English Literary Genres Questions Medium
Satire is a literary genre that uses humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to criticize and expose human vices, follies, or shortcomings. It aims to bring about social or political change by highlighting the flaws or absurdities of individuals, institutions, or society as a whole.
One example of satire can be found in Jonathan Swift's novel "Gulliver's Travels." In this work, Swift uses the character of Lemuel Gulliver to satirize various aspects of society. For instance, in the land of Lilliput, where the inhabitants are only six inches tall, Swift satirizes the pettiness and absurdity of political conflicts and power struggles. In another part of the novel, Gulliver visits the land of Brobdingnag, where the people are giants, and Swift uses this setting to satirize the flaws and shortcomings of humanity when viewed from a different perspective.
Another example of satire is George Orwell's novel "Animal Farm." In this allegorical tale, Orwell uses a group of farm animals who overthrow their human farmer to satirize the corruption and abuse of power that often accompanies revolutions. The novel exposes the hypocrisy and manipulation of the ruling class, represented by the pigs, who gradually become indistinguishable from the humans they initially rebelled against.
In both of these examples, satire is employed to critique and expose societal issues, using humor and irony to provoke reflection and bring about change.