Satire In 1984 And A Modest Proposal

Authors use many satirical devices in which they are able to add humor, irony, exaggeration, among many others, to criticize politics or other issues. There are two different types of satire known as Horatian and Juvenalian. Horatian satire is tolerant, witty, wise and self-effacing. Juvenalian satire is angry, caustic, resentful, or personal. The authors of “1984” and “A Modest Proposal” use satire to criticize a country’s government. The novel of 1984, written by George Orwell, is a political satire. Orwell wrote the novel near the end of World War II. According to the article “About 1984”, Orwell wanted the novel to “serve as a warning to his readers.” He wanted to show the audience what a country could turn into if under certain government control. Stated in that same article “About 1984”, George Orwell …show more content…
One aspect of satire Orwell used throughout 1984 was the use of labels, an ironical satire, making everything sound better than it was. An example of labeling would include the word “VICTORY” labeled on cigarettes, gin, and the housing in which Winston lived in (pg 8). All of those items sound better than they actually are. A real life example of the novel 1984 would be World War II. During WWII, Hitler was in control of Germany. He influenced people through war bonds, propaganda, rations and more. Another way Orwell used satire was through the different ministries. The Ministry of Peace was war, the Ministry of Love was represented with torture and the Ministry of Truth was built up with lies and propaganda. This is an example of irony. Orwell wrote the novel to show what the future may look like when authoritarian leaders take control