Parody and Satire 101
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Language Arts
Instructor: Josh Shaine
3-10 students
Suggested Ages: 13+
Meets: Mondays, 3-4pm, ET, starting on January 25th.
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 The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, The Brand X Anthologies of Poetry and Prose, The Daily Show, In Like Flint, Blazing Saddles, and many others, depending on the tastes, times, and talents of the students in the class.
Syllabus
|
Session # |
Plan for the day |
|
Session 1 |
Definitions and Differences, Exploration of Syllabus, Some early satire |
|
Session 2 |
Fiction 1: Bored of the Rings, The Wind Done Gone, and more |
|
Session 3 |
Videos 1: Airplane, Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, and more |
|
Session 4 |
Music 1: Lehrer, PDQ Bach, Anna Russell, Filk, and more |
|
Session 5 |
Comedians: Steven Wright, Jon Steward, Keegan-Michael Key, and more |
|
Session 6 |
Cartoonists from Ancient Egypt to the Present |
|
Session 7 |
Poems and Other Printed Matter |
|
Session 8 |
How to Craft Your Own Parody and/or Satire, Part 1 |
|
Session 9 |
More Fiction |
|
Session 10 |
More Music |
|
Session 11 |
More Music |
| Session 12 | More Poems and Other Printed MatterComedians |
| Session 13 | How to Craft Your Own, Part 2 |
| Session 14 | Students' Choice of Topic |
| Session 15 | Our own Parodies and Satires! |
| Potential make-up day |
Specific sessions may change based on students' interests.