Satire is a complicated but an engrossing genre of literature. If you don’t know how to write a satire essay and make it high-quality, don’t worry because even the greatest gurus of satirical writing Mark Twain, George Orwell, Charles Dickens considered that genre to be tricky. It requires not only attention to details but witty and creative attitudes towards things of everyday life.
There is a fine line between comedy, humor, irony, sarcasm and satirical writing. Each author should be careful in writing because the satirical paper is about walking the razor’s edge.
It sounds difficult, but everything will become clear when you read the following tips on writing a good satire essay. In this article, we will explain in details how to write a satirical composition because without preparation and good theoretical knowledge it is impossible to complete this task.
Get Acquainted with the Genre
Before getting down to your composition, examine the existing short stories, examples, or even novels where mocking humor is the main literary tool.
Have you ever read “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes, or “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift? These are the masterpieces of Literature, and reading those books will help you find out more about writing satire essay which engrosses the readers. You may have a deep understanding of the overall idea about which emotions your paper should convey.
How to Choose a Satire Essay Topic
Once you have examined the genre, now its time, you start working on your essay.
If you don’t have an exact topic, you may begin research to choose topic that is interesting for people. You may google some articles about modern satirical writing or think of an idea on your own. Here are few examples: famous people, politicians, athletes, public speakers, historical figures, anyone who attracts attention (usually for being notorious for some bad behavior).
Keep in mind that in your paper you will need to mock or prove the absurdity of events. Think of a person or a situation which is already ridiculous. Selecting an individuality is always easier because you can use human’s traits. You can make up a character which is fictional but reminds the reader of a real man or woman. It is one of the techniques when you don’t name your character directly, and by doing this, you get away from the risk of being criticized for humiliating others.
Think Over Your Characters
Some authors like selecting several characters and making up a story to show some ironic moments for readers. However, if you choose such story-telling, you have to be logical in describing events. For example you are writing about stubborn politicians. Choose several traits for him and try to stick to those original features. Whenever your character does something in your essay, make his behavior relevant to his personality. If he suddenly acts like a brave man while being indifferent throughout the whole story, it may look unrealistic for readers. Otherwise, you should explain his behavior by providing logical assumptions: who changed his mind, why he decided to become kinder, what he understood. These questions will arise in the reader’s mind, that is why try to be considerate while using your characters in action.
Hyperbole and Personification
Your paper shouldn’t consist of mocking humor entirely. If you add satirical ideas in each sentence, your composition will be of low quality. We recommend using several techniques which add ironic meaning and undertone to your story. Hyperbole and personification are “a brother and a sister” of humor and irony because they add subtle meaning to your text.
Hyperbole is a stylistic device which is related to exaggerating something in quality or quantity. Hyperbole should be based on a real fact, but it adds a comic effect. For example, when you are talking about a fat guy you may say “If you put him and an elephant together, an elephant will look like an ant!” It’s apparent that you are describing a person who cannot be bigger than an elephant, that is why it sounds funny.
When a writer makes animals act like humans, he uses personification. It is a standard technique for writing satirical essays because you may give animals humanlike behavior. Just think about the “Animal Farm” where pigs act like despots or “Maus: A Survivor’s Tale” where mice are former soldiers. Think about the main trait which prevails in your fictional character and choose a proper animal. Here are some examples: coward – sheep, cunning – fox, stubborn – ox.
Experiment with Writing
Your creativity should be the most important strength here. Don’t be afraid to try new literary techniques, stylistic devices to make your essay more immersive. Who knows, maybe, you are the next Swift of our age?
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