SCP+PeterP

Reflection

1. Briefly state what you are satirizing in your Satirical Comic Project: Democracy

2. Quote or explain how you used at least five of the seven following literary devices in your Satirical Comic Project: Allusion - "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite ou la mort" (French Revolution), "Can democracy truly function for a long time? Or will it be imminently replaced by another regime like democracy had replaced monarchy in Europe, an empire had replaced a republic in Rome, and communism had replaced monarchy in Russia?" Hyperbole (exaggeration) - "I was going at 59.99 mi/h! that's under the speed limit of 60 mi/h! Times have changed. Under Mr. P's administration, the speed limit for national highways has decreased to 59.98 mi/h." Oxymoron - "honest politician" Irony (sarcasm) - The entire plot is ironic in that in his journey to understand and enhance the democracy of Acirema, Mr. P grew to question democracy. Parody - "the United States of Acirema" (America backwards) Understatement - n/a Juxtaposition - juxtaposition of Mr. P (pro-democracy) and Mr. S (anti-democracy)

3. Reflection What have you learned from your study of satire, including Candide and the Satirical Comic Project? From my recent study of satire, I have learned about the different forms and literary devices of satire, the different usages for satire in various situations, and the elements that comprise satire, such as brevity, creativity, and exaggeration. I have also learned the advantages and disadvantages of a democratic form of government, when compared to other regimes.

Satirical Comic Project Proposal

Directions: Complete the following questions – short answers are acceptable. Please get approval from Mr. Stephens before beginning your project.

What do you plan to satirize (idea, organization, person, etc.)? I plan to satirize democracy as a form of government.

What is the conﬂict in your story? Mr. P, a politician recently elected to presidency, is on a journey to find the primary flaws of democracy, so he could focus on fixing and improving them during his term in office. His secretary of state, Mr. S, is less enthusiastic about democracy being an effective type of regime, and constantly points out major concerns of a democratic society to Mr. P.

Brieﬂy outline the plot events (bullet points okay)… 1. Introduction of Mr. P 2. Mr. P begins his journey across Acirema to learn more about democracy and its effect on the world, so he can accordingly create a Utopian democracy 3. Introduction of Mr. S 4. Congress - Politicians in a democratic government are overly concerned with using their current power to gain advantages in the next election. 5. The People - Many people are politically uneducated, yet hold much power, and are easily swayed by the fiery words of demagogues. In turn, many of these demagogues do not work for the people's interest as a whole, but their own. 6. Oppression of the Minority - The minority does not have representation, rights, and fundamental privileges compared to the majority. 7. The Bureaucracy - In a mercurial government, laws and policies are always subject to change, and many people may not be aware of the new laws that come with every administration.

Who are the characters? (a limited number is a good idea) Mr. P - Mr. P is a strong advocate of democracy as a government system, even to the point of becoming dogmatic. In the plot, he is elected to presidency of the United States of Acirema, and in order to maximize the effectiveness of his term, he embarks on a journey across his country. Mr. S. - The secretary of state of the United States of Acirema, Mr. S is anti-democracy, and points out many inherent problems present in a democratic government. He is essentially an antithesis of Mr. P.

State how you will use the following devices (use at least ﬁve of the seven listed):

Allusion - an allusion to the French Revolution, an allusion to past revolutions (drastic changes in government) Hyperbole (exaggeration) - Being arrested for breaking the speed limit by 0.01 mi/h is an ostensible exaggeration that lampoons both democracy and abuse of power by the police. Oxymoron - Mr. P is described as an 'honest politician' in this satire, a term which can arguably distinguished as an oxymoron. Mr. P needs to be both honest and knowledgeable about politics in order to correctly fulfill his role in the satire. Parody - The United States of Acirema is a parody of the United States of America, with America spelled backwards. Irony (sarcasm) - Mr. P embarks on his journey throughout Acirema to strengthen the potency of his democracy, but ends up rejecting it as a viable government form. Understatement - not used Juxtaposition - Mr. P, a staunch advocate of democracy, and Mr. S, a skeptic of democracy and its effectiveness, are placed adjacent to each other, and thus are juxtaposed.



Citations

Blanchard, Peter. "Climate Change Demonstration, Ottawa, Canada." //Flickr//. Yahoo!, 24 Oct. 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. .

Granovsky, David. "Senate to Kick Embryonic Stem Cell Fight to Budget Conferences." //The Stem Cell Blog//. N.p., 1 Apr. 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. .

grendelkhan. "Arrest in Chicago." //Flickr//. N.p., 6 Mar. 2006. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. .

Mullen, Lynette. "When Aggressors Became the Protectors." //Lynette's NorCal History Blog//. N.p., 26 Aug. 2009. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. .

"Toondo Creator." //ToonDoo - The Cartoon Strip Creator - Create, Publish, Share, Discuss!//. Zoho Corp, 2007. Web. 10 Dec. 2009. .