progress espoused by Old Major (a philosophy called Animalism in the book). Napoleon, who represents Stalin, wants to seize power for himself. To do this, he uses a pig called Squealer, who represents Molotov, the Soviet Union’s head of propaganda. Squealer convinces the farm animals that Snowball is conspiring against the farm, even though it’s really Napoleon who’s conspiring.

The novella then follows how Napoleon abuses the language of progress to satisfy his own needs, hoarding wealth from the farm animals he claims to represent.

What makes this a work of Juvenalian satire? For one, it’s no subtle insult that the leaders of the Soviet Union are represented by pigs. But the work’s satire comes from its farcical resemblance to Europe’s political situation in the first half of the 20th century. Orwell takes Soviet propaganda to its logical extreme, showing how easy it is to manipulate an entire farm (or country!) through the manipulation of words and ideas.

3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Another work of mid-century satire, Brave New World satirizes the ideal utopian society, presenting a world in which everyone is happy and nothing has meaning. In the novel, people are artificially manufactured and born into a certain social class, based on the intelligence and strength they are bestowed upon their manufacturing.

The novel primarily follows Bernard Marx, a high class citizen who starts to question the social structures of the utopia. The society functions in large part due to Soma, a drug that manufactures happiness and is frequently taken by all citizens of the world. Soma allows people to be satisfied with their place in society, so nobody questions the flaws in this apparent utopia—except for Bernard, who doesn’t consume the drug, as well as Bernard’s friend Helmholtz, a writer who struggles to write when he can’t experience his own suffering.

The novel follows Bernard’s reckoning with society, including his witnessing the lives of Native Americans who don’t live in the modern world, and what happens when those Native Americans, who don’t live a manufactured life, find themselves in the manufactured realities of the “utopia.”

What makes this a piece of satire is the extension of social ideals to their logical extremes. For example, the people in Brave New World are sexually liberated, in part because the society has controlled for the possibilities of pregnancy and STIs. When John, a Native, falls in love with Lenina Crowne, he ends up committing suicide because he can’t support her sexual freedom, suggesting there’s a certain loss of humanity that comes from this liberation.

Another example is a satire of contemporary media. Before John commits suicide, he exiles himself to a lighthouse, where he self-flagellates in the hopes of purifying himself of modern civilization. What he doesn’t know is that he is secretly being filmed. When that film is released, all of society zeroes in on John and his strange behavior. This spectacle resembles, in large part, our contemporary lust for information, to the point that we invade each others’ privacy. Huxley wrote this novel far before the advent of social media, but now that we’re constantly filming each other for fame and spectacle, how far off was he?

How to Write Satire

How did the great satirists of history pull off such effective works of literature? In addition to having savage wits and keen eyes for politics, satire writers followed a few strict rules. Here’s how to write a satire in 5 steps.

1. How to Write Satire: Familiarize yourself with satirical techniques

Satire is a difficult genre to pick up, which makes it essential to read like a writer . Read the satire examples we included in this article, and analyze how the following satirical techniques are employed:

• Logical Extremes
• Juxtaposition of Incongruous Features

These elements of satire, when employed strategically, combine to make effective, poignant, and gut-busting stories.

2. How to Write Satire: Begin with a topic or issue you’d like to satirize

Satire can criticize both local issues and global ones. The Canterbury Tales satirizes the stories and personalities prominent in medieval England; conversely, Brave New World criticizes the Western view of utopia and the direction of global society.

Regardless of what issue you choose, do your research. It’s important to understand the arguments for and against a certain issue, and the logic and reasoning behind those arguments. That way, you can take those arguments to their logical extremes, undermining the rhetorical strategies used in favor of the issue you’re against.

For example, let’s say you wanted to write a piece of satire on removing the penny from U.S. circulation. An argument in favor of this is that it could curb inflation. You could then take this argument to its logical extreme. Imagine a country in which we made every coin out of pure gold, and everyone starts fighting with each other for change? Or, imagine a country in which the lowest monetary denomination is the $10 bill, and, again, everyone starts fighting with each other for change?

3. How to Write Satire: Build a narrative

Once you have a topic and a stance on that topic, build a story around the argument you’re trying to undermine.

This is where the art of storytelling , and elements like character, plot, and setting, can prove extremely useful. For example, read this brief Horatian satire from The Onion: ‘ This City. These People. All Sheep, And I Am Their Shepherd,’ Says Eric Adams, Looking Out Over New York .”

NEW YORK—Clasping his hands behind his back and looking out over Manhattan’s iconic skyline, New York mayor Eric Adams was reported to have said, “This city. These people. All sheep, and I am their shepherd,” as he launched into a monologue Wednesday. “I and I alone am the line between order and chaos, guiding toward the light these confused, woeful masses who wander in darkness,” said Adams, who reportedly cast his gaze on the citizens below and contemplated how fortunate they were to have a place in the palm of his merciful hand. “Without me, without my power and my will, each of these 8 million souls would be condemned to a wretched life and death amidst a twisted, seething cesspool of humanity. As they cling to a crumbling precipice, they reach out, in their desperation, to the one man whose whims control their destiny: to me, to their protector, to New York’s greatest benefactor, to Eric Adams!” At press time, sources reported Adam had retired for the night to his apartment in New Jersey.

If you know anything about New Yorkers, you know we always hate the mayor. Let’s deconstruct what this piece is doing:

The issue: At the time of this article’s publication, Adams has been NYC mayor for just over 4 months. In that time, he’s had a formidable media presence, but he often sounds a bit self-aggrandizing when he talks about the city and the role he’s going to play in running it. In a recent video message, he’s quoted saying “I will not stop until the peace we deserve becomes the reality we experience.” The issue is that the mayor might be all words, no action—especially when those words are already overwrought.

The satire : This article amps up the melodrama, taking Adams’ speech to a logical extreme. The parody of his melodrama builds Adams up to be a god-like figure, as he is the difference between “order and chaos,” between “life and death.” He is even “the one man whose whims control [New York City’s] destiny.”

The storytelling: This article makes a sort of caricature of Adams. A caricature is a type of characterization in which the character is one dimensional and distorted for the audience’s pleasure. The story, here, is that Adams went off on a monologue before retiring to his non-NYC apartment, making the story’s structure a satire for his administration: all talk, no action.

4. How to Write Satire: Surprise the reader

All works of satire have an element of surprise. The reader shouldn’t be able to expect where the story goes, otherwise it’s not doing a good job of delighting and provoking the reader. As such, your satire should have a twist, even if that twist doesn’t occur until the final sentence.

Pay attention to the twists in the above satire examples. In “A Modest Proposal,” the twist is the proposal itself: that the solution to Ireland’s poverty is to cook and consume 1 year olds. In The Onion article about Eric Adams, the twist is that he goes home to New Jersey.

The twist should both surprise the reader and advance a certain satirical argument. Whatever you do, be clear about what you’re mocking and criticizing, because this will inform what your twist is and help you stick the landing.

5. How to Write Satire: Edit for clarity and laughs

Can you make your story more ironic, hyperbolic, or realistic? Are you juxtaposing unalike items in clever ways? Is it clear who or what your satire is criticizing? Ask yourself these questions as you edit your piece: the goal is to distort reality just enough that the reader knows this is satire, but to still be hyperbolic and ironic, even if the work is more Juvenalian than Horatian.

Learn How to Write Satire at Writers.com

Ready to laugh at the world? The instructors at Writers.com are eager to help you polish your works of satire. Take a look at our upcoming writing courses , and write satirical stories and books alongside our award-winning instructors .

Sean Glatch

Excellent presentation, Sean. It gave me some structural ideas for a collection of poems and epistles in the vein of Horace and Juvenal. I’ve previously published a parody of Voltaire’s Candide. My story is called: The Alchemy of Happiness. ( which is the title of a book by a Muslim scholar from the 10th century.

This article was very informative. Never before did I realize how this kind of literary work employed so many advanced literature concepts. I have never had to call to action this many skills for one satirical essay. I am definitely using different parts of my brain.

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How To Write a Satire Essay?

20 February, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

As a high school or college student, you definitely have your fair share of assignments. From carrying out backbreaking research on late historical figures to writing endless essays, school work can be a tad draining. However, one assignment that always seems to have students in a fix is the satire essay.

Writing an essay on satire is one of the hardest tasks you’d come across in high school or college. This kind of essay typically requires a vast knowledge of the subject matter and a great sense of humor. 

This leads us to the big question: how do you write a Nobel prize-worthy satirical essay? Let’s find out. 

What Is a Satire Essay? 

Satire is a literary device or genre employed by a significant number of professional authors. This genre is particularly aimed at criticizing a person or group of persons for their vices, wrongdoings or shortcomings. 

Usually, satire is used to shed more light on significant political or cultural issues within a society. A satire essay is a type of essay that employs devices such as sarcasm, humor and irony to mock a particular person, situation or ideology. Basically, it pokes fun at certain people or situations in an elite and sarcastic manner. 

How to Write a Satire Essay: Writing Tips

Wondering how to write a satire essay? Even though it may seem like a daunting task, writing a satire essay can be a seamless process once you apply the following tips: 

Choose an original and relevant topic

So you need to write a satire essay. The first step to take is to choose your topic. In some cases, your teacher or professor may assign a topic to you, but more often than not, you’d need to come up with a topic of your own. 

In this case, decide the area you want your essay to focus on. You could focus on a political or social situation, depending on what you want. 

However, it is advisable to choose a topic that you’re familiar with. This way, it will be easier to dig up facts and evidence to support your point of view. 

Consider your audience 

Your audience is the focal point of your essay. As such, it’s very important that you consider them at every stage of the writing process. Is your essay aimed at high school students or college professors? 

Would it be read by professionals or just your fellow students? Identifying and considering your audience will help to determine the appropriate tone for your essay. 

If your target audience is mostly made up of fellow students and friends, you can get away with using a casual tone. However, if you expect professionals to read your work, it’s advisable to go for a more formal tone in your essay. 

Add lots of humor 

What makes a satire essay so interesting? Is it the topic or the author’s writing style? Well, the major spice of any satire essay is the generous use of humor. You want to make your audience laugh at the ridiculousness of a particular person or situation. As such, the best way to achieve this aim is by applying devices like irony, sarcasm and hyperbole. 

When used tactfully, these devices can have the desired effect on readers. 

Stick to plain facts

Inasmuch as satirical essays employ devices like humor and exaggeration, it’s important to stick to plain facts when writing your essay. Adding incorrect theories or outright lies to your essay would only render it invalid in the court of public opinion. 

As such, it’s important to only state facts that can be backed up by strong evidence. For further credibility, cite your source after stating figures, theories or opinions. 

This would assure your audience that your essay is credible. If you can’t find facts or evidence to support a particular argument, then it is advisable to avoid including it in your essay. 

Use the ELP format

The ELP format is a great way to ensure that your satire essay is professional and of stellar quality. ELP is an acronym for ethos, logos and pathos. 

These three elements form a significant part of your essay and can either make or mar your work. But how and when do you employ them in your essay?

Ethos informs the readers about the issue at hand and their pre-existing beliefs. As such, this tool should be used in the introductory part of the essay to lay a foundation for the readers. 

Logos provides the audience with pure facts and figures, thereby adding credibility to your work. 

Pathos, just like the term implies, would evoke the appropriate feelings and emotions in your audience. Whether you’re trying to evoke sadness, sympathy or anger, using this tool the right way would help you achieve your aim. 

Be tolerant 

Even though a satire essay is often riddled with sarcasm and irony, it’s important that you use these devices without making any offensive statement. 

Your audience will definitely be made up of people from different walks of life. As such, you don’t want to make remarks that may be deemed to be discriminatory or offensive to a particular sect. 

Knowing the boundary between satire and being outrightly offensive is a delicate art that requires practice and a keen understanding of human psychology. However, to ensure that your essay is in no way offensive, you could ask for second opinions from your colleagues or teacher. 

How to Find Original Topics

With how difficult satire essays are, you’d think no one would be writing them. However, a quick Internet search would show you an abundance of already-written satire essay topics. In fact, choosing a topic that has not already been written by someone else can be a daunting task. 

If you’re trying to find original satire essay ideas or topics, here are a few tips that may help you: 

Find major political or cultural events

If you look around you, you’d definitely find a wide range of interesting political or cultural events that would make for a brilliant topic. Go through published articles, media publications and the news to find resources for your dream topic. 

Brainstorm interesting ideas

Once you’ve gone through the resources listed above, you can then go on to brainstorm any ideas you may have come up with. Ensure that your topic is interesting and witty enough to catch the attention of your readers. 

70 Satire Essay Topics 

Struggling to find original satire essay topics that would interest your audience? Well, here are some sample topics on different subject matters that would definitely inspire you:

• The royal family and Princess Diana: a mystery that never got solved
• What would today’s world look like if the Holocaust had never happened? 
• The best American presidents in history vs Donald Trump: a tale of two worlds 
• How World War II should have turned out
• What was so special about Attila the Hun anyway? 
• More than just his height: a review of Abraham Lincoln’s policies 
• The real truth behind Thanksgiving: why was it created? 
• Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust: a not so shocking tale of his prejudice 
• The never-ending cold war between Catholics and Protestants: how it all started
• Why slave trade should have been abolished before it even started
• Trump: analyzing why political leaders should steer clear of social media 
• Politicians and broken promises: a match made in heaven
• Is political correctness the perfect cure for all modern ailments? 
• The gun-slinging citizen: an analysis of the legalization of guns and fire-arms in the United States 
• Freedom of speech and what happens after you make your speech in today’s world
• How to deal with electoral loss: handy tips from the best losers
• Pro-life VS Pro-Choice: the never ending moral argument between conservatives and liberals 
• How to satisfy the United States’ healthcare needs
• Why the death penalty should have died many centuries ago

Marriage and Family 

• Being a cool parent in today’s world: everything you need to know
• Is married life really overrated? Asking for a single millennial
• The United States’ secret behind its high divorce and separation rates
• The perfect recipe for a peaceful divorce in today’s world 
• Should same-sex marriage be legal in every part of the world? 
• Saving for the kids’ college: the bane of every married couple 
• Big weddings or small weddings? The ultimate introvert-extrovert war
• Trying to have a tight family discussion: a how-to guide
• Should women walk on hot coals barefoot to please their fiancé’s parents? 
• Why the internet is the perfect place to seek relationship advice
• Why true love is as real as Santa Claus and Jack Frost
• All is fair in love and war: is it really? 
• What happens when you fall in love with two different people? 
• Why millenials should normalize leaving first dates immediately it becomes awkward 
• How to start a conversation on a first date without being awkward
• Cohabitation: ten lies you’d find on the internet in today’s world 
• Why dating sites should have existed in the 18th or 19th century 
• Finding love in the 21st century: are dating sites the modern version of arranged marriages? 
• How pickup lines determine the start of a strong modern relationship 
• Should there be an age limit on love between adults? 
• The slow yet sure eradication of chalkboards from modern classrooms
• Why dropping out of school is an under-rated decision for millenials 
• Are good grades a social construct created to frustrate students? 
• Why the social pyramid in high school exists and how to navigate it
• Dealing with bad grades: the ultimate guide to getting over a failed exam
• Should parents panic when their child drops out of school? 
• Why detention is a failed attempt at disciplining high school students 
• Online learning: has the pandemic done anything for school truants? 
• Why bullying and bullies should be eradicated from high school systems
• Should you be a wallflower or social butterfly in high school? 
• How television and social media slaughtered newspapers and buried them
• Does the media truly influence people’s lives and decisions in today’s world? 
• The Media and political leaders: who is a better liar? 
• Fake news: how to squash its occurrence in today’s media 
• Television vs social media: which one played a bigger role in COVID-19 sensitization? 
• Is Facebook a peeping Tom? How social media ruined everyone’s privacy
• Is the free press really free or is it being controlled by puppet strings? 
• Censorship vs free speech: what do millennials really need? 
• Scandals and brand wars: is there anything like bad publicity? 
• Why free publicity never works for brands and modern celebrities 
• How to become a millionaire without robbing a bank or grocery store
• Money can’t buy you happiness: the biggest lie ever told to mankind
• Why being broke can be the ultimate death sentence for anyone
• How to save money without literally starving to death in today’s world
• Why working hard does not necessarily translate to more money for you
• Should billionaires exist? Analyzing Jeff Bezos’ wealth and the plight of Amazon’s workers 
• Why financial books are a complete waste of money and valuable time
• The gender pay gap: how to close it in the 21st century
• Why does money have a therapeutic effect on most people? 
• Analyzing Robinhood’s lifestyle: is it okay to steal from the rich and give to the poor? 

Satire Essay Examples 

Still not sure how to write the perfect satire essay? Well, in this case, you can always refer to a well written satire essay example. Here are some satire essay examples that would definitely set you on the right track:

https://thecampanile.org/2019/10/23/satire-why-climate-change-is-fake/

https://manysmallvoices.wordpress.com/tag/satire/

Write a Satire Essay with HandMadeWriting

With these few tips and examples listed above, you can now go on to draft your very own satire essay. However, if you’d rather not go through the hassles of writing it yourself, you can hire HandMadeWriting essay writer services. 

With us, you are guaranteed a stellar, well-written satire essay that would definitely impress your teacher and audience. 

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How to Write a Satire Essay: Examples, Outline and Topics

Ever wondered how to craft those hilarious yet thought-provoking satire essays that leave readers chuckling and pondering? Well, you've come to the right place!

Have you ever found yourself chuckling at the absurdities of life and thought, 'Hmm, there's definitely an essay in that'? Ever pondered how humor could be used to shed light on societal quirks and injustices? If so, you're already on your way to mastering the art of satire writing.

In this guide, you'll learn the ins and outs of writing satire essay examples. We'll cover everything from choosing the perfect topic to mastering the satire techniques. So, grab your pen, and let's have some fun being funny together.

What is a Satire Essay

A satire essay blends humor with social commentary to critique societal issues, human behavior, or institutions. Unlike traditional essays, it aims to entertain while highlighting life's absurdities.

This genre of writing uses wit, irony, sarcasm, and exaggeration to expose flaws and contradictions in society, targeting politics, popular culture, social norms, and human nature. It also addresses serious topics humorously, sparking conversation, inspiring change, and drawing attention to important social issues.

Satire essays come in various forms, from biting political critique to playful social commentary. Whether it's through clever wordplay, absurd scenarios, or biting satire, the goal of you as an essay writer is to entertain, enlighten, and challenge readers to see the world in a new light.

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Order our witty satire essays and transform your writing from dull to delightful.

Types of a Satire Essay

Learning how to write a satire essay requires you to understand its different forms, each with its own unique style and approach to humorously critiquing society. Whether you ask us to write my essay or tackle it yourself, understanding its different types can help you choose the best format for conveying your message effectively. Here are some common types:

• Juvenalian Satire : This type of satire is harsh, bitter, and angry, focusing on exposing societal injustices, hypocrisy, and corruption.
• Horatian Satire : Named after the Roman poet Horace, this satire is lighthearted, playful, and witty, aiming to amuse while gently poking fun at human folly and societal absurdities.
• Menippean Satire : This satire is complex and unconventional, combining prose, verse, and various literary genres to critique society from multiple angles.
• Political Satire : Political satire humorously highlights the absurdities of politics, aiming to provoke thought and inspire change through parody and humor.
• Social Satire : Social satire critiques broader societal issues and cultural norms, such as relationships, consumerism, and technology, to prompt reflection on societal absurdities.
• Literary Satire : Literary satire uses literary conventions to critique traditions, genres, and authors, often through parody and metafiction.
• Visual Satire : Using images, cartoons, and caricatures, visual satire conveys satirical messages through humor and symbolism, often seen in political cartoons and memes.

25 Satirical Essay Topics

The topic you choose sets the stage for your humor and social commentary. From politics to pop culture, there's no shortage of informative essay topics that are also ripe for satirical critique. Here are 25 distinctive satirical essay ideas to inspire your satire:

• The Absurdity of Celebrity Culture : Explore the obsession with fame and the cult of celebrity.
• The Folly of Fashion Trends : Poke fun at the ever-changing world of fashion and beauty standards.
• The Myth of Perfect Parenting : Satirize the pressure to be a perfect parent in the age of social media.
• The Madness of Modern Technology : Lampoon our addiction to smartphones and social media.
• The Dystopia of Dating Apps : Examine the pitfalls of online dating and hookup culture.
• The Hilarity of Health Trends : Satirize the latest wellness fads and diet crazes.
• The Chaos of College Admissions : Explore the absurdities of the college application process.
• The Paradox of Political Correctness : Critique the complexities of navigating political correctness in today's society.
• The Irony of Environmental Activism : Satirize the contradictions inherent in environmental activism and green living.
• The Comedy of Corporate Culture : Examine the quirks and absurdities of office life and corporate culture.
• The Farce of Fashion Weeks : Lampoon the extravagance and pretentiousness of fashion weeks around the world.
• The Lunacy of Reality TV : Poke fun at the manufactured drama and shallowness of reality television.
• The Nonsense of Self-Help Books : Satirize the industry of self-help books and motivational seminars.
• The Ridiculousness of Social Justice Warriors : Critique the extremes of social justice activism and virtue signaling.
• The Comedy of Conspiracy Theories : Explore the bizarre world of conspiracy theories and their believers.
• The Absurdity of Gender Stereotypes : Satirize traditional gender roles and societal expectations.
• The Hypocrisy of Holistic Healing : Examine the contradictions of alternative medicine and holistic healing practices.
• The Parody of Political Campaigns : Poke fun at the theatrics and absurdities of political campaigns and election cycles.
• The Comedy of Class Reunions : Lampoon the nostalgia and awkwardness of high school reunions.
• The Folly of Fast Food Culture : Satirize the excesses and consequences of fast food consumption.
• The Madness of Memes : Explore the cultural significance and absurdity of internet memes.
• The Farce of Fashion Magazines : Critique the unrealistic beauty standards and consumerism promoted by fashion magazines.
• The Hilarity of Home Renovation Shows : Poke fun at the exaggerated transformations and drama of home renovation reality shows.
• The Paradox of Patriotism : Satirize the contradictions of nationalism and patriotic fervor.
• The Comedy of Cults and Communes : Examine the absurdities of fringe religious movements and utopian communities.

How to Write a Satire Essay: Outline Guide

Creating a solid satirical essay is like serving up a delicious dish of humor with a side of social commentary. But where do you start? How do you take your witty observations and turn them into a compelling satire essay? Fear not! In this section, we'll break down how to write a satire essay outline step by step, starting with crafting the perfect thesis statement.

Start with a Thesis Statement 

Writing a satire essay thesis statement is about encapsulating your satirical take on a particular issue or topic in a clear and concise manner. Your thesis statement should capture the essence of your satire – the target of your humor and the underlying message you're trying to convey.

For example, let's say you want to write a satire essay about the obsession with social media. Your thesis statement might be something like: 'In a world where likes and retweets reign supreme, social media becomes the ultimate stage for showcasing our most curated selves, blurring the lines between reality and virtual validation.'

This thesis statement sets the stage for your satire by highlighting the absurdity of our social media-driven culture and the disconnect between our online personas and real-life experiences. It presents a clear viewpoint that you'll then explore and dissect throughout your essay with humor and wit.

So, next time when crafting your thesis statement or asking us to write my thesis , remember to:

• Identify the specific issue or topic you want to satirize.
• Express your satirical take on the issue in a clear and concise manner.
• Ensure your thesis statement sets the tone for the rest of your essay and guides your readers toward your humorous critique.

Explain Your Idea in the First Body Paragraph

Now that you know how to start a satire essay and lay the foundation with your thesis statement, it's time to dive into the first body paragraph. Begin by expanding on the central idea introduced in your thesis statement. Keep the tone light and playful, but also ensure that your satire is rooted in truth and relevance.

Continuing with our example thesis statement about social media obsession, the first body paragraph might delve into the ways in which social media platforms have become integral parts of our daily lives. You could discuss the addictive nature of scrolling through feeds, the pressure to curate the perfect online persona, and the impact of social media on mental health and self-esteem.

Use descriptive language and vivid imagery to paint a picture of the absurdities inherent in the topic you're exploring. Highlight contradictions, hypocrisies, or ironies that underscore the satirical angle of your essay.

For instance, you might describe the lengths people go to for the perfect selfie or the absurdity of chasing virtual likes and validation. You could share personal anecdotes or humorous observations to bring the topic to life and engage your readers' imaginations.

Add More Layers in the Second Body Paragraph 

Building upon the groundwork laid in the first satire essay paragraph, this section allows you to explore additional facets of the topic and further develop your satirical critique. Start by identifying specific examples, scenarios, or observations that illustrate the absurdities or contradictions inherent in the topic you're satirizing.

Here, you might focus on the ways in which social media distorts our perceptions of reality and fuels a culture of comparison and envy. You could discuss the phenomenon of "FOMO" (fear of missing out) and the pressure to present a flawless image online, even if it's far from authentic.

You might also share stories of people going to extreme lengths to capture the perfect Instagram photo or the impact of cyberbullying and online harassment on mental health.

As you write the second body paragraph, strive to maintain a balance between humor and substance. Use humor to engage your readers and keep them entertained, but also provide meaningful commentary that prompts reflection and critical thinking.

Wrap Up with Impact 

As you wonder how to end a satire essay, remember to summarize the key points you've made about the topic at hand.

For example, in our satire essay about social media obsession, the conclusion might reiterate the pitfalls of seeking validation through likes and retweets, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and genuine human connection in a digital age.

Reflect on the broader implications of the topic you've explored and offer insights or suggestions for addressing the issues raised in your satire. This could involve proposing alternative approaches or solutions in a humorous manner, providing a sense of closure and hope amidst the laughter.

Finally, consider the overall impact of your satire essay and the emotions it evokes in your audience. Did you succeed in entertaining, enlightening, and provoking thought? Did you strike the right balance between humor and substance? Now that you know how to write a conclusion for an essay , reflect on your writing process and consider how you can continue to refine your skills as a satirist.

Handy Tips and Tricks

Before you begin making funny comments about society, let's talk about some easy tips to help you start. Writing a satire essay is all about being funny, using irony, and being a bit smart. If you need some assistance, you can ask us to help me do my essay . But for now, let's take a closer look at how you can improve your skills.

• Pick Your Focus : Satire works best when you make fun of something specific in society that you find funny or annoying.
• Try Different Things : Use different ways to be funny, like making jokes, using irony, or exaggerating things.
• Keep an Eye Out : Pay attention to what's happening around you for ideas. Satire often comes from real-life events or how people act.
• Look at Things Differently : Try writing from different viewpoints, like pretending to be a silly politician or a funny commentator.
• Have Fun : Remember, satire is all about having a good time and making people laugh. So, enjoy yourself and don't take it too seriously.

Satire Essay Examples

Through humor and wit, these satire essay examples offer insightful critiques of their respective subjects, demonstrating effective techniques for crafting satirical commentary.

4 Satire Essay Examples from World Literature

Satire is a popular tool in world literature, where famous writers use humor and irony to poke fun at society and human foolishness. Let's look at some well-known satire essay examples from literature and see how they work:

• 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift : Swift's 'Gulliver's Travels' is a political satire masterpiece. Through Lemuel Gulliver's wild adventures, Swift mocks 18th-century British society and human nature. One famous episode is Gulliver's visit to Lilliput, where tiny inhabitants squabble over silly things like how to crack an egg. Swift uses these absurdities to show the silliness of politics and people.
• 'Don Quixote' by Miguel de Cervantes : Cervantes' 'Don Quixote' pokes fun at chivalric romance. The main character, Don Quixote, is a delusional knight who goes on crazy quests to revive chivalry. Through his funny adventures, Cervantes criticizes the exaggerated ideals of honor and love. The book shows how fantasy can clash with reality in funny ways.
• 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell : Orwell's 'Animal Farm' is a powerful satire on totalitarianism. Animals rebel against humans on a farm, but soon, pigs take over and become dictators. Orwell uses the animals to represent political figures and ideas, showing the hypocrisy of authoritarian rule.
• 'Candide' by Voltaire : Voltaire's 'Candide' is a sharp satire on Enlightenment optimism. The main character, Candide, faces tragic and absurd situations but still believes everything is great. Through Candide's crazy adventures, Voltaire mocks the blind optimism of his time, revealing the harsh truths of human suffering and foolishness.

Final Words

Give yourself a pat on the back – you made it to the end of our writing adventure! With your sense of humor and a fresh understanding of life's funny quirks, you're all set to let your creativity loose on the page.

Just a friendly reminder: Satire isn't just about making jokes – it's a way to start conversations, question the status quo, and maybe even shake things up a bit. So, don't hold back! Try out different styles, go where your imagination takes you, and most importantly, be yourself.

Bored of the Same Old Essays?

Time to shake things up! Inject some humor into your academic life with our side-splitting satire essays.

How to Write a Satirical Essay?

What is a satirical essay, what is a good satire essay topic.

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is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

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Home ➔ How to Write an Essay ➔ Satire Essay

Satire Essay Guide

A satire essay is a distinctive form of creative writing that employs irony, humor, and sarcasm to critique and illuminate the quirks and shortcomings of people and society. This genre is characterized by its distinct use of literary tools to critique and comment on societal norms, political landscapes, and cultural peculiarities. Here’s a closer look at what makes satire essays both challenging and enjoyable:

• Use of Irony, Humor, and Sarcasm : These essays harness the power of irony, humor, and sarcasm as primary tools. The aim is to entertain and shed light on the follies and foibles of people and society. Through these techniques, writers can dissect and discuss serious topics in an engaging and thought-provoking manner.
• Critique of Societal Issues : Often, satire essays gravitate towards topics of societal, political, or financial relevance. The goal is to ridicule human behavior, pointing out its absurdities and inconsistencies. This form of criticism is not just about poking fun but about instigating deeper thought and discussion among readers.
• Balancing Act of Writing : Crafting a satire essay is a fine balance between humor and insight. It involves understanding the subtleties of the issues at hand and presenting them in a witty and sharp way. This challenge makes writing satire essays a particularly enjoyable and rewarding experience for writers. It’s an opportunity to showcase creativity while engaging critically with relevant topics.

Satire essays, therefore, serve as a mirror to society, reflecting its characteristics in an exaggerated yet piercingly accurate manner. They challenge the writer to be both an entertainer and a commentator, using the pen as a social observation and critique tool.

Satire Essay Structure and Outline

Delving into the structure of a satire essay is key to its success. While it shares similarities with traditional essays , the unique elements of satire set it apart and require a specialized approach. Understanding and mastering this structure can transform a simple essay into a sharp, witty commentary on societal issues.

At first glance, a satirical essay might resemble the conventional essay structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. However, it’s the content and presentation within this framework that diverge significantly, adhering to the genre’s need for humor, irony, and critique:

• Introduction : This is where the tone of satire is set. The introduction must hook the reader with its wit while succinctly presenting the topic. A thesis statement in a satire essay often includes irony or hyperbole, making a bold claim about the topic.
• Body : The body of a satire essay is where the writer unfolds the satirical elements. This involves using exaggeration, irony, and sarcasm to dissect the topic. The body paragraphs should be cohesively structured, each focusing on a specific aspect of the topic and collectively supporting the thesis.
• Conclusion : The conclusion wraps up the essay, often with a twist or a final punchline. It should reiterate the main points in a way that emphasizes the satirical tone and leaves the reader with something to ponder.

Satire Essay Outline Example

Here’s an example of a satire essay outline on the topic “The Perils of Social Media”:

• Hook: An exaggerated statement about how social media is taking over the world.
• Thesis Statement: A satirical claim about social media, such as “Social media has evolved into a fundamental pillar of modern democracy, where likes and shares determine the fate of nations.”
• Paragraph 1: Discuss how social media has replaced traditional forms of communication with exaggerated examples.
• Paragraph 2: Satirical commentary on the impact of social media on self-image, using irony and hyperbole.
• Paragraph 3: Exploring the role of social media in politics, with a sarcastic tone about its reliability and impact.
• Summarizing the exaggerated impacts of social media mentioned in the body.
• Ending with a witty remark or a provocative question that underscores the satirical stance.

By adhering to this structure while infusing each section with satire, the essay maintains a balance between the traditional essay format and the unique demands of satirical writing. This approach entertains and provokes thought, making the satire essay a powerful tool for social commentary.

Techniques in Satire Writing

Mastering the art of satire writing involves more than just a sharp wit—it requires skillful use of various figures of speech to effectively weave humor, irony, and criticism. Understanding and applying these techniques can significantly elevate the impact and appeal of a satire essay.

Figures of Speech and Their Use in Satire

• For example, saying, “I had to wait an eternity for the bus this morning,” exaggerates the waiting time to critique inefficiency.
• For instance, saying, “What a great day for a picnic!” during a thunderstorm uses irony to comment on the situation.
• A satirical metaphor might describe a particularly lazy person as “a sloth in human form,” drawing an exaggerated comparison to emphasize laziness.
• For example, in a satire about bad roads, one might say, “The city’s road repair plan is full of potholes,” using the double meaning of “potholes.”
• Saying “It’s just a scratch” about a large dent in a car is an understatement that highlights the damage’s extent.

Balancing Humor with Factual Information

• Foundation in Reality : The essence of effective satire lies in its grounding in truth. Start with real facts or occurrences as the foundation of the satire.
• Exaggeration and Irony : Use these tools to twist these facts, presenting them in a humorous light. This approach not only entertains but also sharpens the critique.
• Engagement and Reflection : The satire becomes more than just amusing by tying humor to reality. It encourages readers to engage with and reflect on real-world issues.

Example : In a satire about climate change, the writer might humorously exaggerate future scenarios. While these exaggerations are amusing, they’re rooted in actual scientific predictions, lending both humor and weight to the satire.

Personalizing the Essay

• Narrative Style : Consider using first-person narration or incorporating personal anecdotes. This can make your satire more relatable and impactful.
• Concrete Context : Personal stories or experiences provide a tangible context for the satire. They help ground abstract criticisms in reality.
• Connection with Audience : Sharing personal insights or humorous experiences can forge a deeper connection with the reader. It transforms the essay from a broad critique to a reflection of personal societal observations.

Example : When tackling the absurdities of modern workplace culture, include personal stories or humorous observations from your own experiences in an office setting. This personal angle can make the satire more engaging and relatable, enhancing its effectiveness.

The Writing Process of a Satire Essay

Gaining inspiration and preparing for writing, sources of inspiration.

• Everyday Life : The quirks and oddities of daily routines can be a fertile ground for satire. Look for humor in mundane situations.
• News and Current Events : Keeping up with current events can provide timely material. Satirizing news stories can resonate well with audiences who are already familiar with the context.
• Social Media Trends : Platforms like Twitter and Instagram can be a snapshot of current societal obsessions and absurdities.
• Classic Satirical Works : Read works by renowned satirists like Jonathan Swift or Mark Twain to understand how satire has been effectively used in literature.
• Modern Satire : Explore contemporary satirical outlets like The Onion or television shows like “Saturday Night Live” for modern examples of satire.
• Diverse Styles : Expose yourself to different styles of satire – from subtle to overt, from political to social – to broaden your understanding.
• Reflect on Anecdotes : Think about funny or ironic incidents in your own life. Personal stories can add authenticity to your satire.
• Relatable Situations : Consider if your experiences reflect broader societal trends or behaviors. Relatability can enhance the impact of your satire.

Preparation Tips

• Idea Generation : Keep a notebook or digital note-taking app handy to jot down ideas as they occur throughout the day.
• Mind Maps and Lists : Use these tools to expand on your initial ideas, exploring different angles and aspects of the topic.
• Freewriting : Try writing non-stop about your topic for a set period to generate raw material that can be shaped into satire.
• Basic Structure : Draft a simple structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion to guide your writing.
• Key Points : Under each section, list out the main points or arguments you want to cover.
• Flexibility : Allow your outline to be flexible. As you write, you may find new directions or angles to explore.

By investing time in inspiration and preparation, you lay a solid foundation for an engaging and impactful satire essay. This preparatory phase sets the stage for a well-structured and thoughtfully crafted piece of satire.

Examples of possible satire essay topics:

Understanding and Articulating Your Point

• Identify Your Angle : Determine your unique viewpoint on the topic. Ask yourself what specific aspect or issue you want to address.
• Opinion and Stance : Clearly articulate your own opinion or stance on the matter. This will be the backbone of your satire.
• Purpose of Satire : Decide whether your satire aims to merely entertain, provoke thought, or spur action. This will guide how you articulate your point.
• Focus on Specifics : Instead of covering the topic broadly, zero in on a specific aspect. Depth in a particular area provides a sharper and more focused satire.
• Relevance and Timeliness : Choose aspects of the topic that are timely and relevant to current discourse, as this enhances engagement and impact.

Writing the Introduction

• Stimulating Curiosity : Begin with a question that challenges conventional wisdom or provokes thought about the topic.
• Engagement : A well-phrased question can immediately engage the reader, setting the tone for the satire.
• Attention-Grabbing Data : Use surprising statistics or little-known facts related to your topic to capture immediate attention.
• Setting the Context : This approach can also provide a factual basis for the satirical elements to follow.
• Humorous Storytelling : Start with a brief, funny story or scenario that directly relates to your topic.
• Relatability : Anecdotes can make the topic more accessible and relatable to the reader.

Satirical Thesis : Your thesis should clearly encapsulate your satirical stance on the topic. It sets the direction and tone for the entire essay.

Clarity and Brevity : Make sure your thesis is concise yet comprehensive enough to convey the main satirical argument.

Example Introduction

“ In our brave new world, where thumbs-ups and heart emojis have become the new currency of human empathy, one can’t help but marvel: is our social fabric being rewoven by the very threads of social media, or are we just knitting ourselves a digital straitjacket? [Hook] This online odyssey, glorified as a tool for global connection, paradoxically unfolds as a saga of isolation, where virtual likes are pursued with a zeal that rivals ancient quests for mythical treasures. [Background Context] Through a kaleidoscope of exaggerated hashtags and meticulously curated personas, this essay playfully yet incisively dissects the social media paradox – our noble quest for digital omnipresence shadowed by an ever-growing disconnect from tangible reality. [Thesis Statement] In the following pages, we will embark on an exploratory jaunt through the fantastical landscape of social media, where every post and tweet is a testament to our curious dance with digital doppelgängers. [Preview of Main Points] ”

This introduction infuses more satirical elements, subtly hinting at the essay’s satirical nature without explicitly stating it. The hook employs a humorous, exaggerated metaphor, the background context satirizes the ironic situation of social media, and the thesis statement playfully yet critically addresses the paradox of social media. The preview of the main points sets the stage for an engaging and satirical exploration of the topic.

Developing the Main Body

Structuring your argument.

The main body of a satire essay is where the writer’s craftsmanship truly shines. Here, you’ll weave together irony, exaggeration, humor, and facts to build a compelling argument that not only entertains but also enlightens.

Paragraph Organization :

• Focused Arguments : Each paragraph should center around a single aspect of your topic. This focused approach helps maintain clarity and ensures that each paragraph contributes meaningfully to your overall thesis.
• Logical Flow : Ensure that your paragraphs flow logically from one to the next. Use transitional phrases to guide the reader through your argument, making the essay coherent and cohesive.
• Balanced Development : Spend sufficient time developing each point. While some aspects may require more elaboration than others, each paragraph should be fleshed out enough to make its point convincingly.

Creative Presentation :

• Irony and Sarcasm : Infuse your writing with irony to highlight contradictions or absurdities in the subject matter. Sarcasm, when used judiciously, can be a powerful tool to underscore your points.
• Exaggeration for Effect : Use hyperbole to exaggerate aspects of your topic for comedic or dramatic effect. This technique can help underscore the ridiculousness or seriousness of the subject.
• Humor : Incorporate humor to keep the reader engaged. This can be achieved through witty observations, humorous anecdotes, or playful language.

Evidence and Examples :

• Supporting Data : Use statistics, studies, or historical examples to back up your points. This factual support lends credibility to your satirical arguments.
• Real-World Examples : Draw from current events, personal experiences, or public figures to illustrate your points. Relatable examples can make your satire more impactful.
• Illustrative Anecdotes : Incorporate short stories or hypothetical scenarios that exemplify your points. These can be effective in demonstrating the implications of your argument in a vivid and engaging way.

In constructing the main body, balance is key. While satire is fundamentally about critique through humor, grounding your points in reality and logical argumentation ensures that your essay resonates with both intellect and wit.

Example Body Paragraph

“ As we delve into the realm of social media influencers, one cannot help but marvel at the modern-day alchemy of turning selfies into gold. [Topic Sentence] It’s a world where a well-angled snapshot garners more esteem than a Nobel Prize, and a pet’s Instagram account can amass followers rivaling a small country’s population. [Exaggeration for Effect] Consider the case of ‘Fluffy the Cat’, whose daily escapades fetch thousands of likes, overshadowing significant scientific breakthroughs in obscurity. [Real-World Example] This juxtaposition begs the question: are we valuing momentary digital amusement over substantial achievements? [Irony and Sarcasm] A study from Social Media Today reveals that engaging animal content receives 120% more shares than technical or scientific posts. [Supporting Data] Yet, this digital masquerade extends beyond the realm of furry influencers, seeping into the very fabric of our online interactions and self-perception. [Transition to Next Paragraph] ”

This body paragraph starts with a topic sentence that introduces the subject of social media influencers. It uses exaggeration to highlight the absurdity of their popularity, provides a real-world example to illustrate the point, incorporates irony and sarcasm to question societal values, and backs the argument with relevant statistical data.

Concluding the Essay

The conclusion of a satire essay is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on your reader. It should encapsulate the essence of your argument and offer a poignant or thought-provoking closing remark.

• Consolidate Key Points : Briefly revisit the main arguments or highlights of your essay. This helps reinforce your message and ensures it resonates with the reader.
• Cohesive Summary : Present a cohesive summary that ties together the satirical elements with the underlying message of your essay.

Personal Insight :

• Reflective Commentary : Offer a reflective or introspective comment that adds depth to your satire. This could be a personal insight, a rhetorical question, or a speculative look into the future.
• Lasting Impact : Aim for a closing statement that lingers in the mind of the reader, encouraging them to ponder over the issues you’ve raised.

Example Conclusion

“ As we wrap up this satirical journey through the labyrinth of remote work culture, we are left pondering whether our homes have become sanctuaries of productivity or just glorified cubicles with better snacks. [Recap] From Zoom mishaps to the constant battle against the allure of the fridge, our foray into this new work paradigm has been both humorous and revealing. [Consolidation of Key Points] Will we evolve into ultra-efficient, pajama-clad professionals, or will the lines between work and life blur into an unrecognizable haze? [Reflective Commentary] Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – the future of work will be anything but mundane. [Personal Insight and Lasting Impact] ”

This conclusion effectively summarizes the essay’s exploration of remote work culture with a humorous recap, consolidates the key points raised throughout, and ends with a reflective question and a personal insight that invite the reader to consider the future implications of the topic.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Writing satire can be a tightrope walk, and even the most skilled writers can sometimes stumble. Awareness of common pitfalls can help you navigate the complexities of satire writing more effectively.

• Overly Subtle Satire : While subtlety is a virtue in satire, being too cryptic can make your point miss the mark. The message may be lost if your audience needs to work too hard to understand the satire.
• Lack of Clarity : Ensure that while your satire is clever, it’s also clear and understandable. A balance between subtlety and directness is key.
• Heavy-Handed Satire : Satire that is too direct or blunt can come across as preachy or didactic, losing its humorous edge.
• Predictability : Avoid making your satire so straightforward that it becomes predictable. The element of surprise is often what makes satire engaging.
• Inadequate Research : One of the quickest ways to weaken your satire is to base it on a misunderstanding or a superficial grasp of the subject.
• Insensitivity : Be particularly cautious with topics that are sensitive or controversial. Misjudging the tone or content can lead to satire that offends rather than enlightens.
• Forgetting the Audience : Tailor your satire to your audience. What works for one group may not resonate with another.
• Overuse of Satirical Devices : Relying too heavily on any one device, like irony or hyperbole, can make your writing feel one-dimensional.
• Neglecting the Narrative : Remember that satire is not just a list of jokes; it should have a coherent narrative or argument.

Being mindful of these pitfalls can help you craft satire that is not only funny and clever but also effective and thoughtful. The goal is to strike the right balance in all aspects of your writing, from tone to content, to deliver satire that resonates and enlightens.

Examples of Successful Satirical Works

Analyzing successful satirical works can offer valuable insights into the effective use of satire. Let’s look at some notable examples and dissect what makes them stand out.

• Overview : Swift’s essay is a renowned example of satire, where he ironically proposes that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food to the rich.
• Key Elements : The essay uses extreme hyperbole and irony to criticize British policy towards the Irish. Swift’s absurd proposal is presented in a serious tone, starkly contrasting with its actual content, effectively highlighting the severity of the real issues.
• Overview : “The Onion” is a digital media company and newspaper known for its satirical articles on current events, cultural trends, and societal norms.
• Key Elements : These articles often use absurdity and exaggeration to comment on real-life events. The humor lies in presenting ridiculous scenarios in the format of serious news reporting, which serves to underscore the absurdities of the real world.
• Overview : This short story is set in a dystopian future where everyone is forced to be ‘equal’ in every conceivable way.
• Key Elements : Vonnegut uses this extreme scenario to satirize the potential dangers of enforced equality and the loss of individuality. The story’s exaggerated portrayal of a society obsessed with equality critiques real-world movements that ignore the value of individual differences.
• Overview : A novel that uses a farm of animals as a metaphor for the rise of Stalinism in the Soviet Union.
• Key Elements : Orwell employs allegory and fable-like storytelling to critique totalitarian regimes. Using animals to represent political figures and ideologies cleverly simplifies complex political ideas, making them more accessible and impactful.
• Overview : This satirical novella criticizes the optimistic philosophies of the time, particularly those of Leibniz, through the misadventures of its protagonist, Candide.
• Key Elements : Voltaire uses wit, irony, and absurdity to explore themes like injustice, hypocrisy, and the folly of blind optimism. Candide’s humorous and exaggerated misfortunes challenge the notion that we live in the ‘best of all possible worlds.’

These examples illustrate various approaches to satire, from Swift’s dark irony to Orwell’s allegorical storytelling. Each work uses humor and exaggeration to critique society, politics, or philosophical ideas, demonstrating the power of satire to provoke thought and challenge the status quo.

Bottom Line

Satire essays hold a unique place in creative writing, adeptly blending humor, irony, and critical commentary. This guide has highlighted the essentials of crafting effective satire, from understanding its nuances to mastering rhetorical techniques. We’ve explored how to structure arguments, select resonant topics, and avoid common pitfalls like being too obscure or on-the-nose. The focus has been on ensuring that satire not only entertains but also conveys insightful critiques.

In society, satire essays are more than just humorous pieces; they provoke thought and encourage discourse on societal issues. They illuminate the absurdities of everyday life and offer sharp commentary on complex topics, influencing how we perceive and discuss important issues. By learning from successful examples, writers can harness satire to reflect and shape societal norms and behaviors, making it a powerful tool for cultural and social commentary.

Read for more insights:

• Hutcheon, L. (2000). A Theory of Parody: The Teachings of Twentieth-Century Art Forms . University of Illinois Press. This book offers a comprehensive look at parody as a form of satire, exploring its historical development and its role in modern art and literature.
• Test, G. A. (1991). Satire: Spirit and Art. University of South Florida Press. This book provides an in-depth analysis of the spirit and artistry inherent in satirical works, examining the delicate balance between humor and critique.
• Bloom, H. (ed.) (2007). Satire. Bloom’s Literary Themes. Infobase Publishing. Edited by Harold Bloom, this collection of essays discusses the thematic elements of satire in literature, providing insights into its various manifestations.
• Gray, J., Jones, J., & Thompson, E. (eds.) (2009). Satire TV: Politics and Comedy in the Post-Network Era . NYU Press. This book explores satire in contemporary television, analyzing shows like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” and their influence on public discourse.
• Lockyer, S., & Pickering, M. (eds.) (2009). Beyond a Joke: The Limits of Humour . Palgrave Macmillan. This collection of essays examines the boundaries and ethics of humor, including satire, in various social and political contexts.

Crafting Wit and Wisdom: A Guide to Satire Essay, Topics and Examples

Table of contents

• 1 Definition of satire and its historical background
• 2 Elements of a Satirical Essay
• 3 Choosing a Topic
• 4 Analyzing the Subject Matter for Potential Angles of Satire
• 5 Writing the Essay
• 6 What is a Satirical Essay: Examples of Satirical Essays
• 7 Fine Line Between Satire and Offensiveness
• 8 Concluding Thoughts: The Art of Writing the Satire Essay

In this insightful article, we delve into the realm of satire essays, a unique form of writing that blends criticism with humor.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• Unveiling the essence of satire essay, its history, and types like Horatian and Juvenalian.
• Exploring the vital elements of a satirical essay, emphasizing a robust thesis, and the use of irony and sarcasm.
• Navigating the process of choosing engaging topics, including 50 hand-picked suggestions.
• Detailed guidance on structuring your satirical essay for maximum impact.
• Learning from examples of renowned satirical essays.
• Understanding the delicate balance between satire and sensitivity.

Join us as we explore these facets of satire essay writing, equipping you with the knowledge to create compelling, thought-provoking academic essays .

Definition of satire and its historical background

Satire, a literary genre known for its clever blend of humor and critique, has a rich history and diverse forms. Originating in ancient times, satire has been used to expose follies and vices in society, individuals, and institutions. The two main types of satire are Horatian and Juvenalian. Horatian satire, named after the Roman poet Horace, is characterized by a light-hearted and humorous tone, aiming more to amuse than to condemn. In contrast, Juvenalian satire, inspired by the Roman poet Juvenal, is more severe and abrasive, often expressing indignation and moral outrage.

The role of humor, irony, and exaggeration in satire cannot be overstated. These elements are tools for satirists to entertain, provoke thought, and challenge the status quo. For instance, exaggeration can highlight the absurdity of a situation, while irony can reveal contradictions and hypocrisies.

When considering topics for satire, it’s important to choose ones that resonate with the audience and remain relevant. Satire essay topics can range from light-hearted social commentary to more biting political criticism. The key is to select a subject that offers ample scope for humor and insightful critique. A satirical essay becomes an impactful tool for social commentary and change by selecting and handling these topics.

Elements of a Satirical Essay

A satirical essay is a unique fusion of humor and criticism woven to convey a thought-provoking message. Central to its success is a robust, clear thesis statement. This serves as the essay’s cornerstone, encapsulating the satirical argument. The thesis should be forthright and reflect the writer’s stance on the subject matter, whether it’s tinged with mockery, a critical edge, or a humorous slant.

The employment of rhetorical devices like irony, sarcasm, and parody is integral to the essence of a satirical essay. Irony stands out as a potent tool. It enables writers to express one thing while implying something else, often the opposite. This juxtaposition of the literal and the intended meaning adds layers to the satire, enriching its impact. Sarcasm, a variant of verbal irony, is adept at mocking or expressing disdain. On the other hand, parody involves imitating a subject or style to expose its flaws and absurdities.

A satirical essay is a clever blend of humor and critique, anchored by a clear, strong thesis and brought to life with the strategic use of rhetorical devices like irony, sarcasm, and parody. The choice of topic is crucial, as it needs to lend itself to satirical treatment, allowing the writer to lampoon the subject while engaging and enlightening the reader.

Choosing a Topic

The best topics for a satirical essay are those that resonate with your audience and remain relevant over time. Current events, social behaviors, and cultural phenomena are fertile grounds for satire. While choosing, consider what things to write a satire about that would engage and provoke thought in your readers. The effectiveness of your satire will depend on the relevance and universality of the topic selected.

When considering satire ideas, the topics should be chosen for their potential to be viewed through a satirical lens. This could involve turning a critical eye on societal norms, political policies, or even everyday absurdities. Funny satire topics revolve around current events, popular culture, or universal human behaviors, offering a wealth of material for insightful yet humorous critique.

Satirical essay ideas should aim to entertain, provoke thought, and encourage reflection. Topics to satirize can range from the mundane to the controversial, each offering a unique opportunity to highlight inconsistencies, hypocrisies, or the humorous side of life.

Here are some current and timeless topics that work well for satirical essays.

• The Perpetual Pursuit of the Perfect Body Image
• The Digital Detox: Escaping Social Media’s Grip
• The Billionaire Space Race: A New Playground for the Rich
• Fast Fashion Frenzy: The Race to the Bottom of Your Closet
• The Automation of Everything: When Robots Take Over Daily Tasks
• The Evolution of the Coffee Culture: From Bean to Obsession
• The “Influencer” Lifestyle: Reality vs. Instagram
• The Political Tug-of-War: A Satirical Look at Partisan Politics
• The Self-Help Paradox: More Books, Less Clarity
• The Tech Disconnect: Smartphones and the Illusion of Connection
• The Art of Procrastination in the Digital Age
• The College Admissions Arms Race: A Game of Prestige and Pressure
• The Corporate Buzzword Bingo: Synergy, Leverage, and Disruption
• The Quest for Immortality: Silicon Valley and the Fountain of Youth
• The Satire of Surveillance: Living in a Panopticon
• The Cult of Productivity: Doing More, Enjoying Less
• The Modern Dating Scene: Swiping Left on Romance
• The Vegan Revolution: Meatless Mondays and Beyond
• The Age of Misinformation: Navigating a Post-Truth World
• The Gig Economy Grind: Freedom or Freelance Frenzy?
• The Generation Gap: Baby Boomers vs. Millennials vs. Gen Z
• The Reality TV Paradox: Fame, Fortune, and Fabrication
• The Luxury of Minimalism: Spending More to Have Less
• The Endless Streaming Cycle: From Binge-Watching to Burnout
• The Battle Against Aging: Creams, Serums, and Unrealistic Expectations
• The Festival of Fads: Detoxes, Cleanses, and Other Health Mysteries
• The Tyranny of the Tidy: Marie Kondo and the Quest to Declutter
• The Irony of Connectivity: Lonelier in a More Connected World
• The Mirage of the “Perfect” Family on Social Media
• The Paradox of Choice in the Modern Consumer Society
• The DIY Disaster: When Pinterest Dreams Face Reality
• The Pursuit of Happiness Through Retail Therapy
• The Sacred Rituals of the Morning Routine YouTube Gurus
• The Mock Election: Satirizing Political Campaign Promises
• The Superhero Syndrome: The Oversaturation of Comic Book Movies
• The Great Organic Odyssey: Is It Really Better?
• The Exotic Pet Epidemic: From Tigers to Tarantulas
• The High Seas of Hobby Collecting: From Stamps to Sneakers
• The Dystopia of Driverless Cars: Are We There Yet?
• The Parable of the Paperless Office: More Paper Than Ever

Analyzing the Subject Matter for Potential Angles of Satire

Once you’ve selected a topic, the next step is to analyze it for satirical potential. Begin by identifying the subject’s inherent absurdities, hypocrisies, or contradictions. This critical examination allows you to uncover potential angles for satirical commentary. For example, in political satire, you might focus on discrepancies between a politician’s words and actions. In cultural satire, you could highlight the extremes of societal trends. This stage is vital as it sets the foundation for your satirical approach, shaping the direction and tone of your essay.

Remember, the goal is to provoke thought and discussion by presenting familiar issues in a new, humorous light. Your analysis should strike a balance between humor and insight, ensuring that your satire resonates with the audience while offering a fresh perspective on the topic.

Writing the Essay

Writing a satirical essay involves a strategic combination of humor, criticism, and a well-structured satirical essay outline . Begin with an engaging introduction that captures the essence of your satire. This could include an anecdote, a surprising fact, or a bold statement setting your essay’s tone. The introduction should culminate in a clear, concise thesis statement that encapsulates your satirical stance.

As you move into the body of your essay, each paragraph should focus on a specific aspect or example of your topic. This is where you can showcase different types of satire, such as irony, exaggeration, or parody, to strengthen your argument. Use vivid and descriptive language to paint a clear picture for your readers. Incorporating real-life examples or referencing satirical essay examples can illustrate your points. Balancing humor with factual information is important, ensuring your essay is entertaining and informative.

Consider using various rhetorical strategies to enhance your satire when developing your argument. Techniques like hyperbole can exaggerate your topic’s absurdities, while irony can highlight contradictions and inconsistencies. Sarcasm can add a sharp edge to your critique. Remember, the goal is to provoke thought and encourage a deeper understanding of the subject matter through humor.

In the concluding paragraph, summarize the main points of your essay, reinforcing your satirical message. The conclusion should echo your thesis and leave a lasting impression on the reader. A well-crafted conclusion will tie all your ideas together, emphasizing the significance of your satire and its impact on the reader’s perception of the topic.

Throughout your essay, maintain a consistent tone and style. The best satire essays are those that blend wit with wisdom, using humor as a tool to shed light on serious topics.

What is a Satirical Essay: Examples of Satirical Essays

The satirical essay genre blends humor with incisive social commentary. This essay leverages wit to critique everything from political policies to societal norms, often revealing underlying truths in an entertaining and thought-provoking way.

A classic satire essay example is Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal ,” a pinnacle of Juvenalian satire. Swift’s essay, known for its biting and ironic tone, suggests that the impoverished Irish could alleviate their financial woes by selling their children as delicacies to the wealthy. This preposterous idea is not a whimsical musing but a sharp indictment of the brutal British policies towards the Irish and a comment on the apathy of the Irish people to their own plight.

This essay is a prime illustration of how to start a satire essay. Swift adopts a grave and sincere tone to advance an absurd proposition. This stark contrast between his tone and the ludicrousness of his proposal accentuates the absurdity of the situation he critiques. This strategic use of irony, where the true intent is veiled behind an opposite statement, is common in satirical essays. It allows writers to deliver powerful critiques in an engaging and impactful manner.

Another form of satire is Horatian satire, deriving its name from the Roman poet Horace. This type of satire differs from the abrasive Juvenalian style. A more playful, lighthearted approach characterizes Horatian satire. It tends to poke fun at human foibles and follies without aiming to cause distress or provoke significant change. It’s a more subdued and humorous satire, intending more to amuse than agitate.

For authors drafting a satirical essay, the choice of satire type is vital. It should align with both the subject matter and the intended message.

By analyzing seminal works like Swift’s “A Modest Proposal,” writers can learn to employ satire, creating works that are not just humorous but also insightful and thought-provoking. Effective satire has the power to be an influential tool for social commentary and change, making it a valuable and enduring form of literary expression.

Fine Line Between Satire and Offensiveness

Navigating the delicate boundary separating satire from offensiveness is paramount. While satire wields the potential for profound impact, it teeters on the edge of insensitivity. Responsible satirists know their audience and the broader context, ensuring their work critiques without inflicting harm. When addressing sensitive subjects, a delicate equilibrium is required. Satire becomes a tool for enlightenment rather than alienation or offense, using humor to shed light on societal issues without causing undue distress.

Concluding Thoughts: The Art of Writing the Satire Essay

In summary, the art of satire is a powerful yet intricate tool, merging humor with sharp social observation. Its core objective is to question established norms and provoke self-reflection. To write an effective satire essay, one must balance insightful critique with an approach that avoids offending. This genre requires a delicate touch, using wit and irony to make a point. An essential aspect of crafting a satirical piece involves creating a well-structured outline that supports the satirical thesis while engaging the reader. The creators and consumers of satire need to appreciate its significant potential to influence and its inherent responsibility towards society. Satire is not a literary device but a call to use its capabilities with wisdom and consideration.

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What is Satire? Examples, Definition, and How to Write Satire

by Fija Callaghan

You’ve probably come across satire in your daily life without even realizing it. From contemporary pop culture platforms like Saturday Night Live to the hand-drawn caricatures artists use to pull in the tourists, satire is everywhere.

But what does satire mean, exactly, and where does it come from? Can it ever be useful to us as poets and fiction writers? Keep reading for everything you need to know about this contentious literary device.

What is satire?

Satire is a literary genre which uses a fictitious lens to ridicule or draw attention to real-world failings, especially societal or political issues. Satirical stories often use elements like irony, hyperbole, and juxtaposition to show the reader the innate silliness or degradation in a person, group of people, or societal value.

For example, if you want to take a stand against a corrupt and dangerous political party, you could write a story about a ridiculous and lecherous king who inadvertently drives his kingdom into poverty. Or, if you want to draw attention to the arbitrariness of racial segregation, you could write a satire about a society in which people are judged by whether they were born at an even-numbered hour or an odd one.

By taking an element of the world around you that you disagree with and amplifying it, you can convey a real and powerful social commentary to your readers.

What’s the difference between satire and parody?

Satire and parody have a lot in common, and it’s easy to get them confused. Sometimes, they even overlap. The main difference between satire and parody is the message they’re trying to convey to their audience.

A parody emulates another work or body of work using exaggeration and humor. The purpose of a parody is to entertain. For example, Scary Movie is a parody of the horror movie genre, and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a parody of Jane Austen’s famous novel. Rather than relying on deep, thought-provoking themes, these parodies use comedy to create a fun reading or viewing experience.

A satire, on the other hand, is a form of social criticism. While it often uses humor (though not always—we’ll look at the different types of satire below), its purpose is to make the audience think about a social issue in a new way or draw attention to aspects of these issues that have been problematic.

For instance, a satire of the horror movie genre would probably be less funny and more focused on asking questions about why people are drawn to body horror, or why certain tropes so often feature minority identities. In other words, satire is meant to get people thinking critically about human nature. And Pride and Prejudice is already a satire! It uses humor to poke fun at the constricting marriage conventions and social politics of the time.

Types of satire in literature

We tend to think of satire as one literary genre, but did you know there are actually a few different kinds? Here’s a closer look at the different types of satire you’ll find across history.

Horatian satire

Horatian satire, popularized by the Roman poet Horace, is a lighthearted and comic way of poking fun at the foibles of human nature. While this type of satire encourages its audience to examine their own errors of judgement and grow, the social criticism tends to be on a more personal level—Horatian satire isn’t trying to bring about a widespread cultural change.

Contemporary examples of Horatian satire are tongue-in-cheek news platforms like The Onion or The Colbert Report . Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift—one of recent history’s most notable satirists—is a famous example from classic literature. Today, this is generally what we think of when we think of the word satire.

Juvenalian satire

If you think Juvenalian satire is juvenile, you’re off the mark—the name comes from the poet Juvenal. This type of satire is dark, bitter, and carries a core message: something is very wrong in the world today, and Imma tell you why.

Juvenalian satire isn’t meant to make the reader laugh, but rather to draw the reader’s attention to problems in contemporary culture. You’ll often find this type of satire in dystopian fiction. For example, The Hunger Games can be seen as a Juvenalian satire of reality television and celebrity culture.

Menippean satire

Menippean satire comes from the philosopher Menippus, and refers to satirical writing that explores broad, general flaws in humanity. Traditionally, these often denounced the problems in upper class intellectualism and elitist attitudes towards the working class. However, Menippean satire can also be used as a lens through which to examine contemporary issues like homophobia, agoraphobia, or racism.

This type of satire can overlap with Horatian and Juvenalian satire, and it can be amusing or bleak. Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland , which pokes fun at the pastimes of the Victorian elite, is an example of Menippean satire.

Visual satire

Visual satire communicates satirical perspectives through a visual lens, like animation or comic books. The most common examples of these are political cartoons, in which the artist says a lot of big ideas in only a moment. Cartoons like The Simpsons often communicate social and political satire in a visual way, as do comic strips like Calvin and Hobbes .

If you’re writing a comic book or graphic novel, you have a wide range of visual literary devices available to you. Even if you’re writing a satirical prose novel, remember that your cover illustration can communicate to your deeper meaning, too.

Examples of satire from popular culture

Here are some more examples of beloved satires—the dark and the light—across classic literature.

Temporary by Hilary Leichter

If you’re of a certain generation and have crossed paths with a computer in the past decade or so, you’ve probably come across the toxic buzzphrase of corporate nightmare, “Hustle culture.” The protagonist of Leichter’s novel yearns for the one thing all little girls dream of: a steady job with benefits. Unfortunately, her career is one of being thrown from one temp role to another, which include becoming a department store mannequin, pirate, surrogate mother, and personal assistant to an assassin, among other jobs.

Temporary both mocks and illuminates the way attitudes towards the millennial workforce, job security, and career advancement have changed, making the reader laugh and ask probing questions at the same time—exactly as a good satire should.

Self Care by Leigh Stein

In today’s hustle-happy day in age (see previous), we could all use a little self care. However, there are those that take it a little too far in the name of Likes, free stuff, and artificial self-validation. Self Care follows the founders of a wellness community and app called “Richual,” in which people (read: love-starved women) can track their mindfulness minutes, “me time,” and other measurements of self care on the app, then compare results with all their friends. Nothing like a little competitive spirit to be your best self.

This novel is a rich satire of a personal practice which has, in recent years, become immeasurably commercialized. It encourages the reader to take a break from their phone and consider what self care really means.

Cold Comfort Farm by by Stella Gibbons

The oldest twentieth-century example on this list, Cold Comfort Farm was published in 1932 as an intentional satire of a certain genre of rural fiction—think the Brontë sisters, Jane Austen, and Lucy Maud Montgomery. The protagonist, Flora Poste, is a meddling city girl who moves in with her eccentric family in the sticks. The family consists of a cousin who’s a preacher just a bit off his rocker, a cousin who moons around the countryside quoting poetry, another cousin with a healthy dose of roguish charm, a cow named Pointless, etc., etc. And don’t forget the creepy crumbling manor house.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because these tropes have been done to death, which makes them fertile ground for satirical writing. This novel is a great example of how you can use a satirical approach to take tired clichés and give them a fresh lease on life.

How to incorporate satire into your own writing

As a literary style, satire can be a wonderful way to explore political issues and expose flaws in the world around us in a light-hearted, entertaining way. It can be thought-provoking, and even—the goal of all truly great literature—put into motion a real change.

Here are some things to keep in mind while you explore the long tradition of satiric storytelling.

Consider your core message

All satires have a message they’re trying to communicate with the reader—it could be the absurdity of the housing crisis, or the toxicity of the lengths some people will go for love. Try and pinpoint what social, personal, or political issue you want the reader to take notice of before you begin writing. Then, your entire story structure is built around this message.

Once you know what you’re trying to say, you can look for small details that you can enhance for dramatic effect (and we’ll look at how to do this down below).

Create an allegory

An allegory is a story within a story —an entertaining fictional narrative overlying a deeper true narrative. For example, Animal Farm is a story about a community of farm animals who come together after their farmers leave. It’s also a story about the politics of the Russian Revolution. George Orwell uses the family-friendly overstory to create an indirect satire of the political figures of the time.

If your core message is delicate or potentially inflammatory, consider if there’s another story you could use as a framing device to convey your message in a clear, accessible way.

Use irony and hyperbole for dramatic effect

Irony and hyperbole are the cornerstones of satiric writing. Hyperbole, or extreme exaggeration to make a point, draws the reader’s attention to certain aspects of the work (you see this a lot in cartoons and other satiric art forms). By taking these aspects to their extreme, you encourage your reader to re-examine them in their own lives.

Irony achieves a similar effect. By using words or scenes that convey the opposite of what the reader or character expects, you encourage readers to question why those expectations exist in the first place. You can read more about using irony as a literary device here .

Use symbolism and metaphor

Satire is rich in symbolism and metaphor beyond its literal meaning. Very often, objects, characters, and places in a satire mean something other than what they first appear as. An expensive handbag could be a metaphor for the global disparity of wealth, or a shoebox filled with childhood memorabilia could be symbolic of coming of age in a rapidly shifting society.

When writing your satire (and particularly in the revision process), look for places in which you can heighten your story’s message using these thought-provoking literary devices.

Convey theme—not cruelty

It’s super important to remember that satire is a vehicle for social change—not a cheap opportunity to tear people down. Try to frame your message around ideas, social frameworks, and cultural beliefs rather than specific people. And instead of using your writing to simply say, “This sucks,” try saying “This sucks—but we can do something about it.”

Consider your destination, not just the vehicle.

Satire is a tool for humor, social commentary, and widespread change

Satire is a great literary genre for making people laugh—but it can also be used to explore serious topics and real-life cultural issues the world is facing today. You can convey satire through hyperbole, metaphor, and other literary devices, and through it, encourage people to think about society in a fresh and critical way.

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Full Guide: How to Write a satire Essay

A satire essay is one of the most complicated academic papers you will ever write. It requires not only a good grasp of language, but also the ability to use irony and hyperbole to get your point across. TheGreatAndrew, a leading satire essay writing service , has researched the intricacies of satirical writing to bring you up to speed. Learn how to write a satire essay here!

What is a Satire Essay?

A satire essay is an academic essay that uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to point out a social problem. George Orwell’s Animal Farm is an excellent example of how you can write a satirical essay and express your thoughts.

Purpose of a Satire Essay

A satirical essay is primarily intended to point out weaknesses, absurdities and vices, such as corruption, gender stereotypes and other social issues. It does this with humor, irony, parody, exaggeration, and sarcasm.

Instructors will assign satire essays to help you think creatively and critically about various social issues. By learning how to write a satire essay , you can also improve your ability to use literary techniques such as irony.

Types of Satire Essays

There are many types of satire essays, mainly differ in tone. 

A horatian satire , for example, uses light-hearted humor to expose social problems. In contrast, a Juvenalian satire uses an aggressive style to expose social ills.

Other common types of satire essays that our satire essay helpers work on are:

• Menippean satire
• Social satire
• Burlesque satire
• Ironic satire
• Parody satire
• Political satire

Format of a Satire Essay

The format of a satire essay is similar to that of an ordinary academic paper. It consists of three main parts – an introduction, a main body and a conclusion.

The introduction gives an overview of the topic you are satirizing. It also contains your thesis. In the body of the satire essay, you present your satirical point of view, and the conclusion summarizes your essay.

How to Write a Satirical Essay: The Writing Process

If you want to write a satire essay that will be graded well, you should go through your assignment. The brief will help you determine the topic, tone, and points to emphasize. The brief also contains all the information you need to stay on track with your writing.

After reading the brief, follow these steps to get the job done:

• Research your topic. Research your topic thoroughly. Your research should focus on the topic or issue you want to satirize, including its history, causes, and effects. This will give you a solid foundation for your satire.
• Create an outline. Create an outline that will guide you through the writing process. Think about what angles you could take to highlight societal ills. Then organize your ideas into a clear and logical structure that includes an introduction, paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Write your satire essay. Begin writing your essay. Start with the introduction and work your way through each paragraph to the conclusion. Remember to use humor, hyperbole, and irony to make your point and appeal to your audience.

How to Write a Satire Essay: How to Format

When writing a satire essay, you can use different formatting styles. The formatting you choose will depend on your instructor and your academic discipline. Assuming your instructor does not specify which formatting style you should use, you can use the following outline as a guide:

• AMA (American Medical Association) is appropriate for medical papers
• APA (American Psychological Association) is suitable for psychology and sociology papers.
• ASA is for sociology and social sciences
• Chicago is for humanities
• Harvard / Turabian is suitable for natural and social sciences
• IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers Style) is ideal for technical work, e.g. in the computer sciences
• MLA (Modern Language Association) is for the humanities

How to Write a Satire Essay: Importance of Writing

Learning how to write a satirical essay has many benefits. For one, the essay enhances your wit by encouraging you to convey messages satirically and ironically.

In addition, satire essay writing has other benefits, including:

• Better communication. To write a satirical essay, you need to analyze your audience and know the right language to use to communicate with them. This process makes you a better communicator who knows the right message for a particular audience.
• Stimulate the conversation. Satire essays are often controversial and thought-provoking. They can lead to meaningful discussions and debates about social issues such as corruption, politics, gender inequality and more.
• Improved writing skills. Writing a satire requires a strong understanding of language and tone. Learning how to write a satirical essay will sharpen your ability to write persuasively.
• Sharpen your creativity. Writing a satire essay can take your imagination to a higher level. It challenges you to think outside the box and find creative and witty ways to get your point across.
• Improves your understanding of social issues. Writing a satire essay encourages you to analyze and critique social, political or cultural issues in a satirical way. After writing a few essays, you will develop a deeper understanding of various social issues.

How to Write a Satire Essay: Top Writing Tips

According to our experienced writers who are paid to write essays , writing a good satire essay starts with reading and understanding the evaluation rubric. Understand the purpose of the assignment, the deadline, the format, and the grading criteria. These guidelines will keep you on the right track.

Use the following instructions and tips as a benchmark for writing an essay that will earn the highest score:

• Research the topic. In order to write a successful satire essay, you should know exactly the topic you want to write about. Do your research and gather relevant information. Once you understand it, you will find it easy to write.
• Choose a strong topic. As a rule, you should choose a topic that is relevant, interesting and has the potential to generate humor. With such a topic, it will be easy for you to write an enticing satire.
• Use humor professionally. Humor is a key element of satire, but you should not abuse it. Always make sure it is appropriate, relevant and contributes to the overall message of your essay.
• Structure your essay properly. A well-structured essay is easier to follow and more engaging to read. If you ask us, “write me a satire essay,” our expert believes that structure is a prerequisite for a good grade. Use clear paragraphs, transition words and a strong introduction and conclusion.
• Editing and proofreading. Once you have finished working on your essay, you should edit and proofread it. Look for spelling and grammatical errors, inconsistencies, and sentence structure problems and correct them.

How to Write a Satire Essay: Common Mistakes Students Make When Writing

Misusing satire is one of the biggest mistakes students make when writing a satire essay. Although the essay is meant to be humorous, the wrong use of satire will offend your target audience. You will not get the highest score with such an essay.

Other common mistakes students make when writing a satire are:

• They do not understand the audience. The audience determines the tone in which you deliver your message. So if you do not understand your audience, you are likely to use a style that will not resonate with them.
• You choose an irrelevant topic. A satire essay should criticize topics that are relevant to society, politics, or culture. A trivial topic makes the satire essay unserious.
• Lack of a clear thesis. A thesis is just as important in a satire essay as it is in any other academic paper. Without it, your satire can become confusing.
• To be too broad. Satire is most effective when it focuses on a specific topic. If you cover too many ideas in a single satire essay, the impact of the message will be diluted. Your essay will become unfocused.
• Forget proofreading and editing. A satire essay requires the same attention to detail as any other academic paper. Neglecting proofreading and editing can lead to errors that affect the quality of your satire essay.

How to Choose Topics for Your Satire Essays

When selecting a topic for your satire essay, choose one that is relevant and meaningful to your audience. Look for topics that are currently being debated or discussed in politics or popular culture.

Once you have found a potential topic, think about how you can comment on or criticize the issue with humor, irony, or hyperbole. This is the simple process when you ask us, “do my satire essay.”

Examples of Satire Essay Topics

Some top topics for satire essays ordered by students are:

• The absurdity of modern politics
• The folly of celebrity worship
• The stupidity of conspiracy theories
• The hypocrisy of religious extremism
• The insanity of bureaucracy

How Long Should a Satire Essay be?

A satire essay can be between a few hundred and several thousand words long. The length depends on the depth of the satire and the target audience. Your assignment will always specify the actual word count.

However, if the professor gives you the word count, you can use the following as a guide:

• High school: 250 – 1,000 words
• College: 250 – 1,000 words
• University: 750 – 1,250 words
• Masters: 750 – 1,250 words
• PhD: 750 – 1,250 words

Learn More on How to Write a Satire Essay

We are your go-to source for your “ write my satire essay” request. We handle various coursework including essays, dissertations, and research papers. Our team consists of experts from various academic fields. Each of them specializes in their field to provide you with the best assistance. So, you can be sure that they will help you write a top-notch satire essay that will get a good grade.

Buy satire essay and let an expert give your essay a professional touch.

FAQs About Satire Essay Writing

Here you will find short answers to frequently asked questions about writing satire essays.

What are some typical target audiences for satire essays?

The target audience for satire essays can be politicians, corporate executives, the public, or religious organizations.

What techniques are used when writing a satire essay?

There are several techniques used when writing a satire essay. The most common include exaggeration, irony, parody, and sarcasm.

How do you strike a balance between humor and seriousness in a satire essay?

An excellent way to achieve this balance is to use humor sparingly while keeping the audience’s emotions in mind.

Full Guide: How to Write a Response essay

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Writing a Satire Essay: Guide and Examples

Satire has many forms that can be used to write works practically about any topic. Knowing where to start can be tricky if you have never encountered similar tasks at school before. But there’s no need to worry! Our team has developed this helpful guide for such an occasion. We will explain the basics of satirical essays and provide valuable tips on making them.

This article will also provide plenty of topic ideas on popular themes to make your work less stressful. You’ll also get to check out several satire essay examples that can serve as an inspiration for your work. Use our guide to make your paper come out great!

😁 The Basics of Satirical Essays

🔎 types of satire, 📝 writing a satire essay.

• 💡 Best Satirical Topics
• 🤩 Satire Essay Examples

📎 References

The American historian Barbara W. Tuchman states, “Satire is a wrapping of exaggeration around a core of reality.” This quote perfectly describes this exciting and controversial genre. But what is the definition of satire anyway? It’s the art of making something ridiculous, laughable, or discrediting. Satire is one of the oldest literary genres, dating back to Ancient Greece and the rhetorician Quintallian . It has different types, but their purpose is largely the same.

You can use satire to make fun of political ideologies, excessive militarism, or the pitfalls of modern society.

That’s precisely what many authors like George Orwell, Terry Pratchett, Joseph Heller, and Jaroslaw Hasek did in their works. They give a funhouse mirror look at real or fictional concepts and, sometimes, a mix of both.

Every essay type has an essential role, and this one is no exception. A satire essay serves the same purpose as its larger counterparts. It lets you poke fun or criticize things you find absurd. A paper can ridicule anything from the agony of bureaucratic procedures and nonsensical laws to the media climate and pop culture scene. It allows you to voice your opinion on these matters in a lighthearted and fun way.

Essentially, you can use three types of satire in your essays. Check them out before approaching a new piece of writing. This way, you’ll better select the most suitable for your subject and writing style .

Writing a satirical essay has much in common with other examples of this genre. You need an introduction, body paragraphs , and a conclusion. This section outlines the steps that will help you in this process. Read on to learn how to perfect your satire essay!

• Step 1 : Select a topic. Find a subject that’s preferably already ridiculous or ironic. Your goal is to make it look even more exaggerated. Political c artoons are an excellent place to find a suitable theme for your essay.
• Step 2 : Make your point through a hyperbole. Keep in mind that a hyperbolizing doesn’t necessarily mean lying. Instead, exaggerate the facts to highlight how absurd they are. For example, you can talk about how Norway’s economy is thriving thanks to the sheer amount of salmon they consume yearly.
• Step 3 : Present your ideas through irony . This literary device uses words and phrases to tell the opposite of what they mean. It allows you to show a disconnect between someone’s expectations and what happens in reality.
• Step 4 : Make it humorous. Keeping up a light tone can be challenging. But you should still do your best, as humor is a great way to get people to side with you and accept your position on an issue. It can win people over faster than weighted and meticulously explained opinions.

💡 Best Satirical Topics for an Essay

A satirical essay can be about any theme you like, from literary works to global events. To keep you from losing your head in this sea of possibilities, we’ve decided to present some of the funniest and most engaging topics for your writings.

But before we get started, here are some ideas on how you can come up with a cool satirical topic for your paper:

✅ Personal Experiences. Reflect on the moments from your life that struck you as odd or downright hilarious. Maybe it’s when you mistook a raccoon for your neighbor’s cat. Funny experiences often harbor unique insights that, when shared, can resonate with others due to their unexpected humor.

✅ Social Norms and Expectations . Explore instances when societal norms clash with reality. Let’s imagine your coworkers dressed in regular clothes to work while you and your friend dressed in Halloween outfits. By dissecting these contradictions, you can craft a story that entertains and subtly challenges societal norms.

✅ Current Events and Trends . Take a satirical lens to recent happenings, whether it’s an obsession with a new TikTok trend or an outfit from Rihanna or Doja Cat that other influencers are rushing to copy. Amplify the absurdity of these events to highlight their often-overlooked humorous side while satirizing the public’s reactions surrounding them.

✅ Everyday Life Observations . Delve into the nuances of daily life that typically go unnoticed. It could be the funny habits of your soulmate or people’s behavior on public transportation or elevators. By magnifying these quirks, you can reveal the hilarity and peculiarity of the routines we take for granted.

School and Education Satire Topics

• How to master Google search for your academic pursuits.
• The art of procrastination : How to avoid studying until the last minute.
• How to ace an exam without studying.
• The myth of a perfect student and how it wrecks the lives of collegegoers.
• A satirical look at the pitfalls of contemporary American education.
• College application essays: The most needless thing and how to ace it.
• Why you should spend years earning a degree you’ll never use.
• Group projects and how to survive them.
• Funny utopian school: Where homework is banned and recess is eternal.
• The unfair world of homework assignments.

Technology and Social Media Satire Topics

• The Me generation: How social media raises an army of narcissists.
• Informational addiction: Truth or even scarier truth?
• Why you should post everything online.
• Artificial Intelligence: Our doom or salvation?
• The virtues of being a social media star.
• Social media and its effect on your personal life.
• How to wreck your life with Facebook.
• TikTok and the modern media contagion.
• Top 10 apps that ruin your life.
• How to live one day without technology and stay sane.

Historical Satire Topics

• A satirical look at the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.
• The Third Reich’s WWII propaganda: A study in ridiculousness.
• Fighting for peace: A short look at the arms race.
• “Let them eat cake” and other phrases that changed history.
• Historical influence of satire on the American Dream perception.
• How the Cold War shaped American satire of the late 20th century.
• Medieval gun control: Unsheathing the hilarity of sword registry laws.
• The rise of authoritarianism and political satire.
• 1812 and the folly of Napoleon.
• Slavery in the land of the free.

Politics and Government Satire Topics

• The wonderful world of the two-party system.
• Political promises: A study in honesty and integrity.
• A satirical look at the theatrics of political ads.
• The department of bureaucratic ballet: A satirical look at the government’s efficiency.
• How the US bureaucracy became the monster everybody loves to hate.
• A crash course in gaining political power without the fuss of democracy.
• Political dodgeball: Avoiding questions made easy.
• Ingenious solutions: How politicians promise to solve everything with catchy slogans.
• How to survive your next Thanksgiving dinner.
• How political division brings a country together.

Social Issues Satire Topics

• Ten ways to avoid pressing social issues and feel good about yourself.
• Why pulling yourself by the bootstraps no longer works.
• Eating your way to a healthier life.
• The luxury guide to poverty: How to embrace destitution with style.
• How to become an effective cyberbully.
• The selfie pandemic: A guide to self-obsession.
• Unemployment reality shows: Who wants to be a broke millionaire?
• Remaining private in a globally connected world.
• How to become a cut-throat millionaire.
• The great overpopulation and its humorous consequences.

Literature Satire Topics

• How to bore your audience while looking important.
• Outdated language: Making dictionaries cool again.
• Crafting complex plots with just simple literary techniques.
• A masterclass in confusing storytelling.
• How to write a novel that people won’t buy.
• The art of long-winded narrative in Stephen King novels.
• Endings that made you throw books out the window.
• Breaking the fourth wall and hilarious in-text solutions.
• How to talk about books without reading them.
• A guide to nonsensical plot twists.

🤩 Fantastic Satire Essay Examples

As we all know, theory is good but practice makes perfect. This is why we want to offer you these satire essay examples. Carefully reading through them will help you understand the elements they use and what makes them work. We suggest that you also try your hand at writing essays on these topics – compare them to our samples and see where you can improve!

• Failed Leadership Can Only Be Whipped by Satire George Orwell used Animal Farm to critique totalitarian regimes that oppress the masses. The work pokes fun at many authoritarian movements, from fascism to communism, with a strong and charismatic leader usurping the top position and gaining full power. But most prominently it’s an attack on the October Revolution and the rise of Joseph Stalin as the leader. On a broader scale, Animal Farm serves as a satire of communism that ultimately didn’t meet the high expectations that the USSR’s citizens anticipated. Each character symbolizes a class or type of individual with strong and weak character traits. The novel’s antagonist, Master Jones, represents the bourgeoisie that exploits workers to death. The animals, a.k.a the proletariat, revolt and overthrow his iron rule. While things seem better for a while, thanks to the efforts and philosophy of a pig called Old Major, everything quickly turns for the worse. That soon results in many tragic events and the farm falling into the hands of another pig named Napoleon. He usurps the prime position much like Joseph Stalin did from Leo Trotsky . Any mentions of his political rival are met with brutal retaliation. Pretty soon, nobody remembers the original ideas that spearheaded the revolution. Ultimately, the pigs take over the farm and start to resemble humans. It is a masterful allegory of the oppressed becoming the oppressors. Animals become rulers of the farm, but most live in the same squalor they started with. Of course, nobody who is “ more equal than others ” ever complains.
• Political Satire and Stephen Colbert Political satire has been around almost since the dawn of American independence. Over the past couple of decades, it has become a favorite subject of many shows, including the subject of this essay — Stephen Colbert . His The Colbert Report is a prime example of how to criticize the political climate with the right amount of humor and heart. Colbert’s approach to satire pulls no punches as he famously mocked former President George Bush Jr. during a White House Correspondent Dinner. He criticized Bush’s actions, lifestyle, beliefs, and foreign policy decisions. He especially criticized the decision to invade Iraq in 2003, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties. Stephen Colbert used an ironic approach to discuss such issues to draw attention to them. While this was done lightheartedly, many people sided with Colbert. That allowed him to influence public opinion without being directly involved in politics. And Colbert always encouraged his viewers to do the right thing. Even though The Colbert Report ended in 2014, the man himself remains popular with American audiences. His current Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert enjoys millions of subscribers on YouTube and hundreds of millions of views. His previous program is still popular, with new people discovering it daily.

Thank you for reading our article. Hopefully, it helped you create a perfect satire essay. And if you need to find more ideas for your work, try out our essay topic generator !

❓ Satirical Essay FAQ

What is a satire essay.

A satirical essay sheds light on the absurdities of comical aspects of life. They are often used to criticize or make fun of a concept, a person, or a trend. This type of writing utilizes literary devices of irony and hyperbole to emphasize its message. Political satire is the most popular type in this field.

How to Start a Satire Essay?

Like any essay, it should start with an introduction. Here, you explain the theme of your work and what you want to shed light upon, be it a person, an event, or a concept. A good intro starts with a hook sentence for readers. Make it fun and engaging, and they’ll likely continue reading your satirical essay.

How to Write a Satire Essay?

First, find the right topic to make the subject of your essay. Second, use hyperbole and irony to point out the ridiculous aspects of the theme. You can check out examples of satirical papers to understand how these literary devices work. Finally, make the writing full of humor to drive your point home.

• What is Satire? || Definition & Examples. – Evan Gottlieb, Oregon State University
• 7 Satire Techniques With Tips. – Indeed
• The Process for Setting up a Satire Essay. – Loudoun County Public Schools
• What Is Satire? How to Use Satire in Literature, Pop Culture, and Politics—Plus Tips on Using Satire in Writing. – MasterClass
• Satirical Writing. – Del Donno, Lone Star College-University Park
• How to Write Satire. – Alex Baia
• 4 Ways to Come Up With a Great Essay Idea. – Oxford Royale Academy
• How to Use Satire, Sarcasm, and the Power of Contrast to Expand Your Writing Repertoire. – Dawn Bevier, Medium
• Writing Satire Is Harder Than You Think. – Jeff Goins, Writer
• Choosing a Topic. – The On-Campus Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University

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Satire Definition

What is satire? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

Satire is the use of humor, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule to criticize something or someone. Public figures, such as politicians, are often the subject of satire, but satirists can take aim at other targets as well—from societal conventions to government policies. Satire is an entertaining form of social commentary, and it occurs in many forms: there are satirical novels, poems, and essays, as well as satirical films, shows, and cartoons. Alec Baldwin's impersonation of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live is an example of satire.

Some additional key details about satire:

• Satire is a bit unusual as a literary term because it can be used to describe both a literary device and the specific genre of literature that makes use of the device. Just like a comedy is comedic because it uses comedy, a satire is satirical because it uses satire. For most of this entry, the word "satire" will be used refer to the device, not the genre.
• Satire often coincides with the use of other literary devices, such as irony , malapropism , overstatement , understatement , juxtaposition , or parody .
• Though most satires seek to draw laughter, there are many unfunny or even dark examples of satire, such as George Orwell's Animal Farm or Bret Easton Ellis's American Psycho , which criticize communist societies and capitalist societies, respectively.

How to Pronounce Satire

Here's how to pronounce satire: sa -tire

Satire as Literary Device vs. Satire as Genre

There are many novels, plays, and other works of literature that fall into the genre of satire. These works are all characterized by their consistent and sustained satirical attacks on their various targets. For instance, Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn satirizes the hypocrisies of pre-Civil-War society in the American South, especially its traditions of racism and slavery.

But satire is not only found in literature that falls into the broader genre of satire. To the contrary, satire is a device that can be used in many types of writing and art. For instance, a 2017 production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in New York City came under criticism for costuming Caesar (who gets assassinated in the play) in a business suit and bright red tie that closely resembled the standard garb of President Donald Trump. While the play Julius Caesar is not itself a satire, this costuming decision added an element of satire to the play, since it equated the despotic almost-Roman-emperor with an American president whom some have criticized as having tyrannical impulses of his own.

Satire and Humor

Satirists use humor not only to to ridicule their subjects, but also to gain the attention and trust of their readers. While readers might not always respond to a highly-conceptual, nuanced argument for change laid out in a dense manifesto or academic essay, they can easily and enjoyably recognize societal problems targeted by satirical writing. Some scholars have argued that the popular appeal of satire helps in bringing about actual social reform, since the use of humor makes it easier to disseminate political and societal critiques more widely.

However, humor is not a required element of satire. George Orwell's Animal Farm is one of the more famous satires ever written, but few people find humor in it—and in fact, many people find it to be a deeply unsettling and not-at-all funny book.

Types of Satire

Traditionally, scholars have divided satire into two main categories: Horatian and Juvenalian satire. These labels are derived from the names of the renowned Roman satirists Horace and Juvenal, who originated each type. A third, less common type of satire is Menippean satire, named after Menippus, the Greek cynic and satirist. These labels are more of a classical framework for literary critics rather than a strict set of guidelines that all modern satires must follow, but they are worth reviewing because they can help make clear the wide variety of forms that satire can take.

• Alexander Pope's poem The Rape of the Lock is an example of Horatian satire that gently mocks the English upper class for its vanity and dim-wittedness.
• George Orwell's Animal Farm is a Juvenalian satire that isn't particularly funny. It ridicules communist governments for their total lack of equality.
• Though Alec Baldwin's portrayal of President Trump on Saturday Night Live can have its lighter moments, the bulk of his satire pointedly criticizes Trump, perhaps with the intent of shaming the president into altering his course or of mobilizing citizens to work against Trump's goals and policies.
• Menippean satire is less common than Juvenalian or Horatian satire, though it's the oldest type of satire. Menippean satires target mindsets or worldviews instead of targeting specific people. There is considerable overlap between Horatian and Menippean satire, since both often target people's stupidity or vices rather than targeting specific people, though the tone of Menippean satire is often harsher, like Juvenalian satire.

Literary Devices Used in Satire

Satire often depends on other literary devices to help it achieve its effect. Below is a list of some of the most common devices that satirists employ when mocking their subjects. Keep in mind that these devices are not specific types of satire—they're just devices that are commonly used as a part of satire (the device), or in satire (the genre).

• Verbal irony refers to the use of words to express something other than their literal meaning. This type of irony depends on a disconnect between what is said and what is meant or what is true—so satirists often use irony to suggest that a speaker is too much of a fool to understand a situation or, worse, a liar. Imagine if a public official told a group of citizens, "There's nothing to worry about!" right after a dam had broken before their very eyes. This would make for an effective satire of a government's careless response to a natural disaster.
• An anachronism is a person or thing that belongs to a time period other than the one during which a piece of writing is set. Satirists might use anachronism to demonstrate how out of touch a subject is with his or her society. For example, if the same public official in the example above told a 21st-century crowd not to worry because steamboats would come to rescue them, readers would understand that the implication was that officials were either too incompetent or too clueless to resolve the problem.
• Parody is the imitation of a literary style for humorous effect. Satirical authors use parody to attack literary conventions and traditional forms of rhetoric, often by exaggerating the key characteristics of the genre until they seem ridiculous or nonsensical. For example, in the prologue to Miguel de Cervantes' classic novel, Don Quixote , Cervantes satirizes the pompous literary conventions in his contemporary Spain by creating his own over-the-top imitations of the elaborate poems that other authors commonly cited in the prologues to their works. Other writers of the time cited such poems to impress readers and project a sense of authority, but Cervantes' parodies make clear that those other writers are merely pretentious and ridiculous.
• Understatement is downplaying something's size, significance, or quality. This device is useful to satirists because, like irony, it can often be used to portray a speaker as deceptive or foolish. If a politician understates the severity of his or her actions (e.g., "I don't think starting a war we couldn't win was the best decision"), it underscores just how ineffective and uncritical someone in a position of power can be.
• Overstatement is the exaggeration of something's size, significance, or quality. This device can also be used to underscore a speaker's shaky grasp on the reality of any given situation. A politician might overstate the extent of his or her achievements ("This was the best bill ever passed"), so satirists use the device to expose the disconnect between what someone says and the reality of the situation.
• Juxtaposition is a literary device in which an author places two things next to each other to highlight the contrast between them. In satirical writing, juxtaposition is especially effective when the combination is unexpected. For example, Seth Grahame-Smith's popular parody novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, inserts zombies into the genteel world of Jane Austen's 19th-century England. Grahame-Smith could be said to be using juxtaposition to satirize either the propriety of Bennet's society, the ubiquity of zombies in American popular culture, or both.
• Malapropism is the humorous and usually unintentional use of a word in the place of a similar-sounding one. Because these speech errors have the potential to be embarrassing, satirists may portray people as fools by giving them malapropistic lines.

Satire Examples

You can find examples of satire in most art forms, because artists who are critical of their societies may wish to bring about reform or simply to entertain their audiences by mocking familiar people or institutions.

Satire in Literature

There has been a long tradition of satirical novels that criticize and poke fun at all aspects of both society and humanity more generally.

Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels

In this example from Chapter Four of Gulliver's Travels , Swift satirizes the historically troubled relationship between Catholics and Protestants in England, recreating the conflict as a battle over the correct way to eat eggs:

It began upon the following Occasion. It is allowed on all Hands, that the primitive way of breaking Eggs, before we eat them, was upon the larger End: But his present Majesty's Grand-father, while he was a Boy, going to eat an Egg, and breaking it according to the ancient Practice, happened to cut one of his Fingers. Whereupon the Emperor his Father published an Edict, commanding all his Subjects, upon great Penaltys, to break the smaller End of their Eggs. The People so highly resented this Law, that our Histories tell us there have been six Rebellions raised on that accoun t; wherein one Emperor lost his Life, and another his Crown. These civil Commotions were constantly fomented by the Monarchs of Blefuscu; and when they were quelled, the Exiles always fled for Refuge to that Empire . It is computed, that eleven thousand Persons have, at several times, suffered Death, rather than submit to break their Eggs at the smaller End.

While the battle between the two types of egg-eaters is clearly ridiculous—those who fight in it would rather die than eat their eggs "incorrectly"—Swift here is actually taking a jab at the religious quarrels that have played a major role in English politics for hundreds of years by recasting these disputes as frivolous and arbitrary. Swift makes it clear that he's satirizing religious conflicts in England with an allusion to the religious revolts that claimed the life of King Charles I in 1625 and caused his heir, James II, to flee to France. By juxtaposing the king's dramatic escape with the trivial law that led to it, Swift is mocking the seriousness of the ongoing feud.

Satire in Alexander Pope's The Rape of the Lock

In the Third Canto of The Rape of the Lock , Pope satirizes the vanity of his fellow Englishmen, describing a minor incident (in which a woman loses a lock of hair) as an epic event.

Sudden he view'd, in spite of all her art, An earthly lover lurking at her heart. Amazed, confused, he found his power expired, Resign'd to fate , and with a sigh retired. The peer now spreads the glittering forfex wide, To enclose the lock; now joins it, to divide. E'en then, before the fatal engine closed, A wretched Sylph too fondly interposed; Fate urged the shears , and cut the Sylph in twain (But airy substance soon unites again), The meeting points the sacred hair dissever From the fair head, for ever, and for ever!

Here Pope alludes to a real-life episode in which Robert Petre stole a lock of hair from his love interest, Arabella Fermor. Pope satirizes the minor event by inflating its importance to epic proportions: he makes reference to Sylphs, which are mythological creatures who intervene in moments of crisis. Additionally, Pope overstates the male lover's frustration and the extent to which Fate played a role in the incident (the minor theft of a single curl). The repetition of "for ever" in the final line only heightens the humor of the situation: the hair will obviously grow back in a short amount of time. These lines are gentle jabs at his peers' fixation on appearances.

Additional Works of Satire in Literature

Some additional famous satirical works of literature, and their targets, are:

• Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Pre-civil-war Southern society, in particular its racism)
• American Psycho (Consumer capitalist American society of the 1980s)
• Animal Farm (Communist in general and the Soviet Union in particular)
• Arms and the Man (Romantic ideals, particularly about love and war)
• Candide (Every powerful institution, from the Church to the military, of 18th century Europe)
• Catch-22 (The U.S. military)
• Don Quixote (Among many other things, fictional books about chivalrous heroes that were popular when Cervantes wrote Don Quixote )
• Gulliver's Travels (English society, and humans in general)
• A Modest Proposal (English society, particularly in its dealings with Ireland, which at the time was under English control)

Satire in Film and Television

Satire is popular on television, especially on late-night talk shows like Saturday Night Live and The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert , where hosts regularly target politicians and celebrities who have been in the news recently. Ssome famous satirical movies and their targets are:

• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (the Cold War, American geopolitics, the military industrial complex, and nuclear proliferation)
• Deadpool (Marvel superheroes, particularly their straight-laced style)
• The Wolf of Wall Street (American capitalists, in particular their lavish lifestyles and prodigious hedonism)
• Happiness (American suburban life, particularly its treatment of sexuality)
• Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (English society, particularly its propriety and religious convictions)
• Zoolander (The fashion industry)
• M*A*S*H (The U.S. Military)

Satire in Political Cartoons

For centuries, cartoonists have used satire to raise awareness of political issues and to belittle people in positions of power. Often, they present extremely unflattering portraits of public figures, with exaggerated facial features and outrageous outfits to emphasize how loathsome they are in the eyes of the artist and readers.

Satire in James Gillray's The Plumb-pudding in Danger

Published in 1805, this cartoon depicts the French emperor and British prime minister battling for bigger portions of a globe-shaped dessert. Gillray satirizes French and British political ambitions by recasting the two leaders' competition for global dominance as a fight at the dinner table. While leaders often present their expansion efforts as being for the good of the nation, Gillray links their desire for new territory to their endless appetite for personal fame and power.

Why Do Writers Choose to Write Satire?

Some authors write satire to raise awareness of social problems and apply pressure on the individuals or institutions responsible for creating them. However, satires don't have to explicitly call for social change—they may just be poking fun at human nature for the sake of entertainment. Writers can use satire for a variety of reasons:

• To bring attention to issues that might otherwise be overlooked.
• To advocate for social reform.
• To provide insight into human weaknesses.
• To amuse readers by bringing powerful figures down a notch.
• To invite readers to reflect on their own weaknesses and shortcomings.
• To mock literary or stylistic conventions.
• To recast strongly-held convictions as harmful and/or meaningless.
• To make light of, or quell anxiety about, unpleasant situations by making them fun.

Other Helpful Satire Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Satire: A discussion of satire that focuses primarily on the genre's classical origins and role in politics.
• Canyon Crest Academy's List of Satire and Satirical Devices: Though some of the devices aren't fully fleshed out, this is a concise list of the most common literary devices used in satirical writing.
• Culture Trip's List of The 15 Most Influential Political Cartoons of All Time: While Culture Trip doesn't specifically refer to these cartoons as satire, that's what many of these political cartoons are — the cartoons make light of public figures or societal norms.
• List of Satirical Novels: An extensive list of satirical novels from Wikipedia.

• Anachronism
• Juxtaposition
• Understatement
• Verbal Irony
• Colloquialism
• Flat Character
• Slant Rhyme
• Falling Action
• Parallelism
• Point of View
• Onomatopoeia
• Epanalepsis

• Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.

22 Satire Examples: How to Use Satire + 5 Best Tips

• Updated: 03/04/24
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Satire is a powerful and often overlooked tool for making an impact in your writing, but it’s often misunderstood. We’re sharing our best satire examples in a variety of different contexts to illustrate how to use this literary device.

Satire examples can range from political cartoons to satirical essays, but no matter what form it takes, it can be a really effective way of getting people’s attention while also delivering an important message.

By using satire, you can draw attention to social issues in a humorous way that engages readers and encourages them to think critically about the topic being discussed.

In this post, we will discuss how to use satire effectively, illustrate with some great satire examples, and share 5 tips for using it to create engaging and entertaining pieces of content.

So if you’re looking for some inspiration on how to write compelling satirical content, then keep reading!

What is Satire?

Satire is a form of humor in writing that conveys a message in an entertaining way while often targeting social issues, people, or institutions to bring attention to faults and flaws in our society.

Writers use satire to criticize issues that they think are wrong or unjust, but it can also be used to celebrate popular issues as well.

This often includes social commentary on topics such as politics, racism, classism, sexism, religious intolerance, environmental destruction, and more.

Examples of satire can be seen in many different forms including literature, film, television programs, political cartoons, and songs.

The best satire will mix elements of humor with wisdom in order to create insightful yet entertaining content that leaves readers having thought deeply about an important topic while also having had some laughs along the way.

3 Types of Satire

The different types of satire allow for different forms of expression by letting writers decide how serious they want their message to be taken by their audience and what kind of impact they want it to have.

There are three main types that can be used to make a point, ranging from gentle ridicule to biting sarcasm.

Horatian Satire

Horatian satire takes a light-hearted approach to its subject matter and generally seeks to amuse rather than offend.

It tends to be more playful in nature and highlights the absurdities of the situation without attacking specific people or organizations.

Horatian Satire Example

The hit show “The Office” uses Horatian satire to poke fun at the mundane and repetitive aspects of a corporate office job. The characters are exaggerated versions of real people, creating an iconic satire of white-collar America that both amuses and critiques the way of life.

Juvenalian Satire

Juvenalian satire usually has a harsher tone and aims to criticize and provoke change in behavior or beliefs on behalf of society.

It tends to focus more on outright mockery or scorn towards its target and often contains elements of moral indignation or contempt.

Juvenalian Satire Example

An example of Juvenalian satire is the 2018 film Sorry to Bother You , written and directed by Boots Riley. The movie tells the story of a young African American telemarketer named Cassius Green who finds success using a “white voice” while on the job. Through satire, Riley critiques modern society’s focus on money, power, and privilege.

Menippean Satire

Menippean satires combines elements from both Horatian and Juvenalian satire into one piece.

It typically features dialogue between characters who discuss various topics in order to provide commentary on their subject matter

Menippean Satire Example

Voltaire’s “Candide” is one of the most well-known examples of Menippean satire in literature. Written in 1759, it follows its character as he learns lessons about human nature and morality while traveling a world that often proves to be absurdly unpredictable.

“Optimism,” said Cacambo, “What is that?” “Alas!” replied Candide, “It is the obstinacy of maintaining that everything is best when it is worst.”

Voltaire employs satire to mock religion, government, and what he saw as the foolish idealism of optimism.

Examples of Satire

Satire works by using humor and irony to point out societal flaws in a light-hearted way that makes them easier for people to digest.

You can find examples in so many areas of life, but we’ll share some of the most common: pop culture, politics, and literature.

Satire Examples in Pop Culture

Modern satire examples are everywhere, from television shows and movies to websites and social media accounts.

1. South Park

This long-running, adult animated series is a satirical comedy that follows the adventures of four boys living in a fictional town in Colorado. South Park is known for its satire and dark humor of current events and controversial topics such as politics, religion, race, gender identity, and more.

This movie starring Sacha Baron Cohen is a classic example of satire done right. The movie follows the character Borat as he travels throughout America making fun of American culture and customs with his outrageous behavior, pranks, and humor designed to shock viewers into laughter or outrage depending on their perspective.

3. “Weird Al” Yankovic

A singer-songwriter known for his comical parodies of popular songs, Weird Al Yankovic is an example of how satire can be used effectively through music that still manages to convey important messages about society without coming off as preachy or condescending towards those who don’t agree with him on certain issues.

4. Twitter Accounts

The Twitterverse is vast and ever-growing, with dozens of accounts dedicated to poking fun at politics, culture, and everyday life.

The Twitter account @TheTweetOfGod combines satire with religious satire and dark humor. Run by writer, director, and producer Ryan Cooper, the account has almost two million followers who enjoy its irreverent take on religion and God’s perspective on current events.

World War III would be a great way for people to stop worrying about climate change. — Satan (@TheTweetOfGod) November 15, 2022

The tweets often take a humorous jab at the state of today’s world while still managing to make important points.

5. The Simpsons

First aired in 1989, this long-running animated series skewers American culture and politics by caricaturing various public figures, politicians, journalists, activists, business tycoons, celebrities, and so on.

6. Team America: World Police

Team America is a popular satirical movie that satirizes American patriotism and foreign policy, particularly in regard to the War on Terror.

Through its exaggerated action sequences (featuring a cast of marionette puppets) and ridiculous plot points, it makes light of how some aspects of American foreign policy can be considered over-the-top or misguided by other nations and cultures.

The television show Archer follows secret agent Sterling Archer as he gets into ridiculous situations that often involve satire of espionage films and spy thrillers, such as the James Bond franchise.

While it’s a comedy series at heart, Archer also uses satire to comment on modern society and politics, often making jokes about gender roles or race relations within its episodes for comedic effect but also addressing serious issues with a keen eye for social commentary at times as well.

Political Satire Examples

Political satire is a powerful way to use humor to comment on current issues and political events.

From cartoons and stand-up comedy to fictional books and television shows, satire can be found in many forms of media.

1. Stephen Colbert’s “The Colbert Report”

This mock news show aired from 2005-2014 and featured Stephen Colbert as an outspoken conservative host who often satirized American politics through satire, parody, and irony.

2. The Onion

This website has become an online satire powerhouse by providing news satire articles that poke fun at current events while also remaining informative and relevant to readers. The Onion has become renowned for its irreverent blend of satire and newsworthiness that’s earned it legions of fans over the years.

3. Saturday Night Live (SNL)

SNL has been around since 1975 and continues to be a source of satire-filled comedy on television today. From political impersonations to humorously exaggerated news segments, SNL often makes light of what’s going on in the world while still being educational.

4. Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator

Released in 1940 during World War II, this movie parodied Adolf Hitler by showing him as a buffoonish dictator with seemingly no real power or control over his own country or people.

5. The Daily Show

This iconic satire-based talk show has been running on Comedy Central for over two decades. The show parodies world events through interviews, skits, and other comedic segments, often poking fun at current political issues and satirizing public figures.

Satire Examples in Literature

Satire is a powerful literary style used by authors, playwrights, poets, and other writers to comment on aspects of society and culture.

With satire, writers use irony, exaggeration, and other devices to make a point.

The following 5 satire examples are from classical literature.

1. Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726)

Jonathan Swift provides satire of the English political system and society through his protagonist Lemuel Gulliver is one of the most famous examples of satire in literature.

Along his travels, Gulliver encounters several different societies which are often exaggerated and ridiculous, allowing Swift to comment on various aspects of human nature in a humorous way.

2. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)

Mark Twain satire criticizes 19th-century America for its hypocrisy when it came to race relations between whites and African-Americans.

Through this novel, Twain aims to show how racism was embedded into American culture despite laws that were in place to combat it.

3. Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)

Vonnegut satirizes not only the brutality of war but also those who glorify it or ignore its consequences when they are convenient to do so by telling the story of Billy Pilgrim who becomes “unstuck in time” when he experiences flashbacks from his participation in World War II.

“Trout, incidentally, had written a book about a money tree. It had twenty-dollar bills for leaves. Its flowers were government bonds. Its fruit was diamonds. It attracted human beings who killed each other around the roots and made very good fertilizer.” Slaughterhouse-Five

4. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890)

This Gothic novel features satire that examines Victorian ideals surrounding morality and beauty through its protagonist Dorian Gray whose portrait ages throughout the story as an outward representation of his inner corruption caused by vanity and greed.

5. Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 (1961)

Set during World War II this dark comedy follows Yossarian as he tries to avoid serving any longer in an unstable military bureaucracy where nothing makes sense — no matter how illogical or ill-advised it may be — as long as it follows orders; this satire illustrates how senseless wars can be due to bureaucracy that fails to consider human life above all else.

6. George Orwell’s Animal Farm (1945)

Through the story of animals on a farm taking over from their human owners and creating their own set of rules, George Orwell powerfully critiques the oppressive elements of Stalinism and social reform in the Soviet Union during the 1940s.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” Animal Farm

7. Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal (1729)

Swift satirizes the English government’s indifference to the plight of the Irish people by suggesting that a solution to their poverty and overpopulation might be to fatten up their children and sell them as food.

He suggests that this is a reasonable, if extreme, solution to the problem and that it would be beneficial to both the Irish people and the English government.

5 Tips for Successful Satire

Are you ready to start using satire in your writing? Here are 5 tips for satirical writing to help you satirize your content!

1. Consider Your Audience

Satire can often be misconstrued if the audience is unfamiliar with satire or its conventions, so it’s important to consider who you’re writing for.

Knowing their background and interests can help you tailor your satire and humor to them in a way that will resonate and be understood.

2. Use Satire Sparingly

Like any other literary device, satire should only be used when appropriate and necessary. Too much may cause readers to become desensitized or bored, so use it along with other literary devices to express yourself creatively instead of relying on it heavily.

3. Check Your Sources

When writing satire, double-check that your facts are correct and up-to-date—incorrect information can lead to a piece that falls flat, or worse, that is damaging due to its inaccuracy. Be sure to consult reliable sources when researching topics and events for your material.

4. Avoid Stereotypes and Generalizations

Rather than leaning on stereotypes, aim to focus on individual behavior when satirizing someone’s actions or beliefs—this keeps satire from becoming overgeneralized or too broad in scope.

5. Stick With What You Know

Familiarity can help because you know the ins and outs of the subject matter better than those who are not deeply familiar with it. This helps give your satire more weight and makes it more effective for the reader.

Satirical Writing Summary

Satire is a powerful literary device to highlight the absurdity of certain situations or ideas without taking a direct stance on them. It often encourages readers to think deeper about the issue being discussed.

In this way, it can provide an alternate perspective on otherwise sensitive topics while still encouraging critical thinking among its readers.

Satirical pieces often focus on characters instead of abstract concepts, which makes them more relatable and easier for readers to understand.

By giving characters unique personalities and mannerisms satirists are able to make their points clearer while still maintaining the comedic element of satire.

You can use the tips above to write satire in your own copy to connect, polarize, or entertain your audience!

• How it works
• Top Writers
• TOP Writers

How To Write A Satire Essay

This article will guide you on how to write a satire essay in detail and will explain what a satire essay is as well as show you some examples. The text uses satire to make you understand its main objective. Assignments on this topic are known to be the most challenging for most students. In these kinds of essays, students need to show their expertise in content and subject area. Similarly, they should use humor to point absurdities found in our real-life situations . Although satire essays are full of humor, there are those without or minimal instances of humor. Most of them are expressed in a serious tone which shows that readers should take them seriously.

There are advantages of writing these kinds of essays more so to those individuals wishing to master the art of writing. Once you have learned how to infuse irony, humor, and hyperbole, you will discover them not only being fun but also easy to write.

• Learning your Task

It’s crucial for you to understand every aspect of your writing assignment. You should be in a position to point out the following:

If your homework intends to satirize a given cultural topic

• The length of the essay

Our formatting guide will help you select the right format to use while writing your assignment. You might be in a dilemma not knowing whether to write your paper in first, second or third person point of view. For those who have never read satire essays before, you should consider reading the work of Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal who is well known for these types of pieces. If you are wondering where to find them, then consider the site “The Onion” which usually deals with the topics in politics.

While writing your assignment, incorporating satire enables you to write the essay in a first person’s point of view. This makes you point out issues in the society especially those concerning society and culture. Using an example where this article points women’s demeaning which is being explained by Trump’s Hollywood tapes leaked information (“Satire Essay,” 2019). Meme proposing that female gender should not oppose what amen say suggest that they are annoyed by his utterances. This is clearly shown through the work of E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Gray showing a romantic relationship between female and male where the male is in total control and the woman is expected to submit to him.

Topics of Satire Essay

When writing a satire essay on any topics, it’s good to point out the significant events of culture and politics. The most common ideas you should consider while writing:

• Border Walls
• Hillary Clinton
• Donald Trump
• Barack Obama
• Immigration reform

A list of satirical topics is endless and if you are unsure of what to select contact our support team who are ready to help you any time.

Brainstorming of Any Satirical Essay

Any good essay writing process begins with brainstorming. Brainstorming is a useful tool for all essay writers that plays a significant role even in writing a satirical essay (“Satire Essay,” 2019). While there are familiar writing outlines employed in the initial stages of planning, there are other methods that work perfectly well when it comes to satire writing tasks. One of the tools that are commonly used and we like most is the use of a bubble map. A bubble map is a simple tool that would be used starting from elementary schools onwards. The tool associates words in line with your topic of interest. For instance, if you decide to write a bubble map for any prominent figure in the society say, Donald Trump, you will diversify and use words like businessman, father, married, adulterer, divorced, New York City, orange, billionaire, bombastic, real estate, and home alone.

You can see from the above bubble map how those words bring out elements that are associated with Donald Trump. When it comes to descriptive essays on a dog, there would be some words in the middle like the name of that given dog (“Satire Essay,” 2019). When using the bubble map, you should be aware that the words you choose should not be your own words you decide to use while writing your essay. The words used should aid in exposing an issue and further directs on the ways of approaching it satirically.

Thesis Statements in Satire Essays

After deciding on the right topic, you should then come up with a good thesis statement for your essay. You may be wondering what a thesis statement is. Thesis Statement is merely a road map of your piece that is always one or two sentences. It helps your readers understand the primary objective of your essay. Regardless of your essay type, the structure of your thesis statement always remains the same except in satire essay where it differs slightly. In satire essays, it is different unlike situations when one is proposing a real idea.

Below are some examples of Thesis Statements:

To ensure the safety of your jewelry, you need to be conspicuous on it, ensure valuable jewelry is stored in a vault or deposit box that is safe, also, do not travel with excessive jewelry than (Author: Kim Kardashian-West)

Having a successful marriage is extremely simple: you have to identify your second wife while married to your first wife and have more children with her before you get married. (Author: Brad Pitt)

From the above examples, it is clear that the most satirical element in the essay is the individual writing it. Also, the target audience can be part of the satire. When Jimmy Carter wrote to Trump a letter informing him not to worry of offending women is satirical in a way since both Jimmy and Trump are respected figures in the United States of America.  The case of Bill Clinton is writing a letter to Barrack Obama to guide him on how to be a good husband while in the White House is Irony in itself. This is because Obama is well known for his excellence in family matters and he is perceived to be an excellent husband too. On the other hand, Bill had a lousy legacy as he had an affair outside marriage while in office. Finally, criticisms of Maddona of Lady Gaga of publicity or even Peter Rose Criticizing Tom utilize all aspects of double-satire.

Resources for Satirical Essays

A wide range of satirical essays is based on events happening in the current century. Though citing them directly may not be compulsory at the moment, it is essential for you to know the real facts and issues that are associated with a given situation (“Satire Essay,” 2019). It is even ironical for you to identify the satiric news sites. In this modern time, this would be much more difficult to notice concerning political context. To avoid all these troubles, you need to be careful while selecting your topic and ensure your sources are unbiased and academically reliable.

It can be difficult finding a reliable source for your essay. To be sure you have the right sources, use the sources that are not more than three years old and from reputable publishers like newspapers, magazines, and .com and .org websites. However, you are free to use sources for more than three years old, but you should inform your readers of any change of information in the concerned period.

Additionally, you might have been discouraged to use sources like Wikipedia, Britannica, and Encyclopedia while doing your writing assignments. The advice is good as these sources are not regarded as reliable sources in the scholarly world. However, do not allow the ban to prevent you from using the references (“Satire Essay,” 2019). They can give an excellent overview of your topic and give you resources you can research for further information.  Google scholar is another great search engine that gives you an opportunity to limit the kind of resources you want to look at. With the above search engine, you can find either academic or scholarly articles and would support you in finding the best academic and scholarly writing.

Other generic sites like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC are also good sources of information while writing satire essays. Also, you can make use of other local and major networks as they are good sources of news. The above news channels have programs that are not sources but are both social and political commentary. While using these shows, you need to be careful as they sometimes present information to the readers in a biased way or give unreliable information. As you write be aware of possible biased information especially when selecting your sources.

Citing your Sources

If you decide to incorporate all your resources in your satirical essay, you will have to cite all academic sources to back-up any claim you make on certain political styles. If your essay is based on actual dates, rare facts, and figures, you need to cite all your sources. In such cases, you will be directed on the formats to use, or you will have to decide on your own . The most commonly used academic citation styles for undergraduate students are the American Psychology Association (APA), modern language association (MLA), and Turabian or Chicago. Unless in your assignment there are clear instructions on the type of format to use, go for the writing style you understand best.

Examples of Satire Essays

As a student, it’s easy for you to digest a concept if you are given an example. Thus, our model will not only help you understand how you can write an amazing satirical essay but will also help you master how you can format your essays correctly. On our site, you will get an excellent satirical essay. Just fill in the order form.

We hope that after reading our article on satire and using our provided examples, you will be more confident than before to confront any satire essay throughout your academic journey. Even after reading our article and examples you might still encounter challenges right from topic selection to completing your essay . Remember Tutoriage writing service is here for you. We have a complete team of tutors ready to help you in any challenge you encounter in your writing process from topic selection to writing a flawless piece. To get more insight, go to our website.

• Literary Terms
• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write Satire

I. What is Satire?

The formal definition of satire is “the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices.” It’s an extremely broad category. The “or” in the definition is key – most satires are humorous, ironic, and exaggerated, but they only have to be one of these things to count as satire.

There are two important things to remember about satire:

• It makes fun of a person, idea, or institution
• Its purpose is not just to entertain, but also to inform or make people think.

II. Examples of Satire

The famous comic strip Calvin & Hobbes was renowned for its satire. The comic takes on everything from politics and science to parenting. Calvin himself satirizes selfish, lazy, media-saturated Americans, while his father satirizes the opposite extreme.

Most political cartoons are satirical – they use humor, irony, or exaggeration to make a point about politics. For example, one particularly famous cartoon from 2013 shows a homeless man using newspapers as a blanket; the headlines on those papers all say things like “Wall Street Soars” and “Corporate Profits Booming.” The ironic juxtaposition in the image calls attention to the gaps between a successful stock market and the lingering poverty and joblessness experienced by many Americans today.

III. Types of Satire

This is the strongest type of satire as it attacks a single target in a vicious way. The most common form of this satire is political satire , which attacks politicians and pundits.

This type of satire is similar in harshness to Juvenalian, but it attacks a more general target. An example is religious satire, which attacks sacred figures or religious beliefs.

This type of satire makes fun of things in a soft or even loving manner. It’s usually a form of parody that is intended to make people think.

IV. The Importance of Satire

Satire has been called the oldest form of social commentary. For many people, the injustices and problems in their society are too big to confront directly – it’s hard to know where we would even start! So, one approach has always been to start with comedy. By laughing at something, we can acknowledge its reality while denying it power over our emotions.

Satire also gets people to pay attention to social issues when they might otherwise ignore them. People may pick up a satirical book or watch a satirical movie hoping to be entertained, but end up thinking about issues and perspectives they never thought of before. Satirists hold a mirror to the flaws of society, helping people think critically about things they might otherwise just take for granted.

V. Examples of Satire in Literature

The Greek playwright Aristophanes was one of the first satirists that we know of. In his plays, he made fun of religious figures, politicians, and philosophers, all with humor and irony. His play The Clouds , which made fun of the revered philosopher Socrates, was taken so overly seriously by the authorities in Athens that it may have contributed to their decision to execute Socrates (something Aristophanes almost certainly never intended).

The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce is a scathing collection of satirical definitions. Many tackle ideas that society holds to be important, such as prayer, marriage, and friendship; all are portrayed in a darkly humorous light. A few notable examples include:

Love, noun. A temporary insanity curable by marriage.

Patience, noun. A minor form of despair, disguised as a virtue.

George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a dark satire of Soviet Communism and the Russian Revolution. While the book is not meant to be particularly humorous, its plot definitely ridicules the way that the Soviet government perverted the original principles of Communism. For example, the animals begin with the basic belief that “All animals are equal.” But by the end of the book, they have changed it to “All animals are equal…but some animals are more equal than others.”

VI. Examples of Satire in Pop Culture

The Warhammer games were originally meant to be satirical – they were poking fun at tabletop fantasy war games. But many fans either ignored the satire or didn’t notice it at all. Today, the games are typically played “straight” as if they were not satire at all.

Psy’s popular song “Gangnam Style” (the most popular video on YouTube in 2015) is an over-the-top satire of high-class Korean lifestyles. Those who don’t speak Korean might have a hard time understanding the satire from the lyrics, but the video speaks for itself – Psy’s absurd dances, his antics, and the whole concept of being “badass” while living in the posh Seoul neighborhood of Gangnam all make fun of Korean popular culture and the behavior of rich people in that country.

The Truman Show makes fun of reality television and the excessive invasions of privacy that it is often based on. Ironically, though, the movie was the inspiration for the show Big Brother , which was wildly successful and sparked a new birth of reality TV.

VII. Related Terms

The concept of satire is very close to that of verbal irony , or saying the opposite of what you mean. It’s extremely common for satirists to use verbal irony or sarcasm to make their point. For example, Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report often pretends to be defending politicians that he actually disagrees with. He mimics their arguments and tone of voice to show how ridiculous they are. Although irony is often a part of satire, however, it is not a necessity – think of John Oliver, whose fake news program Last Week Tonight is similar in many ways to Colbert’s. Oliver is also performing political satire, but he uses dry humor rather than verbal irony.

Parody/Spoof

Parody (also called “spoof”) is imitating someone or something in order to make fun of them. For example, when Weird Al Yankovitch makes fun of a popular song, he mimics its musical style and writes lyrics very similar to those in the original song. It’s very close to satire, but it’s missing one of the key elements. Whereas satire is intended to make people think, parody is intended just to entertain or make people laugh. The precise line between parody and satire is somewhat subjective, and some people might argue that Werid Al is, in fact, doing satire rather than parody – whether or not this is true depends on whether you think he’s making a point or just being silly.

When someone (like a stand-up comedian) spoofs a particular person, it’s called impersonation . This is one of the most common tools of satire, but like other forms of parody it has to make a broader point in order to be considered satire.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
• Science Fiction
• Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
• Synesthesia
• Turning Point
• Understatement
• Urban Legend
• Verisimilitude
• Essay Guide
• Cite This Website

• Essay Guides
• Other Essays

How to Write a Satire Essay: My Personal Experience+Example

• Speech Topics
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• Essay Topics
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There is no such a student who has never been assigned to write a college satire essay when getting education. I am not an exception! Despite the fact that I have never had serious problems with academic writing before and I have a great sense of humor, I must admit that the satirical essay turned out not as easy as ABC. It wasn't much fun-I had to pull an all-nighter to choose a favorite topic on some social issues that would be interesting to most people in America; search for the relevant information everywhere, including media; find good examples, and finally write my work according to a certain structure. To tell the truth, the thought to order the ready satire essay from professional writers has crossed my mind because this kind of task seemed to be the most difficult one in my life. I had neither time nor the knowledge about its distinctive features. However, I decided not to email custom writers and take this challenge on my own as I didn't get used to giving up. Now, I am here sharing my personal satire writing experience with everyone who is just going to deal with this kind of the written task.  

A Complete Guide on How to Write a Satire Essay

Before I got started with my essay, I have checked a large number of funny satire essay examples belonging to different categories. While reading, it seemed to me that I would cope with this assignment easily. However, I was mistaken. In general, essay structure looked like the one other essays have but at the same time, I understood that this kind of paper has its own distinctive features and peculiarities. I had to check a lot of guides on how to write a satire essay before I got started with mine. All of them said that it's very important to find interesting controversial satire essy topics about some political, cultural, social issues. Usually knowing language on a good level is very helpful so it is better to attend English Courses if you don't have enough knowledge. Due to the fact that I didn't know much about the two last spheres, I decided to write about the famous Donald Trump. You will be able to check my piece of writing later. Before you look at the satire paper itself, you should have a clear picture of how your paper must look like in terms of structural elements. I would like to share my personal experience in structuring the satire paper in accordance with the required instructions given by my school teacher. Now, I am going to tell you how to write a satire essay the right way.  

• An Introduction I think that all of you know that the first steps you should take are to think of a killer title, which I had to change for several times after having finished and to write an introduction. I've understood that if you want to attract the reader's attention, you need to start either with the intriguing question that your reader would like to answer, or some figures.

For example, if you are going to craft an essay about the well-known politician, - find some interesting facts about his/her life and career, start your work with some shocking information. Don't forget to include a powerful thesis statement at the end of your introduction. Write just 1-2 sentences keeping in mind that they must be informative and strong, expressing the main idea, and explaining to the reader what you are going to discuss in your work. I had to rewrite my introduction 3 or 5 times until I made it perfect. Every time when rereading I tried to imagine that I was a reader. This trick will help you to understand how the paper beginning sounds, whether it is able to hook or not.

• The Main Body The process of writing the main body took me much time - a day or two if to be exact. This is due to the fact that this is a part where you are expected to provide all information on the chosen subject.

First, I had to find all the relevant materials and select those which could add some value to my paper. I used a lot of different information sources, including the Internet, published and electronic books online, magazine articles, blog posts, and a lot of various publications. I have checked every place where I could find something about Trump. I chose interesting pieces of information, gathered them like a puzzle, made sure that the main part of my essay was creative, original, and logical. Remember that it is better to stick to the 5-6 paragraph structure, which means that the main body will take the major part of your work-3-4 paragraphs. Use thematic essay examples while writing your task. The exact volume will depend on the number of facts you are going to use in your paper. The most difficult thing is to present the facts so that the reader feels where exactly you have used exaggerations, hyperbole, and another language device to poke fun.

• The Conclusion As any other kind of academic paper, a satire essay should end with the brief conclusion. I wrote a short summary of all the ideas that I have included in the main body, and then added a couple of sentences explaining the reader my point of view and the reasons why I consider my work valuable for the today's generation. Can't come up with a thought-provoking conclusion? Rely on StudyCrumb's essay conclusion generator and get a nice ending made in seconds.

Check Good Satire Essay Examples Before You Get Started

Have you wanted to see my satire essay? Here, you are! Have a closer look at the piece of writing I have submitted and got an A-grade! 

The eccentric billionaire has become a symbol of anti-establishment sentiments that have swept the United States in the recent years. Having crushed the orderly number of forecasts of numerous experts, and the results of opinion polls, a candidate from the Republican Party Donald Trump won the presidential elections in the United States. The man who promised to "drain the Washington swamp" won. But will the hopes of his supporters be justified, when Trump as the 45th president of America will take decisions in the White House? While the United States was counting votes in the presidential election, and the scales were becoming more confident in favor of Donald Trump, the website of the state migration service in neighboring Canada was working intermittently. These disruptions seem to have arisen from the fact that many Americans have decided to examine the conditions of moving to the land of the maple leaf. The number of requests in Google about how to move to Canada, also sharply increased. According to one of the pre-election polls, 28% of Americans considered the option of leaving for Canada in the event of Trump's victory. They said that the US residents had a threat to go to Canadians - this is almost traditional national fun for the presidential elections. But it is unlikely that this "fun" was so serious before. Several American celebrities - from B. Streisand and Cher to Samuel L. Jackson and Whoopi Goldberg – threatened that if Trump would become their President, they would "choose freedom": go to Spain, to South Africa, or to Jupiter. In the information battles of the pre-election race against Donald Trump heavy artillery was used. The main caliber was hit in two directions. First: Trump is a misogynist and a womanizer. Second: Trump is a puppet of the Kremlin. Donald Trump himself played along with his critics on the "Russian" direction saying "I think I will get along well with Vladimir Putin. I just think so”. Trump shared his thoughts when he announced his intention to become a president. A few months later, he said that if he would be elected, it is unlikely that there will be problems in relations with Russia. Trump gratefully accepted the praise addressed to him by Putin: "It's always an honor to be praised by a man so respected in his own country and abroad. I always believed that together, Russia and the United States could defeat terrorism and restore peace. We could also trade with each other, not to mention other benefits." The businessman and showman, producer and politician are 4 in 1 and all these personalities are in one "great and terrible person" Trump. The showman, perhaps, is the key word in this series. Donald for many years was an active organizer of the Miss USA competitions. His cameo can be seen in several movies and television series. Trump entered the history of the American show business as the host and co-producer of the reality show The Apprentice on the NBC channel. So, after the Hollywood actor Ronald Reagan, a TV star appeared in the White House. Trump is a one hundred percent challenge to the system, which it must respond to in order to get out of the current state, where Trump appeared.

Want a similar satire paper? Contact StudyCrumb and get professional writing help from experts. 

Top-20 A-Grade Satire Essay Topics for You to Choose From

• The smartest human of all the times.
• Childish labor helps businesses to flourish.
• D. Trump is the most famous President who is free in his self-expression.
• H. Clinton always takes right decisions.
• Trump and Putin have “friendly” relationships.
• Are the US citizens happy with the President selection?
• Comment on cultural differences and their influence on relationships between students.
• Media: the best invention or the worst thing ever?
• Today, people learn about their lives from the morning newspapers.
• All harmful things have a great taste.
• The best president in the US history.
• Doing nothing is fashionable today.
• A robot works better than real people.
• Politicians and comedians have much in common.
• Money values in the modern society.
• Fast food – fast weight.
• Satire in English literature.
• A family business is the worst thing that may happen to the family members.
• Living alone is much better than with anyone else.
• Boring teacher-bored students.

Choose one of the above-mentioned satire essay topics, follow the tips for writing a satire essay, and I guarantee that you’ll get a high score! Never give up and treat the satire essay assignment as a fun thing to do demonstrating your unique sense of humor! Good luck!

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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• Writing Tips

How to Use Satire in Your Writing

5-minute read

• 27th December 2022

Satire is a popular genre that most readers are familiar with, but it can be difficult to use effectively.

That’s why we’ve put together this guide to using satire in your writing , complete with an explanation of the concept and our top tips for making satire work for you.

What is Satire?

Satire is the concept of humorously criticizing an aspect of everyday life in order to promote change or discussion.

It is a literary genre and device originating in ancient Rome. Today, satire is widely used in literature, art, and pop culture as a form of social commentary . Typically, the best satire uses sarcasm, irony, exaggeration, and humor to make its point.

Some famous examples of satire include:

●  Jonathan Swift’s “ A Modest Proposal ,” an essay that satirically suggests that the poor should sell their children to the rich as food.

●  Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Dr. Strangelove , which satirizes the politics of the Cold War.

●  Saturday Night Live , a TV comedy series that parodies various political and celebrity figures.

Despite being a common literary device, satire is very easy to get wrong.

With that in mind, here are our five tips for writing satire:

• Know where you stand on the issue.
• Mimic other writing styles.
• Make use of irony and sarcasm.
• Push things to the extreme.
• Don’t forget the humor.

Ready to learn more about writing satire? Read on below!

1. Know Where You Stand on the Issue

Most satire is directed towards a particular target. The topic of a piece of satire can be just about anything, including:

●  Political figures

●  Celebrities

●  Current events

●  Controversies

●  Modern life and society

To write satire well, though, you need to do more than just pick an individual or issue that’s popular at the moment.

Your subject should be something that you have a particular opinion on or have strong feelings about.

Before you start writing, identify your stance on the topic. This will give your satire direction and help you create an overall point or message beyond simply making fun of the topic at hand.

2. Parody Other Writing Styles

Many works of satire mimic popular writing styles. This type of imitation is known as parody, which is often exempt from certain copyright laws .

Jonathan Swift’s novel Gulliver’s Travels , for example, is a satirical take on travel writing. Satirical websites such as The Onion and Reductress mimic different styles of online journalism.

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Your writing style will likely depend on the topic of your work. If you were writing a piece of satire about modern consumerism, for example, it may make sense to present as an advertisement:

You could even satirize ideas about writing itself, perhaps by writing a deliberately bad poem .

Before you decide to parody a certain style, though, make sure you are familiar with that style’s conventions and tone . This will help make your satire convincing and allow your readers to identify the type of writing that you are parodying.

3. Make Use of Irony

Satire relies heavily on a literary device known as irony.

There are several different types of irony , which usually involve saying the opposite of what is actually meant.

You can use irony in your writing by:

●  Making note of any contrasts in your subject (for example, the differences between a person’s words and actions.)

●  Highlighting a subject’s negative qualities by presenting them as something positive:

●  Subverting your reader’s expectations of what they are familiar with.

4. Push Things to the Extreme

Part of what makes satire effective is the use of hyperbole , or the act of exaggerating something for dramatic effect.

By starting out with a real-world thought, argument, or action and then taking it to a ridiculous extreme, you can draw attention to its flaws.

To use hyperbole in your writing, start by listing the defining qualities of your subject, its biggest flaws, or the things that stand out most to you.

Then, think about how you can exaggerate those qualities in a way that illustrates the point you are trying to make.

Make sure to choose only one or two things to exaggerate or highlight; too many, and your satire will lose focus.

5. Don’t Forget the Humor

It might sound obvious, but satire isn’t satire without humor.

When writing on a subject you’re passionate about, it’s easy to let feelings like anger take over.

But while the point of satire is to criticize a subject in order to promote change, it should do so by making that subject humorous. Failing to do so can result in your writing becoming overly negative, cruel, or difficult to read.

Make sure you strike the correct balance between critique and humor.

If you’re not sure you’ve achieved the right tone, ask a friend, coworker, or professional editor to review your work for you.

Here at Proofed, our proofreading team can make sure your satire reads as it should. Submit a trial document and get your first 500 words proofread for free.

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Tips and Tricks for Writing a Good Satirical Essay

• Amanda Smith
• Categories : Help with writing assignments paragraphs, essays, outlines & more
• Tags : Homework help & study guides

What is a Satirical Essay?

A satirical essay is a work that is meant to poke fun at a particular subject. Some of the most common satirical essays are written about political candidates during an election. The author typically finds material that is interesting because of its level of irony. I like to think about Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update as a satirical piece. The information presented is factual, but the facts are exaggerated and twisted in a way that invokes a sense of humor. Other examples of satirical work include editorial cartoons found in your local newspaper. [caption id=“attachment_130333” align=“aligncenter” width=“640”]

Choosing Your Satirical Topic

The first step, and the most important step, is choosing the right topic. It helps to choose a topic that you are interested in because it will be more fun to write, and the reader will pick up on your personal thoughts about the subject. The best subjects will be ones that other people can relate to. It is common to choose subjects that relate to current events in the media. Choosing something that others can identify with will either make them laugh or make them angry. Both of these responses indicate that you have done your job well. Make sure that the topic that you choose has a good sense of irony or humor. For example, it would be ironic for a company to advertise and market that it is “going green” if it is not doing its part in general recycling. This would be a great topic because it is relevant in today’s society and also brings insight to the issue in a sarcastic way.

What’s Your Point?

After choosing your topic, the next step is to figure out what point you are trying to make. The humor needs to be directed to an overall point, otherwise the essay will seem scattered and incomplete. Here are some things to consider: What do I think about my topic? How do I feel about the particular subject? What is ironic about the subject? How is this subject funny or absurd?

Your Audience

Once you have figured out what point you are trying to make, you must then take into account the audience that you are appealing to. Is this going to be read by other students in your high school English class? Would it be read by professionals in the field that you are commenting on? Who is your audience? Identifying your audience is important because your tone should be dependent upon the people that will be reading your essay. You must decide if you want a more casual or formal feel to your writing. Here are some questions to think about when identifying your audience.

• Who is going to be reading this essay?
• How would I phrase my point if I was telling it to a friend?
• How would I write if it was being written for experts on the subject?
• What is different about my casual writing style and formal writing style?

Putting it All Together

Now you have the framework: you have identified a topic, decided on a specific point about the topic, and assessed your audience. Now its time to start writing. Here are some tips to make your satire essay shine.

• Use hyperbole to exaggerate points.
• Strategically choose language that exaggerates the irony.
• Add lots of humor.
• The more sarcastic the better.
• Stick to the facts.

Remember, writing a satirical essay can be fun. It is supposed to reflect your personal opinions on the matter at hand. Much like reflective essay writing , you have some creative freedom when writing a satire essay. Just be sure to back up your opinions with real facts about the subject. That’s what makes it effective - combining true concrete facts with a twist that influences readers to think a certain way. Satirical writing is very persuasive and opinionated, so when reading your final draft, make sure that you can feel a pull of persuasion. Image by  Thought Catalog  from  Pixabay

Exploring 60+ Creative Satirical Essay Topics: Beyond Comedy

• Post author By admin
• November 8, 2023

Explore a world of wit and humor with our satirical essay topics. From societal absurdities to playful parodies, find inspiration for your next laughter-inducing masterpiece.

Imagine being able to express your opinions, critique the world, and entertain your audience, all while having a good laugh.

That’s the magic of satirical essays. These essays provide a unique platform where humor meets social commentary, and where you can make a powerful point with a touch of wit and sarcasm. However, the success of a satirical essay hinges on the topic you choose.

So, whether you’re aiming to tickle funny bones or provoke deep thoughts, this article is your guide to the world of satirical essay topics.

We’ll explore ideas that are not only hilarious but also thought-provoking. Get ready for a journey through the realm of satire as we uncover the perfect subjects to fuel your creativity and captivate your readers.

Table of Contents

The Art of Satire

Satire is like a secret doorway into the world of wit and wisdom, where humor becomes a tool for unveiling the absurdities of life.

It’s an art form that has been around for ages, tickling our funny bones while nudging us to think deeper. So, what’s the deal with satire, and how does it weave its magic?

At its core, satire is like a sly social commentator. It puts society, individuals, or even entire systems under a magnifying glass, exposing their quirks, flaws, and idiosyncrasies. But here’s the twist – it does all this while making us laugh, cringe, and nod in agreement.

Satire is a versatile beast, lurking in literature, theater, TV shows, and the wild world of the internet. You can stumble upon it in essays, short stories, cartoons, or even stand-up comedy.

No matter the form, satire’s mission remains constant: to challenge the norms and jolt us into questioning our reality.

What makes satire special is its talent for confronting the unmentionable. It deals with the tough stuff – the controversial, the uncomfortable, and the thought-provoking – all wrapped up in a hilarious package. It’s like delivering bitter medicine with a sweet coating.

Mastering the art of satire demands a sharp mind and a good grip on society’s quirks. It involves using humor as a Trojan horse, smuggling important messages behind the laughter.

Satirists are the word acrobats, using irony and sarcasm to create a gap between words and meanings, inviting us to read between the lines.

Satire isn’t just about teasing others; it’s also a way for creators to turn the humor microscope on themselves and their own society. It’s a bit like saying, “We’re all in this together, folks. Let’s laugh at our shared absurdities.”

In the end, satire is a waltz between laughter and contemplation. It’s a potent tool that can hold a mirror up to the truth, challenge the powerful, and kickstart change.

So, the next time you giggle at a satirical piece, remember, it’s not just humor; it’s an artful invitation to see the world from a different angle.

Finding the Perfect Satirical Essay Topic

So, you’re gearing up to dive into the world of satirical essays, armed with humor and a desire to make a point. But there’s one small challenge: what on earth should you satirize?

Finding the perfect satirical essay topic can feel like hunting for buried treasure in a vast sea of ideas. But don’t worry; we’re here to make the search more exciting than daunting.

Explore Life’s Quirky Side

Let’s start with the everyday oddities that often go unnoticed. Satire thrives on the absurdities of life. So, consider topics like “The Chronicles of Awkward Elevator Encounters” or “The Epic Saga of Misplacing Car Keys.”

Roast Society’s Foibles

Satire is a powerful tool for poking fun at societal flaws. Delve into topics like “The Unbelievable World of Clickbait Headlines” or “The Drama of Oversharing on Social Media.”

Mock Trends and Hypes

Trends and fads come and go, but their absurdity lingers. Satirical essays can take a hilarious spin on subjects like “The ‘Instant Celebrity’ Recipe” or “The Quest for the Ultimate Superfood.”

Expose Hypocrisy

Nothing’s quite as amusing as uncovering double standards. Consider topics like “The Eco-Warrior with a Private Jet” or “The ‘Healthy Living’ Guru Who Sneaks Midnight Snacks.”

Satirize Celebrity Culture

Celebrities and public figures are a satirist’s playground. Create essays like “A Day in the Life of a Paparazzo” or “The Politician’s Guide to Perfecting the Fake Smile.”

Twist Timeless Tales

Classic stories and fairytales can get a satirical makeover. Imagine “Snow White’s Reality TV Dilemma” or “The True Story Behind ‘Jack and the Beanstalk.'”

Tease Technology

Our tech-infused lives offer endless satirical material. Think about subjects like “The Smartphone Addiction Chronicles” or “The Comedy of Online Dating Fails.”

Skewer Schooling

Educational systems have quirks worth exploring. Consider topics like “The Art of Mastering Procrastination in College” or “The Confessions of a Self-Help Guru’s Ghostwriter.”

Roast Pop Culture

Pop culture is a goldmine for satire. Delve into topics like “The Art of Reality TV Editing” or “Decoding Celebrity Baby Names.”

Reflect on Human Quirks

Sometimes, the best satirical essays explore the oddities of human behavior. Think about subjects like “The Secret Language of Passive-Aggressiveness” or “The Science of Cringe-Worthy Moments.”

Remember, the key to a fantastic satirical essay is to mix humor, irony, and a dash of social critique. Seek out the absurd in the ordinary, and don’t be afraid to push the boundaries of creativity.

With the right topic in your sights, you’re on your way to crafting a satirical masterpiece that’s not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, leaving your readers chuckling and pondering the world around them. Happy satirizing!

Satirical Essay Topics

Check out satirical essay topics:

Social Issues

• The “Selfie Olympics”: A Humorous Take on Self-Obsession
• “Smart” Appliances: How Your Toaster Is Plotting Against You
• The Art of Ghosting in Modern Dating: A Guide for Cowards
• “Influencer” Starter Kits: A Satirical Look at Vanity in a Box
• “Political Correctness” Gone Mad: The Absurdity of Language Policing
• The Faux Philanthropist: Exposing Fake Social Activism
• Instagram Filters: The Gateway Drug to Plastic Surgery
• The Chronicles of “Healthy” Fast Food Chains
• “Inspirational” Quote Overload: When Motivational Messages Lose Their Meaning
• The Irony of “Cancel Culture”: Who’s Next in Line for Erasure?

Technology and Digital Age

• The Amazon Echo: Is Your Virtual Stalker Also a Comedian?
• The Satire of Social Media “Influencers” Selling the Impossible
• The Comedy of Clickbait: When Everything Is “Mind-Blowing”
• GPS Devices: Helping You Get Lost Like a Pro
• The Hilarity of Internet Trolls: A Deep Dive into the Art of Anonymity
• The True Cost of “Free” Apps: Selling Your Soul for Candy Crush
• The Mystery of “Smart” Home Devices: Are They Plotting World Domination?
• The Ridiculous World of Internet Challenges: From Cinnamon to Tide Pods
• The Irony of Virtual Reality: Escaping the Real World to Do the Same Things
• The Evolution of “Face Filters”: From Cute Animals to Unrecognizable Humans

Education and Learning

• The Art of “Wikipedia Scholar” Degrees
• Group Projects: Where Slackers Become the Best Magicians
• The Science of Fake Homework Excuses: A Comprehensive Study
• The Irony of “Learning Styles”: Are You a Visual, Auditory, or Kinesthetic Liar?
• The Satire of “No Child Left Behind”: How We Left Them All Behind
• The Comedy of “Participation Trophies”: Everyone’s a Winner (Except Not Really)
• Teachers’ Lounge Conspiracy Theories: What Really Happens in There
• The Mystery of Library “Silence” Zones: The Noisiest Places on Campus
• The Chronicles of “Extra Credit” Hustlers: Masters of the Brown-Nosing Arts
• “Back to School” Sales: How to Convince Kids That Pencils Are Fashion Statements

Pop Culture

• Celebrity Fragrances: Smelling Like You Could Be Famous
• The Comedy of Reality TV: Where Non-Celebrities Act Like Celebrities
• The Hilarity of Award Show Speeches: From “Genuine” Tears to Thanking Your Dog
• The Mystery of Viral Internet Challenges: Surviving the Stupidity
• The Absurdity of Tabloid Headlines: Alien Babies and Celebrity Reincarnations
• “Trendy” Diets: From the Cabbage Soup Cleanse to the Twinkie Diet
• The Satirical Take on Superhero Films: When Spandex Saves the Day
• The Comedy of “Real Housewives” Shows: Unreal Lives in Expensive Houses
• Celebrity Social Media Feuds: The Battle for the Most Retweets
• “Cool” Urban Legends: Bigfoot’s Hipster Cousin and the Loch Ness Hipster

Environmental Issues

• The Comedy of Earth Day Parades: Marching for the Planet with Plastic Signs
• The Irony of “Eco-Friendly” Disposable Diapers: Breaking Down in a Million Years
• The Green Guilt Trip: How Your Neighbor’s Solar Panels Shame You
• The Chronicles of the “Green” Car Owner: Driving a Gas Guzzler with a Green Sticker
• “Zero-Waste” Instagram Accounts: How to Produce Tons of Trash for Likes
• “Organic” Fast Food: Because Deep-Fried Organic Is Healthier, Right?
• The Absurdity of “Recycling” Electronics: Sending Your Old Laptop to a Landfill
• The Hilarity of “Farm-to-Table” Restaurants: How Far Is That Farm, Really?
• “Eco-Friendly” Water Bottles: Saving the Earth, One Plastic Bottle at a Time
• The Satire of “Vegan” Junk Food: Tofu Hot Dogs and Deep-Fried Kale Chips

Political Issues

• Political Campaign Slogans: Promising Everything, Delivering Nothing
• The Comedy of Political Debates: Where Civility Goes to Die
• Political “Spin Doctors”: Turning Scandals into Inspirational Stories
• The Absurdity of Political Ads: Making Promises You Know Won’t Be Kept
• The Mystery of Bureaucratic Jargon: Translating “Government Speak” into English
• Election Promises vs. Reality: A Satirical Look at Broken Pledges
• The Irony of Campaign Fundraising: How the Poor Donate to the Rich
• Presidential Twitter Wars: When World Leaders Act Like Teenagers
• Political Conventions: Where Balloons Are the Highlight of the Evening
• The Satire of Political Polls: Predicting the Future with a Magic 8-Ball

The Recipe for a Perfect Satirical Essay

Satirical essays are a unique and entertaining form of writing that allows you to explore and critique various aspects of society, culture, and human behavior with a humorous twist.

Crafting the perfect satirical essay requires a blend of wit, humor, and keen observation. Whether you’re an experienced satirist or just dipping your toes into this literary art form, here’s the recipe for creating a deliciously satirical essay:

Choose a Target

Start by identifying your target, which is the subject of your satire. It can be a social issue, a cultural phenomenon, a common behavior, or any aspect of society that you find intriguing or absurd.

Your target should be something you have strong opinions about, as satire involves commentary.

Understand Your Audience

Consider your audience’s sensibilities and preferences. Satire should be funny and thought-provoking, but it should also resonate with your readers. Know what will make them chuckle or nod in agreement.

Develop a Strong Thesis

Your satirical essay should have a clear thesis statement that conveys your central message or criticism. This statement will guide your entire essay and help your readers understand the purpose of your satire.

Embrace Exaggeration

Exaggeration is a key ingredient in satirical writing. Amplify the flaws, quirks, or absurdities of your target to an extreme degree. Push it to the limit to create humor and emphasize the point you’re making.

Employ Irony and Sarcasm

Irony and sarcasm are your trusty companions in satire. Use them to highlight the gap between appearances and reality, between what’s said and what’s meant. Witty one-liners and clever wordplay can add an extra layer of humor.

Employ Parody

Parody involves mimicking or imitating a particular style, genre, or individual to create humor. You can parody well-known personalities, famous works of literature, or iconic brands. This approach adds a layer of recognition for your readers.

Use Hyperbole

Hyperbole is an extravagant exaggeration used for emphasis. It’s an effective tool for satirists. Make the ordinary extraordinary, and the absurd even more ridiculous with the use of hyperbole.

Employ Ridicule

Ridicule is the act of mocking or making fun of your target. It’s a fundamental component of satire. Create amusing caricatures, funny situations, or absurd scenarios to ridicule your subject.

Craft a Catchy Title

Your essay’s title is your first chance to grab your readers’ attention. Make it catchy, clever, and relevant to your subject matter. A well-crafted title sets the tone for your satire.

Provide Real-World Examples

Support your satire with real-world examples, anecdotes, or observations. These give your essay authenticity and make your critique more relatable.

Maintain Consistency

Stay consistent in your satirical approach throughout the essay. Your humor, tone, and style should remain constant from start to finish.

Offer a Resolution or Alternative

A good satirical essay doesn’t just point out flaws; it suggests improvements or alternative solutions. Offer a thought-provoking resolution or present an absurd alternative to highlight the flaws in the existing system or behavior.

Revise and Edit

Like any other type of writing, satirical essays benefit from revision and editing. Review your work for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness. Ensure that your humor is sharp and your message is clear.

Seek Feedback:

Share your essay with friends or colleagues and ask for their feedback. A fresh perspective can help you refine your satire.

Don’t Cross Boundaries

While satire encourages humor and exaggeration, be mindful not to cross into offensive or hurtful territory. Your satire should be amusing and thought-provoking, not mean-spirited.

Incorporate these ingredients into your satirical essay recipe, and you’ll be on your way to creating a delicious, thought-provoking, and entertaining piece of satirical writing.

Remember, the goal is not just to make your readers laugh but also to make them think. Happy satirizing!

What is a good topic for satire?

When it comes to crafting a satirical essay, choosing the right topic is essential. A good satirical topic should be timely, relevant, and capable of shedding light on the hypocrisy, absurdity, or foolishness prevalent in a particular person, group, or institution.

Here, we present a handful of excellent topics ripe for satirical exploration:

The Social Media Obsession

Satire can delve into our incessant phone-checking habits and the constant updates on our lives. Explore the addictive nature of likes and followers in the digital age.

The Political Circus

Politics is a treasure trove of satirical material. Unveil the world of empty promises made by politicians or their peculiar fascination with fundraising over serving constituents.

The Cult of Celebrity

Delve into the worship of celebrities and society’s fixation on every move they make. Expose the extremes of idolizing famous figures.

Commercialized Holidays

Highlight the shift of holidays from meaningful family and friend gatherings to consumerist extravaganzas. Satirize the overwhelming emphasis on shopping.

The Wellness Mania

Poke fun at the relentless pursuit of healthy eating and exercise, sometimes taken to the point of neuroticism. Examine society’s obsession with wellness.

These topics serve as a starting point, and there are numerous other excellent options for satirical essays. The key lies in selecting a topic that seamlessly combines humor with thought-provoking insights, fostering essential conversations about pertinent issues.

In the realm of satire, humor is the vehicle, but reflection is the destination.

What is a satirical essay?

Satirical essays are a unique genre that employs humor, irony, exaggeration, and various literary devices to critique individuals, groups, or institutions.

Their purpose is to reveal hypocrisy, absurdity, or foolishness, all while prompting readers to view essential issues from a fresh perspective.

Let’s explore the defining features of a satirical essay:

Humor with a Purpose

Satirical essays are inherently humorous, but this humor serves a greater objective. It isn’t merely for laughter’s sake; it’s a powerful tool used to underscore the essay’s subject.

Masters of Irony and Sarcasm

Satire relies heavily on irony and sarcasm, two potent instruments. Irony involves using words in a way that contradicts their actual meaning, while sarcasm is a form of irony that expresses contempt or criticism.

Exaggeration for Effect

Satirical essays often amplify the flaws and shortcomings of their subjects. This amplification serves to sharpen the essay’s point and portray the subject in an even more ludicrous light.

Laser-Focused on Specifics

These essays are not vague musings. They pinpoint particular individuals, groups, or institutions, enhancing their effectiveness in conveying a message.

Clever and Witty Execution

A successful satirical essay should be clever and witty. Without these qualities, it risks losing its humor and impact.

In the world of satirical essays, humor is the vehicle, but enlightenment is the destination. These essays serve as a remarkable means to provoke reflection on crucial issues, all while bringing a smile to the reader’s face.

What is a good satire example?

In the world of literary satire, some timeless classics have managed to tickle our funny bones while offering profound insights.

These masterpieces don’t just amuse us; they make us ponder the follies of human nature and society. Here are a few of these gems:

1. Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift (1726)

Swift takes us on a whimsical journey with Lemuel Gulliver through lands like Lilliput, Brobdingnag, and more. But beneath the fantastical adventures lies a clever satire on the quirks of humanity, politics, and society.

2. Candide by Voltaire (1759)

Voltaire’s story follows the eternal optimist Candide, who explores the world and encounters a string of misfortunes. Through Candide’s misadventures, Voltaire uses satire to skewer the notion of unbridled optimism and reflect on the harsh realities of our world.

3. Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)

Orwell’s allegorical tale is a biting critique of the Russian Revolution and the emergence of Stalinism. As a group of farm animals rebel against their human overlords to create their society, Orwell uncovers the corrupting influence of power.

4. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (1961)

Heller’s novel hilariously underscores the absurdity of war and the bureaucratic maze of the military. Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Air Force bombardier feigning insanity to avoid more bombing missions, embodies the dark comedy that ensues in wartime.

5. A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole (1980)

Toole paints a satirical portrait of Southern culture and the elusive American Dream through the comical misadventures of Ignatius J. Reilly. A lovable yet exasperating character, Ignatius dreams of becoming a writer while wrestling with his own eccentricities.

These works are just a sampling of the rich tapestry of satire in literature. They remind us that humor can be a powerful tool for reflecting on society and uncovering truths in the quirkiest and most unexpected ways.

In the enchanting world of satire, the boundaries are as limitless as your creativity. Satirical essay topics offer a stage where humor, irony, and cleverness intertwine, allowing us to dive headfirst into the quirks of human behavior, the baffling peculiarities of society, and the intricacies of our ever-evolving world.

These topics spark laughter, but they do much more – they beckon us to think. Satirical essays act as a mirror, reflecting back the contradictions, paradoxes, and absurdities we often overlook.

They prod us to question the norms, to challenge established norms, and to perceive the world from a fresh angle.

So, whether you’re composing a satirical essay to entertain, to shed light on social issues, or just for the sheer joy of wit, remember that satire transcends humor – it’s an art form that inspires contemplation.

It’s a delightful nudge that reminds us humor can be a powerful instrument for change, and that even the weightiest of subjects can benefit from a sprinkle of humor.

So, let your imagination soar and your pen dance merrily, because who knows, amid the chuckles, you might uncover profound truths that were hiding in plain sight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a satirical essay.

A satirical essay aims to criticize and ridicule societal issues, individuals, or institutions using humor, irony, and exaggeration. Its purpose is to entertain, make readers think, and shed light on the absurdities of our world.

Can I use satire to discuss serious topics?

Absolutely! Satire is a powerful tool to address serious issues indirectly. It allows you to critique and challenge the status quo while keeping your readers engaged through humor.

How do I maintain a balance between humor and critique in a satirical essay?

Balancing humor and critique in a satirical essay is key. Ensure that your humor supports your critique and doesn’t undermine the seriousness of the issue you’re addressing. Clever wit and well-crafted irony can help maintain this balance.

Is it essential to use real examples in a satirical essay?

While using real examples can enhance the impact of your satire, it’s not always necessary. You can create fictional scenarios and characters to highlight the absurdities

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5 Ways to Write a Satire Essay

Satire essay generator.

Not all essays are meant to be sound serious and forbidding. At times, essays can be quite fun to read. Satire essay is one best example of a highly entertaining essay. Certain websites such as The Onion, The Satirist, or The Private Eye are widely known for their satirical essays. But first let us determine what is satire and what is a satire essay.

• Satire in Literature
• Literary Essay Writing Example

What is Satire and Satirical Essay?

Merriam-Webster defines satire as a literary work that uses wit, irony, or sarcasm to expose and ridicule human vices or foolishness. Satire is most prevalent in literary works like books, poems, essays, songs, and even in films. Using satire in a literary piece is one way of showing one’s humor creatively.

It is also one way of putting a subtle constructive criticism to the shortcomings of a certain topic that an author is discussing (may it be related to politics, social change, celebrities, etc). Satirical essays are meant to write factual information about a certain topic but twists it to make it appear comical. Your readers will be more engrossed in reading satire essay since not only they will be entertained they will also gain more knowledge about a certain topic. Examples of satire present in literature include:

• Jonathan Swift’s essay called “A Modest Proposal” talks about the societal and political issue in Ireland. The Irish are suffering from famine and the government is unable to solve this problem. Swift then cheekily suggested that in order to resolve the famine, a new form of human breeding is the solution for the economic recovery in Ireland. When deliberating his essay, Swift’s suggestion may seem horrendous but his point is to sarcastically suggest an impossible suggestion to make fun of the shortcoming of the Ireland’s government.
• The Rape of Lock by Alexander Pope satirized the upper middle class of the 18th century England. Most people who belonged in this class were vain and narcissistic. Most young men and women were fashionable, self-absorbed, and superficial.
• “Whether the nymph shall break Diana’s law, o r some frail china jar receive a flaw, o r stain her honor, or her new brocade…”.  An excerpt from Pope’s poem describes a young woman called Belinda who lost a lock of her hair seemed to her that she lost a valuable virtue of their class in this particular era. The lost lock of hair is almost similar like a precious frail china jar that cracked.

Other Forms of Satire

Satirizing politicians, celebrities, or other prominent people are most commonly spoofed in the media. Parodies are used to make fun of these people by exaggerating their chosen subject’s behavior or characteristics. Some even impersonate these people and exaggerate their looks. Parodies are prevalent in films, television, and music.

One example is the parody band called the Rutles. Established in the late 70’s, this band satirizes the Beatles and their avid supporters. They dressed up like the Beatles and poked fun of their songs by making a similar songs by the Beatles.

One example is the song “Get Up and Go” by the Rutles which is a parody from the song “Get Back” by the Beatles. Here is an excerpt of “Get Up and Go”:

Cruising down the highway doing sixty-five in the middle of the double white line His foot down on the gas and his head in the clouds He didn’t see the one-way sign Get up and go Get up and go Get up and go back home

Sarcasm is of course prevalent in satire. It is what makes satire engaging and entertaining. Sarcasm as defined in Cambridge dictionary is making remarks that means the opposite of what the person is supposed to say in order to criticize something or someone in a humorous way.  Some examples of sarcastic quotes are:

“We are all both ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” Benjamin Franklin

“Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” Mark Twain

“All men are the same. They have different faces so that women differentiate them.” Marilyn Monroe

But what makes satire important?

Basically, satire exists to point out the shortcomings in the society or within ourselves and to inspire change from these flaws. Through satire writing, readers will be aware of the changes they need to do in order to make a better version of themselves or in the society.

Now comes the part on how to write a satire essay efficiently.

How to Write a Satire Essay?

1. familiarize first how to write a satire essay.

When writing a satire essay, it is important to know that you have a strong motive to address your own views and opinion over a specific issue to you care about. Even if it is opinionated in its form, you can put your own perspective of this certain issue and spin it to make it funny, don’t forget to always provide the factual information of the topic you are writing about.

2. Choose the right topic to write

In choosing a topic to write, it’s best to know what topic are you want to write about. It must be something that you are highly interested in. Otherwise, if you choose a topic you are not really into it or not familiar to, you get bored in writing halfway to it. Other key points to consider is to choose a topic or an issue that is relevant to society and is relatable to everyone.

The best examples of topics to choose from are:

• current events
• health or environmental issues
• celebrities
• human vices
• holiday celebrations
• social media

It is also helpful to familiarize yourself with these topics by watching or reading the news. These kinds of topics are what people mostly have their own stand, so it’s best to choose it as you will get reactions from your readers. Don’t forget the point of writing essays is for the readers to read it. Getting reactions, whether favorable or not, means you have successfully done your job.

3. Get to the point

Finally, after poring and musing and deciding the topic you want to discuss, it’s time to figure out, what is the point of this essay I am writing about?  The things you want to consider are: What is your stand in this certain topic? Do you rule favor or not?, How can you make this topic ironic? Once you have figured out your point, you have a clear and strong idea on what will you write about.

4. Know your audience

It’s crucial for you as a writer to know who is the audience you are writing to. Are you writing for the professional readers? Or the students? These different groups of people have their own preference or style of writing. The professionals might want a formal style of writing or the students might want a casual style. The point is, by identifying your readers, it’s better to be more relatable towards them. To help you adjust your style of writing to your specific audience, here are the questions you need to answer: How do you write in casual or formal style of writing? How do you write this essay if you are writing for young people?

5. Now it’s time to write

Now you already have a gist on writing a satire essay. You already know what topic you will discuss and what will be your main point, and you already identified who will be your audience. Now it’s time to write down your outstanding essay. Of course, in order for it to be outstanding, you need some tips in order to make your essay interesting to read. Familiarize yourself with the figures of speech to use when writing a satire essay to make it more engaging to your readers. Examples of figures of speech you can use are:

Hyperbole: The use of exaggerated words for heightened effect on the reader.

My high heeled shoes are killing me!

Irony: It is the use of words used to convey the opposite of its literal meaning.

A person looking out at his window while it was raining hard. He exclaims, “ What a beautiful weather we are having today.”

Metaphor: A figure of speech that implied a comparison between two dissimilar things that have something in common.

You have a heart of stone.

Pun: Is described as ‘a play on words’. It’s structure can be on different senses of the same word or sometimes on the similar sense or sound of different words.

“Now is the winter or our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York…” an excerpt from William Shakespeare Richard III (Act 1 scene 1). The context of this statement by the character Richard III is that he was the son of the Duke of York.

Understatement: This type of figure of speech is when a speaker intentionally makes a situation or a person less important that it is.

“It was rather a serious evening, you know.”  Shipwreck survivor Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, as he described the sinking of the Titanic.

You may also look up some hyperbole examples , and irony examples to familiarize yourself to these figures of speech.

Now that you have mastered on writing a satire essay, don’t forget to have some fun while writing it. In fact, it is more enjoyable to write since you are allowed to put your own creativity and your personal views in your essay. However don’t forget to cite facts to make your essay credible. But don’t forget that the main essence of satire essay is to persuade your readers to agree with your opinion. So be persuasive, be creative and showcase your talent in comedy in your satire essay.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write a Satire Essay about the obsession with social media

Discuss in a Satire Essay how procrastination has become a key skill for students

How to make a video essay: A guide for beginners

What type of content do you primarily create?

Video essays are an incredibly popular genre on YouTube, and many new creators are eager to have their views heard on topics in culture and politics. But making a video essay involves a lot more than just sitting in front of a camera and pressing record. This guide is intended for beginners who don’t quite know where to start. 

What is a video essay?

A video essay’s primary defining feature is that it sets out to make an argument. It is, to put it simply, like an essay you wrote in school. Video essays often cover politics, popular media, or science.

But unlike the essays you wrote in school, video essays need extensive visual accompaniment, whether that’s footage (or B-roll ), still images, or animation.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Craft a thesis

Good video essays will have a central thesis explored throughout the piece. If you can’t summarize your thesis in a sentence (sometimes two), you’ve still got work to do. The best theses immediately leave the viewer wanting to know more. Test it on friends: If you state your thesis to friends and get reactions of curiosity or excitement you’re on to something.

Consider one of my favorite video essays, whose thesis is right in the title: "Why Snowpiercer is a sequel to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory."

‎ Sometimes, a thesis is a little more subtle, but nonetheless important. In Yhara Zayd’s video on horror movies, she argues that horror has always been a genre for social criticism.

‎ The rest of your video isn’t just proving that thesis, though that’s important. You'll want to explore the twists and turns of the idea. What questions does your thesis raise? What are the big doubts about your thesis, and how do you address them? How can we zoom out from your thesis and ask even bigger questions? 

Step 2: Determine your audience  

Your audience will dictate what level of complexity and detail you should cover in your video. If you’re an engineering channel, maybe you want to appeal to working engineers who understand the jargon of the profession. But if you’d like a broader audience, you’ll need to take the time to define terms and give background information. The best video essays usually appeal to both—their topics are unique enough to be interesting to people with prior knowledge of the topic, while accessible enough to be understood to a casual viewer.

Step 3: Organize your research early

Your video essay should have lots of supporting evidence. Aside from the usual list of articles and books, video essays can also use visual evidence.

If you’re commenting on media, that means hyper-specific shots and lines of dialogue. If you’re commenting on history, that means old news clips. Filmed interviews are a great resource regardless of the topic.

Whenever I'm trying to cover a show, I’ll watch the show (sometimes twice), take extensive notes, pause to write out lines of dialogue, and mark where specific moments supported various themes, motifs, or ideas. 

I've always regretted telling myself I’d remember a specific line or shot because I'd find myself spending an hour to hunt it down later in the process.

Whether you’re commenting on news footage, video games, or film and TV, I cannot stress enough how much extensive notetaking will improve your video essay later in the process.

The same advice goes for any books or news articles you might cite: annotate extensively and cite them in your piece.

Step 4: Familiarize yourself with "fair use"

Many video essays source footage from the news, TV, and film without licensing them. I'm not here to give advice on the legality of that, but I do think any video essayist should familiarize themselves with fair use .

Fair use is a set of criteria that a creator can use to defend their use of copyrighted work. It's not a license to freely use copyrighted work if you think you fit those standards; it’s a series of tests a judge should weigh in court. 

Usually, it doesn’t come to that. Most copyright issues go through YouTube’s copyright claim system , which you should also read up on. A film studio may claim your content, or block it altogether, for using their copyrighted material. YouTube allows you to appeal these claims , but if both parties won’t give up, the question can only be settled by a judge (in the US, at least).

Step 5: Start your script

Be sure to use a two-column script, rather than just writing out everything as if it were a traditional essay.

In one column, you’re writing what you’re saying, or what the footage is saying. In the other, write what you plan to show. Your notes here should be specific enough to help you later in the editing process. You may want to add a third column for notes, or sources to cite later.

Writing a video essay follows some different rules than what your English teacher might have expected. Most video essays use a conversational style, and include words, phrases, and grammar that would never fly with the written word. Sometimes that includes filler words, like starting a sentence with “so” or putting an “um” for effect. Just don’t overdo it.

Other writing rules still apply. Be concise, use active verbs, and otherwise just make sure you sound like a human.

Step 6: Film (or record)

You don’t need a $10,000 filming setup to make good video essays. Plenty of  people start with just a microphone, completely avoiding the camera altogether in what's known as a faceless YouTube video .

The two most important things to recommend: get good sound, and be natural. People can tolerate a lot of visual sins, but usually won’t put up with bad audio quality. Similarly, you don’t need to have the charisma of a talk show host, but people have no tolerance for on-screen performances that seem forced or fake.

That is all to say, get a decent microphone and be yourself. If you’re on-screen, buy a cheap teleprompter setup for your phone or camera.

Step 7: Start editing

There are many options for video editing software out there (and Descript is a great one), even for people with limited video editing experience. This article isn’t long enough to be an editing guide , but a few quick tips for a true novice:

• Don’t linger on any one visual for too long. Instead, mix up the visual interest of your video.
• Emphasize important concepts with text on screen.
• Take the time to learn a little about color grading .
• Clean up any noticeable background noise .

Step 8: Figure out your title and thumbnail

This may be the last step of this article, but it should often begin while you’re brainstorming. Your title and thumbnail should generate intrigue without giving it all away. Video essays often lean on titles with “How” and “Why.” Lessons from the Screenplay is a good example:

But video essays can also make provocative statements that make the viewer curious about how you’ll back it up. Consider Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell’s “ Smoking is Awesome ,” which I promise is not pro-tobacco.

Step 9: Publish

Finally, it's time to put your video out into the world and see how it fares. Your first video essay won't be perfect. It's important to put your work in public, take in feedback, and move on to your next project. Like all things, skill comes with time.

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