05.06 - Analyzing Satire
“A Presidential Candidate”
1. What is the essential cultural observation or situation being satirized? What clues lead
you to this conclusion?
Author Mark Twain is satirizing how presidential candidates try to hide wrong doings or
controversial points about themselves from the public eye. He claims he is the perfect
choice for president because, unlike many other presidential candidates, he is owning up
to his previous actions that might come up later from further investigation. Sarcasm is
used throughout this passage to convey this situation.
2. What rhetorical strategies does the writer use to achieve the satirical effect? List them,
and explain how each is used.
Irony - Twain uses irony to present his argument. This is shown when he states, “I
emptied shot into his legs…” (Twain P2). Then, writes at the end of the passage, “But I
recommend myself as a safe man…” (Twain P6). These quotes are ironic because he says
he’s a safe man, yet shot his grandfather in the leg because he was upset he coughed.
Burlesque - The author uses burlesque when he buries his dead aunt in the ground under
his grapevine and states, “the plants needed fertilizer” (Twain P3). It’s a ridiculous
exaggeration that follows a morbid act. This is supposed to suggest how candidates at the
time often pull outlandish excuses for their wrongdoings.
Diction - Mark Twain uses diction when he states, “I regard the poor man, in his present
condition, as so much wasted raw material. Cut up and properly canned” (Twain P7). by
using words and phrases, ‘raw material’ and ‘canned’ in reference to canned meat, which
demonstrates his poor view on the lower class. This mocks the discrimination between
classes most presidential candidates showed at the time.
3. What is the social change for which the writer might be calling? Is this change
achievable? Does the writer, through satire, imply any suggestions?
“A Presidential Candidate”
1. What is the essential cultural observation or situation being satirized? What clues lead
you to this conclusion?
Author Mark Twain is satirizing how presidential candidates try to hide wrong doings or
controversial points about themselves from the public eye. He claims he is the perfect
choice for president because, unlike many other presidential candidates, he is owning up
to his previous actions that might come up later from further investigation. Sarcasm is
used throughout this passage to convey this situation.
2. What rhetorical strategies does the writer use to achieve the satirical effect? List them,
and explain how each is used.
Irony - Twain uses irony to present his argument. This is shown when he states, “I
emptied shot into his legs…” (Twain P2). Then, writes at the end of the passage, “But I
recommend myself as a safe man…” (Twain P6). These quotes are ironic because he says
he’s a safe man, yet shot his grandfather in the leg because he was upset he coughed.
Burlesque - The author uses burlesque when he buries his dead aunt in the ground under
his grapevine and states, “the plants needed fertilizer” (Twain P3). It’s a ridiculous
exaggeration that follows a morbid act. This is supposed to suggest how candidates at the
time often pull outlandish excuses for their wrongdoings.
Diction - Mark Twain uses diction when he states, “I regard the poor man, in his present
condition, as so much wasted raw material. Cut up and properly canned” (Twain P7). by
using words and phrases, ‘raw material’ and ‘canned’ in reference to canned meat, which
demonstrates his poor view on the lower class. This mocks the discrimination between
classes most presidential candidates showed at the time.
3. What is the social change for which the writer might be calling? Is this change
achievable? Does the writer, through satire, imply any suggestions?
