The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Satire (See link for examples & self-quiz)
"Within the general definition of satire, there are three main classifications of different types of satire. The first two of these are named after ancient Roman satirists—Horace (first century BCE) and Juvenal (late first century BCE to early second century AD)—while the third is named after the ancient Greek parodist Menippus (third century BCE).
"Within the general definition of satire, there are three main classifications of different types of satire. The first two of these are named after ancient Roman satirists—Horace (first century BCE) and Juvenal (late first century BCE to early second century AD)—while the third is named after the ancient Greek parodist Menippus (third century BCE).
- Horatian: Horace playfully mocked the societal norms of his day, and the satire named after him is clever, yet gentle. Rather than attacking evils, Horatian satire ridicules universal human folly so that the reader might identify with what is being critiqued and laugh at him/herself as well as at society.
- Juvenalian: Unlike Horace, Juvenal attacked public officials and governmental organizations through his satires. He regarded their opinions not just as wrong, but instead as evil. Juvenalian satire thus is more contemptuous and abrasive, and uses strong irony and sarcasm. Polarized political satire is often of this nature, and aims to provoke change. Juvenalian satire is not often as humorous.
- Menippean: Menippean satire criticizes mental attitudes rather than societal norms or specific individuals. This type of satire often ridicules single-minded people, such as bigots, misers, braggarts, and so on."
Socratic Irony & Socrates as Teacher: A Midwife
Socrates, the son of an Athenian sculptor, was born in 469 B.C. He was trained in his father's art, but gave it up early to devote his time to the search for truth and virtue.
He did not give formal instruction after the fashion of other philosophers of his time, but went about engaging people in conversation, seeking, chiefly by questions, to induce his contemporaries, and especially the young men, to think clearly and to act reasonably.
He made profession of no knowledge except of his own ignorance, and the famous Socratic irony was shown in his attitude of apparent willingness to learn from anyone who professed to know. In the short embedded video, he likens his work as teacher to that of a midwife or one who assists a mother in labor. Just as the midwife cannot give birth for the mother, a teacher teaches best when facilitating the student's "pangs of labor" as students brings their ideas to life. This analogy will be useful for helping us understand how Mark Twain facilitates our realizations as readers by assuming the guise of an narrator that is ignorant and untutored.
He did not give formal instruction after the fashion of other philosophers of his time, but went about engaging people in conversation, seeking, chiefly by questions, to induce his contemporaries, and especially the young men, to think clearly and to act reasonably.
He made profession of no knowledge except of his own ignorance, and the famous Socratic irony was shown in his attitude of apparent willingness to learn from anyone who professed to know. In the short embedded video, he likens his work as teacher to that of a midwife or one who assists a mother in labor. Just as the midwife cannot give birth for the mother, a teacher teaches best when facilitating the student's "pangs of labor" as students brings their ideas to life. This analogy will be useful for helping us understand how Mark Twain facilitates our realizations as readers by assuming the guise of an narrator that is ignorant and untutored.
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The inevitable result of such conversations, however, was the reduction of the would-be instructor to a state either of irritation at the unmasking of his pretensions, or of humility and eagerness to be instructed by his questioner. It was natural that such a habit should create enemies, and Socrates was finally accused of introducing new gods and of corrupting the youth. His defense, from the "Apology," was conducted with his customary firm adherence to his convictions, and with entire fearlessness of consequences.
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He could, in all probability, have easily escaped the death sentence had he been willing to take a conciliatory tone, but he died (B.C. 399) a martyr to his unswerving devotion to truth. Socrates wrote nothing, and we learn what we know of his teachings chiefly from his disciples, Xenophon and Plato.
The Colbert Report: Stephen Colbert interviews Poet Elizabeth Alexander
In the embedded interview Stephen Colbert feigns ignorance, not unlike Socrates with his students, to create a laugh for his audience and Elizabeth Alexander, his guest, who is clearly aware and embraces Colbert's use of Socratic irony. The day previous to this interview, professor Alexander delivered her poem, "Praise Song for the Day," as a part of Obama's first inauguration in 2009. |
Following his typical dramatic entrance that borderlines on the absurdly hyperbolic, Elizabeth Alexander chuckles innocently when Colbert asks, "Have you ever seen a crowd that charged up before?" Consider the absurdity of his question, given that she just delivered her poem to one of the largest audiences to ever attend a presidential inauguration. Hilarity ensues as Colbert earnestly asks this college professor, "What's the difference between a metaphor and a lie?" The crowd roars with laughter as Alexander coyly plays along with Colbert's performance and double entendre. In this instance, Colbert's feigned ignorance is playful and light-hearted. |
Colbert's persona, unlike Samuel Clemens who toiled under the pseudonym Mark Twain, shares the same name as the actor portraying him. This choice naturally generates confusion, which is captured most famously when president George W. Bush's staff asked Colbert to serve as the closing speaker at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Bush's people mistakenly believed Colbert's conservative persona to be actual and legitimate, and they received quite a shock when Colbert proceeded to roast the unamused leader of the free world. Colbert's feigned ignorance was used in this now infamous speech to indict the policy of a president, seated just feet away.
Resources and Links to Support Reading & Instruction
The Book's Controversy &
The "N" Word - Minstrelsy A Cinematic Example of a Blackface Minstrel Performance Utilizing Malapropism The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, How to Tell a Story, & "Disgraceful Persecution of a Boy" Online Audio Text - Original & Unabridged - The series of online videos reads ALL the words on the screen Map of the Mississippi, Map of St. Petersburg, Huck Illustrated & Twain's Purpose with Sherburn's Speech Click on these images to enlarge them.
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Born to Trouble (2000) is a documentary film that traces the historical controversy surrounding the novel, and it offers a comprehensive summary of the book, which is coupled
with astute cultural and literary criticism. The short video embedded here is good to watch once you've read the entire novel. Watching it before reading will spoil the text for you.
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