Research! Part 1

The first thing I set out to research is satire. Before I can focus on anything else I need to ensure that my thought process/ideas coincide with the genre I'm setting out to exemplify. I immediately set off to the first source we all jump to: Google. Upon my search I stumbled across a PowerPoint and a PDF that talk about the elements/purpose/audience of satire. In addition, I've talked about/learned about/taken notes on satire in my current AP Language class, and have that firsthand research and experience to aid my understanding of the methodology of the genre. Through this genre research, the consensus was that there are a a handful of important elements of satire that should be utilized in order to convey meaning: hyperbole, irony, sarcasm, and understatement. "Satirists are dissatisfied with the way things are and want to make them better ... Satirists perform an important role in society when they expose errors and absurdities that we no longer notice because of custom or familiarity" (Elements of Satire) is exactly the mentality I have going into making this project, and the goal of exposing an idea is the ultimate end goal.

Another source that I used during my genre research is a list of popular satirical films. I've seen one film from the list - "Network" - and I plan on re-watching it, as well as the number one movie on the list, "The Great Dictator."