WS102 Week 7: Using Humor and Satire to Critique Real-World Systems
The Power of Humor in Fantasy
Humor and satire have long been used as tools for social critique, and fantasy, with its larger-than-life worlds and characters, is an ideal genre for this. Fantasy offers the freedom to exaggerate, subvert, and lampoon the systems and institutions that shape our real world. Whether it's poking fun at politics, religion, or social norms, humor in fantasy can disarm the audience, making difficult topics more approachable while simultaneously pointing out their absurdities.
📌 This week, we’ll explore:
✔ How humor and satire can critique real-world systems in fantasy.
✔ Examples of fantasy works that use humor for social commentary.
✔ How to incorporate humor and satire into your own writing.
I. What is Satire, and How Does It Work in Fantasy?
Satire is a literary technique used to criticize or mock societal flaws, often through exaggeration, irony, or absurdity. In fantasy, satire can be especially effective because the genre allows authors to play with larger-than-life ideas and make them relatable or humorous.
How Satire Functions in Fantasy:
✔ Exaggeration of real-world issues – Fantasy allows writers to push problems or systems to their extreme limits, revealing their flaws.
✔ Creating absurd systems – Making systems outlandish or bizarre exposes the illogical aspects of real-world structures.
✔ Irony and absurdity – By creating worlds or characters that are out of touch with reality, satire invites the reader to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
🔹 Examples of Fantasy Satire:
✔ Discworld Series (Terry Pratchett)
Pratchett uses satire to critique politics, religion, and bureaucracy, often exaggerating real-world systems to absurd levels.
Example: The Patrician in Ankh-Morpork is a calculating, shadowy ruler, representing the absurdities of power and governance.
✔ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
The story pokes fun at bureaucracy, existentialism, and consumerism.
Example: The Bureaucratic Vogons whose only role is to uphold meaningless regulations.
📌 Craft Takeaway: Satire works best when it reflects real-world flaws through exaggeration and humor, allowing readers to see the absurdity of the systems they encounter.II. Fantasy as a Tool for Social Commentary
Fantasy creates distance, allowing authors to explore real-world issues through myth and metaphor. It can:
✔ Highlight injustice in a way that feels fresh and unexpected.
✔ Reframe power structures, showing new perspectives.
✔ Make difficult subjects more accessible.
🔹 Examples of Social Commentary in Fantasy:
✔ The Broken Earth Trilogy (N.K. Jemisin) – Examines systemic oppression and environmental destruction through a world where magic users (orogenes) are feared and enslaved.
✔ American Gods (Neil Gaiman) – Explores immigration, faith, and cultural change by depicting gods struggling to survive in modern America.
✔ The Gilded Ones (Namina Forna) – Challenges gender oppression in a fantasy society where “impure” girls are cast out for their power.
✔ Parable of the Sower (Octavia Butler) – A dystopian vision of climate collapse, wealth inequality, and survival.
📌 Craft Takeaway: Think about what real-world issues your fantasy world mirrors, whether directly or symbolically.
II. Using Humor in Fantasy for Social Critique
ually incompetent, undermining traditional ideas of good and evil.
✔ The Princess Bride (William Goldman)
A mix of adventure, romance, and humor, this novel critiques the genre conventions it plays with, mocking traditional hero tropes.
📌 Craft Takeaway: Humor can humanize characters, deconstruct clichés, and expose flaws in real-world systems, making it an essential tool for social commentary.
III. Case Study: The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
📖 This week’s reading: The Color of Magic (Part 1)
Pratchett’s Discworld series is a brilliant example of humor and satire in fantasy. Through the absurdities of the Discworld, Pratchett critiques everything from institutionalized corruption to consumerism to the nature of storytelling itself.
🔹 In The Color of Magic:
Rincewind, the cowardly wizard, represents institutional failure, the person who stumbles through life rather than having any grand purpose or heroic arc.
The Discworld itself operates on magical laws that defy logic and challenge authority in a way that mocks the very concept of “real” world systems.
📌 Discussion:
How does Pratchett use absurdity and humor to critique power structures in The Color of Magic?
What makes Rincewind a subversion of the typical fantasy hero?
How do you see satire working in this narrative?
IV. How to Incorporate Humor and Satire in Your Own Writing
Step 1: Identify the Issue You Want to Critique
What real-world systems or issues do you want to challenge?
Examples: Political corruption, gender roles, consumerism, environmental destruction.
Step 2: Choose Your Method of Humor
Will you exaggerate a real-world issue to absurdity?
Will you invert familiar tropes or subvert traditional authority figures?
Will you make the ridiculous ordinary (i.e., make mundane problems seem larger than life)?
Step 3: Create Absurd Characters or Systems
Create characters that embody the absurdities of real-world systems.
Have them fail spectacularly in ways that critique these systems.
Example: A government that constantly **pays lip service to “helping the people” but is too bureaucratic to make any meaningful change.
📌 Craft Takeaway: Satire and humor work best when they offer an exaggerated version of reality that still speaks to the real issues readers face.
V. Conclusion: The Power of Humor and Satire in Fantasy
📌 Key Takeaways:
✔ Humor and satire are powerful tools for critiquing real-world systems through the lens of fantasy.
✔ Exaggeration and absurdity highlight the flaws in societal structures, inviting readers to question what they accept as normal.
✔ Humor makes it easier to tackle difficult topics while still engaging readers in a fun, thought-provoking way.
📚 To-Do This Week:
📖 Read Part 1 of The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
⏳ Activity 7: Editing First Draft
💬 Discussion 7: Using Humor and Satire to Critique Real-World Systems
📜 Prompt:
Fantasy can be an effective way to critique real-world systems using humor and satire.
📌 Discussion Questions:
✔ How does Terry Pratchett use humor and satire in The Color of Magic to challenge real-world issues?
✔ How does humor in fantasy allow readers to critique societal flaws while still being entertained?
✔ Can you think of any other fantasy works that use humor to expose societal issues?
📌 Requirements:
1️⃣ Reference The Color of Magic or another fantasy novel.
2️⃣ Discuss how humor and satire challenge real-world systems.
3️⃣ Respond to at least one peer, engaging thoughtfully.
🔹 Example Post:
"In The Color of Magic, Pratchett uses the ridiculous nature of the Discworld to mock bureaucracy and institutional failures. The idea that the whole world is carried on the back of a giant turtle is both absurd and brilliant. I think this makes the story feel much more relevant to our world, showing how systems are often equally as chaotic and ineffective. What are some other fantasy books that use humor to make powerful social commentary?"
✍ Activity 7: Editing First Draft
🎯 Objective:
Review your first draft of your 3-5 page short story, focusing on integrating humor and satire if not already done.
📤 Deliverable:
📌 Edit and polish your first draft.
📌 Focus on tightening your satire, making sure your humor and social critique come through clearly.
📌Save as [YourName]_Activity7_second draft.
📌 Upload to Google Drive.
Next Week: Exploring Tone and Voice in Fantasy
Tone and voice are key to building atmosphere and character in your story. Let’s explore how the right tone can transform your narrative. Stay tuned! 🚀