Literary Devices Used in Satire

1. Hyperbole

1.1. Definition: exaggeration

1.2. Example 1: "'...his lofty head shall touch the stars...'"; (pg. 72)

1.2.1. You can't actually touch the sky which means that it's exaggerated.

1.3. Example 2: "'..there are millions of people upon earth who have a hundred times more to complain than King Charles Edward, the Emperor Ivan, or the Sultan Achmet.'" (pg. 78)

1.3.1. There probably wouldn't be a hundred times more complain, it's exaggerated.

2. Parody

2.1. Definition: Imitating the features of a person, an event or a serious work of literature to make fun of those features.

2.2. Example 1:The name Thunder-ten-Tronckh is making fun of the nobles. It’s satirizing how nobles are sort of foolish. (pg. 1)

2.3. Example 2: Whenever Pangloss talks, Voltaire is making fun of philosophers

3. Oxymoron

3.1. Definition: where two words of complete opposite meanings are used right next to each other or in one sentence.

3.2. Example 1: "'..beautiful war..'" (pg. 64) Beautiful is the complete opposite of a word that would describe war.

3.3. Example 2: “A man who had never been christened, a good Anabaptist, named James...” (pg. 6) An Anabaptist wouldn't be an Anabaptist if they're not christened.

4. Allusion

4.1. Definition: Indirectly referencing/making connections to a famous person or an event in history or another work of literature.

4.2. Example 1: "'Oh! here is Cicero,'said Candide." (pg. 72) Cicero is a famous character.

4.3. Example 2: "'What is it to me whether he pleads for Rabirius or Cluentius?...'" (pg. 72) Rabirius and Cluentius are both real people.

5. Irony

5.1. Definition: A saying where the original meaning has been changed because of the circumstances; the changed meaning often becomes the opposite of the original.

5.2. Example 1: On page 64, it is ironic how a death of their comrade encourages them to fight.

5.3. Example 2: It is ironic how the kids of El Dorado plays with rubies and emeralds. (pg. 43)

6. Understatement

6.1. Definition: Opposite of hyperbole; understatement is making something really significant seem like it's not that significant.

6.2. Example 1: "'..They are said to be the finest things in Italy, but they do not please me at all..'" (pg. 70) The character is understating about the artwork.

6.3. Example 2: “Pangloss only lost an eye and an ear.” (pg. 9) They're describing losing an eye and an ear as only.