Essential Question: Why is Satire important

1. Satire: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

2. Satire is important, but sometimes does not have such a good effect on society. Because people do not agree with the way satire is used to criticize different societies, a lot of the time people do not understand the concept behind the satire at all. A good example, given by bwright08 from, is south park. The show is full of satire, that critizices today's society yet people only see how crude the show is.

3. A great quote on satire by bwright08: "Despite these seeming shortcomings, however, satire is one of the most absolutely essential elements of a free society." Also I should mention the short comings include: only being relevant to specific time periods, people not understanding the satire and really to be used people have to make fun of a society or culture they live in. This quote means: even though satire does have limitations it is also needed for individualized thought and criticism.

4. Satire is very important because it can make one realize the negative actions he/she carries out. The satire used in Gabriel's "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings". By showing people treating an angel like a zoo animal the reader thinks about times when they have maybe treated animals without respect or even human beings.

5. When I think of Satire I automatically think of one name: John Oliver. If you have ever seen John Oliver's show "Last Week Tonight" you have received a lifetimes worth of satirical comments. Here's a quick segment of John Oliver's show.

6. “Essentially, student debt is like HPV. If you go to college, you're almost certainly going to get it, and if you do, it will follow you for the rest of your life.” A quote from John Oliver's Podcast. This is satirical because it is making fun of student debt which many people in today's society obtain.

7. Citations: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/23/john-oliver-quotes_n_7121748.html https://thestormypresentsociety.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/the-importance-of-satire/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satire http://news.psu.edu/story/143606/2012/12/19/satire-shaping-next-generation-american-citizens http://time.com/3674807/john-oliver-net-neutrality-civil-forfeiture-miss-america/

8. Quote on Satire: "Satire is different from typical political humor because it demands critical reflection on the part of the audience, so the laughter isn't the end of the joke."Sophia McClennen. This quote means that satirical statements make people think to understand the humor behind them. This is why satire is important. It causes the reader to not only read, but to really absorb what he/she is reading. Thinking back to Gabriel's works of "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World" I actually remember having to analysis what the short story was attempting to get across to me.