Parody and Satire 101

Josh Shaine, instructor

It was the best of courses, it was the worst of courses. In this class, we will read original works of fiction and poetry and the pieces that make fun of them or turn them on their heads. We will read pieces that are mocking entire genres. We will watch films that spoof more famous films and listen to music that skewers everything from specific pieces to entire periods. And we will look at cartoons and how they describe the petty foibles of humans through caricature. Along the way, we will attempt to write our own pieces of parody and satire and maybe even make a cartoon or film, depending on how ambitious we are feeling! Among works we may use are Bored of the Rings, The Wind Done Gone, The Brand X Anthologies of Poetry and Prose, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Dark Star, and many others, depending on the tastes, times, and abilities of the students in the class.

This course is intended for students age 13 and up. Times are U.S. East Coast.

Syllabus