Social Commentary

Satire is powerful when used to persuade an audience to engage in an issue. Although "A Modest Proposal" is considered one of the greatest satires in the history of the English language, many of Swift's contemporaries did not realize that the essay was a satire and took the proposal seriously. Needless to say, many of these readers were outraged and disgusted by what they read. Today, satirical works are still criticized when they are taken too literally by the audience. Have you ever found yourself offended or shocked when hearing of an outrageous statement, only to realize later that it was not meant to be taken literally? Being aware of satirical devices can help you to appreciate the true message of satirical works that you come across in literature, artwork, film, TV, the Internet, and other forms of media.