Satire In John Steinbeck's The Problem Within

The Problem Within Satire is a technique, employed by those who wish to bring around change, that has been utilized for centuries. It is, “a humorous way of criticizing people or ideas to show that they have faults or are wrong.” (Cambridge Dictionary) In fact, the first reported use of satire was by the poet Archilochus, around the 7th century B.C.E. In his work, he was trying to bring down an aristocratic family, with too much power; as the story goes, all of the family ended up committing suicide, due to his work (Wimmer, Joshua). There are two forms of satire exercised by writers, juvenalian and horatian. Juvenalian is considered to be the formal, more realistic, of the two. Its harshness and rigid structure, “is filled with personal invective, angry moral indignation, and pessimism.” (Encyclopedia Britannica) Juvenalian is a polar opposite of horatian satire. Horatian is, generally, preferred by popular media and is the cornerstone of many famous programs. Using more the comedical approach, horatian is, “light hearted, gentle satire that points out general human failings.” (Rankin, Alan, and O. Wallace) …show more content…
Exaggeration, incongruity, reversal, and parody are tools used in practice with both juvenalian and horatian satire. Exaggeration is making the focal point larger than its normal bounds; this makes the item become ridiculous, which makes faults easier to identify. Incongruity is used to show items that are out of place or things that may be absurd compared to their surroundings. When normal order is thrown aside, this is a reversal. Reversals are usually opposites being portrayed. Finally, parody is commonly used in horatian satire; it is an impersonation or imitation of the techniques and styles of a person, place, or

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