How to Write and Teach Satire: Exaggerating for Effect
Writing the Satire
Exaggeration is satires bullhorn – it grabs a flaw and blows it sky-high. Turn a slow cashier into: “She rang me up so slow, moss grew on my cart.” Pick a target – a tech bro – and write: “His apps so smart it writes my will and walks my goldfish.” Stretch a truth – ego, laziness – into wildness that mirrors reality. Random fluff fails; tie it to their core sin. Twains “million-pound banknote” mocks wealth by scaling it nuts. Start tame – an alarm clock “so loud it woke ghosts” – then soar: “It shook Pluto.” Practice makes small gripes epic, keeping the point razor-sharp.
Teaching the Technique
Teach exaggeration with a stretch-off. Start with “dog barks” – push it: “Rexs woof leveled downtown.” Show how it spotlights traits without drifting. Use “The Onion” – “Man Eats Plane” – to unpack: normal hook, wild leap. Assign “bus late” – let them fly: “It arrived in 2050.” Discuss what clicks: truth in the stretch. Warn against chaos – focus keeps it funny. Play a game: one line, next kid amps it, vote on the wildest win. Exaggerations a rocket – teach them to launch it with a steady aim.
