305990 Mocking the stubborn behavior of humans who refuse to listen to opposing opinions and criticizing the excessive helicoptering of children, The Onion’s Horatian satire “Parents Dedicate New College Safe Space In Honor of Daughter Who Felt Weird In Class Once” employs elaborate verbal irony and mock heroism to achieve its purpose. The piece’s clear sarcasm brings attention to the issue of human ignorance and stubbornness. As the Onion examines the general atmosphere of the college, the parent of a student exclaims, “God forbid any of [you students], in your years at this institution, are confronted with an opinion you do not share” (The Onion 19-21). The purpose of education is to expand one’s horizon of knowledge and to experience new
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Even the president of Lynnfield college, Dr. Timothy Crowley “praised the [family] for their generous contribution and for raising awareness of an important issue”(The Onion 59-61). Describing the actions of the Stigmore family as being “generous”, despite making education a much more close-minded environment, denying a good education to many, and preventing paradigm shifts, highlights the value of over protecting children in society. Highlighting the extreme sheltering of children in society, people agreed to build a house of mirrors for each individual student, reflecting the opinions, standards, and beliefs of students back towards themselves, making it so that the only education they receive is what they personally agree with. The daughter of the family even received “a plaque commemorating [her] courage in the face of personal tragedy”(The Onion 70-72). The description of the discomfort Alexis felt as a “personal tragedy” highlights the small degree of irritation that children are able to handle as a result of the shielding hands of society. These children who were never forced out of their house of mirrors cannot stand even a tiny bit of the outside world’s sunlight; only a little bit causing huge pain for them, restricting them to only the comfort of their own
Even the president of Lynnfield college, Dr. Timothy Crowley “praised the [family] for their generous contribution and for raising awareness of an important issue”(The Onion 59-61). Describing the actions of the Stigmore family as being “generous”, despite making education a much more close-minded environment, denying a good education to many, and preventing paradigm shifts, highlights the value of over protecting children in society. Highlighting the extreme sheltering of children in society, people agreed to build a house of mirrors for each individual student, reflecting the opinions, standards, and beliefs of students back towards themselves, making it so that the only education they receive is what they personally agree with. The daughter of the family even received “a plaque commemorating [her] courage in the face of personal tragedy”(The Onion 70-72). The description of the discomfort Alexis felt as a “personal tragedy” highlights the small degree of irritation that children are able to handle as a result of the shielding hands of society. These children who were never forced out of their house of mirrors cannot stand even a tiny bit of the outside world’s sunlight; only a little bit causing huge pain for them, restricting them to only the comfort of their own