I love your enthusiasm for Lit 12!! I always feel more enlivened after an hour with you. Thanks for that.
If you were absent today, there are a couple of things to do to catch up.
1. Read and take notes on Jonathan Swift. Read his essay entitled "A Modest Proposal". Review the elements of satire. When you return, get the notes from a friend.
We discussed how effective this satire was in truly moving the reader on an emotional level despite the essay's rational, calm tone.
Your job now is to imitate Swift's style. However, on a much smaller scale, and you may choose a pet peeve rather than satirizing a government's blatant collusion in the starvation of the poor!
Choose a topic you would like to satirize: curfews, driving tests, lunch programs, uniforms, big brothers, little sisters, first dates, whatever you want.
Choose an appropriate narrator, tone, and diction (key elements in Swift's piece).
Use specific examples to promote your piece. Good writing also always uses concrete imagery and appeals to the five senses.
Marks awarded for using the elements of satire as well: hyperbole, understatement, sarcasm, wit and irony.
Length: 300 to 500 words. Typed. Double spaced.
Due: Tues. April 24. No lates accepted. If you need an alternate deadline, let me know well in advance.
Homework due tomorrow: 18th century notes what / so what -- Be sure to include all the key facts but also your reactions to those facts. Add enough detail to make the section memorable.
