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How important is cultural or historical context to the production and reception of a text?

How do we approach texts from different times and cultures to our own?

Research skills: Students will research the context of 18th Century Ireland, considering different economic, social and political issues shaping Swift's work.

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What is your 'modest proposal' for fixing one of society's ills?

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Give each student a quote to explain. In groups, students need to work together to create a definition of satire that encompasses all elements.

“Satire is a sort of mirror , wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own.“
Jonathan Swift, The Battle of the Books, preface (1704)

“Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful.”
Molly Ivins

“I try and write satire that’s well-intentioned. But those intentions have to be hidden. It can’t be completely clear, and that’s what makes it comedy.”
Bo Burnham

“Satire is, by definition, offensive. It is meant to make us feel uncomfortable. It is meant to make us scratch our heads, think, do a double-take, and then think again.”
Maajid Nawaz

“Satire is a lesson. Parody is a game.”
Vladimir Nabokov

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Have COVID, Will Travel | Sammy J (S4 Ep20)

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Compare and contrast the aims and techniques of these two satirical sketches. Make links to Paper 1 skills

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Explore the difference between Horatian, Juvenalian and Menippean satire. Students will be asked to find an example of something they enjoy to share.

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How does Swift use language and genre conventions to critique social injustice?

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Students will explore how Swift exploration of English imperialism in a close reading of 'Laputa', the flying island in Gulliver's Travels.

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Students will explore a range of letters and essays by Swift from the Penguin collection, focusing on Paper 1 skills.

Readers, Writers, Texts:

How does language use vary amongst text types, and amongst literary forms?

How does the structure or style of a text affect meaning?

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Intertextuality

How can texts offer multiple perspectives of a single issue, topic or theme?

In what ways can comparison and interpretation be transformative?

Students will compare A Modest Proposal to Modern Times, focusing on possible Individual Oral comparisons.

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Social skills:

In groups, students will be asked to create a short satirical sketch in the style of John Oliver or SNL to creatively tie together their understanding of context, audience, purpose and techniques.

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Alex Jones: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

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Alex Jones is known for pushing conspiracy theories, but he also spends a lot of time promoting his own products. John Oliver and a "doctor" "from" M.I.T. test out his marketing strategy. Connect with Last Week Tonight online...

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Communication skills:

Students will analyse an unseen, exploring how the author uses language to engage its audience.

In the lead up, students will explore satirical articles from The Onion, Betoota Advocate, The Chaser and Hard Times.

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Self-management skills: Students will be asked to choose from a range of non-literary bodies of work as their modern satirical text, preferentially building on their choices from the engagement activity at the end of Week 1.

Thinking skills: Students will work critically through a range of texts, building individual interpretations of texts considering their social/cultural contexts. They will also be encouraged to consider how texts can be reinterpreted in different contexts.