You will consider the different ways that humor can be used by a writer to criticize people, practices, and institutions that he or she thinks are in need of serious reform. You will read satirists ranging from classical Rome to modern day to examine how wit can be used to make important points about culture.

Close reading of the texts in this unit will help you answer these Guiding Questions:

• What is satire, and when is it too harsh?
• How can humor and irony make you more persuasive?
• What do you think is funny? How far would you go to satirize it?
• Who gets more reaction?satirists or protestors?