The Sting of Satire

The Sting of Satire

Literary Unit

Shelley S. Mulligan

Objectives:

Identify and analyze satire
Identify methods used in creating satire
Express understanding through writing, art, or speaking

Resources:

Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”
Mark Twain’s “The Babies”
Satirical cartoons
Transparencies, handouts, etc., from Holt, Rinehart, and Winston teaching resources
Internet sites

Pre-reading Activities:

1. Have students paraphrase the following Jonathan Swift quotation: “Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody’s face but their own.” Use the following questions to perpetuate further commentary:

What is the metaphor Swift uses? Is it an effective one to use?
What are some of the things in our society that might need change? Our school? (Discuss in small groups and report to entire class.)

2. Use art transparency A Cottage Girl with Dog and Pitcher by Thomas Gainsborough to elicit responses by asking the following:

What kind of home do you think this child has? Where might she be going? How would you describe her expression?
What is the mood of the painting? How does the artist create this mood?
What emotions does this painting arouse in you?
What do you think the artist was trying to accomplish in this painting?

Reading 1:

Have students read “A Modest Proposal” with the purpose of finding out what Swift’s proposal would do for the institution of marriage.
Discuss the pamphlet and its intended audience with the students. Also, discuss its timeless features.
Define satire and the elements used to create satire: exaggeration (hyperbole), understatement, irony, and sarcasm.
Model for students using a T-chart the elements of satire and examples from Swift’s pamphlet. Allow students to continue in small groups and then discuss as a class.
Using the painting from the pre-reading activity, have students answer the following connecting the two:

Discuss whether or not the cottage girl might be the sort of child Jonathan Swift seeks to help by writing his satire.
In what way do Swift in “A Modest Proposal” and Gainsborough in this painting express similar concerns and attitudes about impoverished children?
Do you think Gainsborough’s painting would make a good poster in support of the narrator’s actual proposal in Swift’s essay? Why or why not?

Use as a class activity to prompt discussion.

Extension:

Ask students what they think Swift’s purpose was in writing this essay. What tends to affect us in our lives that prompts us to action? Have students visit the Web site http://genealogy.org/~ajmorris/ireland/swift.htm and place early events in Swift’s life that could have acted as an impetus for his writing this pamphlet on a timeline using TimeLiner.

See Timeline Rubric.

Reading 2:

Let students know that they are going to read another satire, an American satire, which also has an underlying purpose. Students should visit the Web site http://www.boondocksnet.com/twaintexts/speeches/mts_babies.html and read Mark Twain’s “The Babies” to determine Twain's analogous comparison.

Using the analogy of babies compared to generals, have groups create a concept map using Inspiration. The central idea should be the word Generals, and the extensions should consist of ways that the babies are like generals and then examples (using both text and graphics). Groups should then present to the class.

See Concept-mapping Rubric.

Reading 3:

Have students brainstorm ways our society uses satire to call for reform or to call attention to problems. One way, of course, is through satirical cartoons. Have students explore the Web site http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bldailyfeed5.htm in order to find satirical cartoons. Have each group pick out two cartoons and identify what is being satirized, the method used to satirize, and the effect of the satire.

See Cartoon Analysis Rubric.

Culminating Activity:

Students will create their own “Modest Proposal” in which they address a problem that they see in society today.

Choices for satirical product:

Write a 1-1 ½ page satirical essay.
Create two satirical cartoons.

For both choices include a cover sheet with subject of satire, methods used to create the satire, and intended audience.

See Original Proposal Rubric.

Learning Styles Analysis:

Verbal: This type of learner will benefit from discussions conducted during the unit. He will grasp the language and possibly memorize information quickly. Also, this learner will be able to help his group with choosing information for the presentations.
Sequential: This learner will do well with the step-by-step process of using the sequential readings—British literature, American literature, and satirical cartoons.
Global: This learner will do well with the concept-mapping activity in which he will have the overall concept first and will have to add the details to this idea.
Extroverted: This learner will do well with the group work. He will be able to insure that all members are contributing to the task at hand.
Intrapersonal intelligence: This learner is the one who will self reflect and analyze the choices that he makes. He is also concerned with how he fits as part of a whole. This type of learner would probably perform best using the noted software that involved group work.
Logical/Mathematical: These learners think about conceptions and how related parts fit together. Both TimeLiner and Inspiration, with their basis on concept and relationships, would benefit these learners. These learners also like to do experiments. Inspiration offers the outline view and the graphic view, which might appeal to these learners.

NOTE: RUBRICS CHANGE SOMEWHAT WHEN CONVERTED TO WEB PAGES. FEEL FREE TO COPY AND EDIT.

Timeline Rubric

Teacher Name: S. Mulligan

Student Name ___________________

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Requirements	All requirements are met and exceeded.	All requirements are met.	One requirement was not completely met.	More than one requirement was not completely met.
Content	Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent.	Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good.	Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors.	Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors.
Organization	Content is well organized using appropriate phrasing of related material.	Uses related material to organize, but the overall organization of topics appears flawed.	Content is logically organized for the most part.	There was no clear or logical organizational structure, just lots of facts.
Workload	The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members.	The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person.	The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work.	The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work.

Concept-mapping Rubric

Teacher name: S. Mulligan

Students Names ___________________

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Oral Presentation	Interesting, well rehearsed with smooth delivery that holds audience attention.	Relatively interesting, rehearsed with a fairly smooth delivery that usually holds audience attention.	Delivery not smooth, but able to hold audience attention most of the time.	Delivery not smooth and audience attention lost.
Attractiveness	Makes excellent use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance the presentation.	Makes good use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance to presentation.	Makes use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. but occasionally these detract from the presentation content.	Use of font, color, graphics, effects etc. but these often distract from the presenation content.
Organization	Content is well organized using headings or bulleted lists to group related material.	Uses headings or bulleted lists to organize, but the overall organization of topics appears flawed.	Content is logically organized for the most part.	There was no clear or logical organizational structure, just lots of facts.
Originality	Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive.	Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights.	Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking.	Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit.
Requirements	All requirements are met and exceeded.	All requirements are met.	One requirement was not completely met.	More than one requirement was not completely met.
Grammar/ Mechanics	No misspellings or grammatical errors.	Three or fewer misspellings and/or mechanical errors.	Four misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	More than 4 errors in spelling or grammar.

Cartoon Analysis Rubric

Teacher Name: S. Mulligan

Students Names:_____________________

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Content	Fully explains satirical content of both cartoons.	Explains most of satirical content.	Explanation of satirical content is sparse.	Explanation of content is minimal or illogical.
Methods	Lists, gives examples, and explains elements of satire used.	Lists and gives examples of elements of satire used.	Explanation of method of satire is present.	Contains minimal or no explanation of methods of satire.
Effect	Group analyzes effect of satire using relevant, convincing specifics.	Uses related material to analyze effect but the specifics are minimal.	Group somewhat analyzes effect.	There was no analysis of effect.
Workload	The workload is divided and shared equally by all team members.	The workload is divided and shared fairly by all team members, though workloads may vary from person to person.	The workload was divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing his/her fair share of the work.	The workload was not divided OR several people in the group are viewed as not doing their fair share of the work.

Original Proposal Rubric

Teacher Name: S. Mulligan
Student Name ___________________

Cover Sheet

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Subject	Subject is clearly identified using details.	Subject is partially identified using some details.	Subject is mentioned using little or no details.	No subject is given.
Methods	Lists, gives examples, and explains elements of satire used.	Lists examples of elements of satire used.	Explanation of method of satire is present.	Contains minimal or no explanation of methods of satire.
Intended Audience	Addresses intended audience with specific explanation of appropriateness.	Addresses intended audience with minimal explanation of appropriateness.	Addresses intended audience.	No mention of intended audience is given.
Grammar/ Mechanics (for Cover Sheet and Product)	No misspellings or grammatical errors.	Three or fewer misspellings and/or mechanical errors.	Four misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	More than 4 errors in spelling or grammar.

Product

Essay	Organization is clear; content adequately covers subject; specifics of cover sheet included in essay.	Organization is mostly clear; content covers subject; most specifics from cover sheet are evident.	Mostly organized; content is minimal or difficult to understand; some cover sheet specifics are evident.	No clear organization; content is sparse; cover sheet specifics are not evident.
Cartoons	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand; exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness; shows a great deal of original thought.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand; attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness; shows some original thought.	All graphics relate to the topic; acceptably attractive; little evidence of original thinking.	Graphics do not relate to topic; distractingly messy or very poorly designed; no evidence of original thinking.

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Cover Sheet

Essay

Cartoons