- Definition
Satire is a type of humor that uses exaggeration or irony to make fun of people's mistakes or society's problems, often to make a point.
A political cartoon that draws a world leader as a crying baby is using satire to criticize their behaviour as immature.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Satire is like a funhouse mirror that distorts a reflection to highlight its silliest or most unflattering features.
Ask your child: What serious point do you think the author is making with all this humour?
Common mix-up: Teens might think satire is just being mean or silly. The key is that satire always uses humour to criticize a real-world problem or idea, often to encourage change.
Examples
- A news-style show that reports on absurd, made-up stories to mock how real news is sometimes presented.
- A story about a society where everyone must be exactly the same to criticize pressures to conform.
satire is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
