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CATS CRADLE Jonathan Swift has suggested that Satire is a sort of Glass, wherein Beholders do generally discover every bodys Face their own; which is the chief reason that so few are offended with it. Richard Garnett suggests that, Without humour, satires invective; without literary form, [and] it is mere clownish jeering. (Encyclopaedia Britannica 14 th ed. vol. 20 p. 5). Whereas Swifts statement suggests that people are not offended by satire because readers identify the characters faults with their own faults; Garnett suggests that humour is the key element that does not make satire offensive.
With any satire someone inbound to be offended, but the technique the author uses can change something offensive into something embarrassing. Stephen Leacock's Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich isa nonthreatening, humorous, and revealing satire of the moral faults of upper class society. The satire acts as a moral instrument to expose the effect money can have on religion, government, and anything within its touch. Writing about such topics is hard to do without offending people. Leacockstechnique combines money with humour, and accompanies his moral message with ironic characters; their exaggerated actions, and a constant comical tone to prevent readers from being offended. Leacock's utopian world is filled with humorous labels that represent the Plutonian's personalities.
Ourselves Monthly; a magazine for the modern self-centered, is a Plutonian favourite. To fill their idle days, the Plutonian women are in an endless search for trends in literature and religion. Without the distractions of club luncheons and trying to achieve the Higher Indifference, the women would have to do something productive. Readers that identify themselves with the class of people the Plutonians represent would be embarrassed rather than offended by Leacocks satirical portrayal of them. The Yahoo-Back Oriental Society exaggerates the stupidity of the Plutonian's to a point where the reader laughs at the characters misfortunes. The con men give ridiculous prophecies such as Many things are yet to happen before others begin. (Leacock 87), and eventually take their money and jewelry.
The exaggeration increases the humour while the moral message is displayed. The characters of the novel are ironic in the sence thatcher perceive themselves as being the pinnacle of society, yet Leacock makes the look like fools. For someone who prides themself on being an expert on just about everything, Mr. Lucullus Fyshe's (as slim and cold as his name represents) perceptions are proven false. Mr. Fyshe makes hypocraticstatments about ruling class tyranny, while barking down the neck a poor waiter for serving cold asparagus.
Leacock exposes the whole Plutonian buisness world to befools by the their encounter with Mr. Tomlinson. A man who knows live-stock; not stock market, is perceived as a financial genius. When Mr. Tomlinson replies that he does know about an investment, the Plutonian reaction is: He said he didnt Know!
repeated the listener, in a tone of amazement and respect. By Jove! eh? he said he didnt know!
The mans a wizard! And he looked as if he didnt! went on Mr. Fyshe. (Leacock 47) After Mr. Tomlinson is discovered to be a plain farmer, and his fortune falls, the Plutonians are seen eating their words: Now, I said, for I wanted to test the fellow, 'tell me what that means? Would you believe me, he looked me right in the face in that stupid way of his, and he said, 'I dont know!' He said he didnt know!
repeated the listener contemptuously; the man is a fool! (leacock 66) On Plutonian avenue money makes the man and the fool. Worth and expense are important for the inhabitants ofPlutoria avenue. Even the birds are the most expensive kind of birds (Leacock 7). The innocents, Mr. Tomlinson and his family, show that for Plutonians personal worth is based on the amount of money an individual has. The media builds up Mr.
Tomlinson to bea financial genius, because of his great amount of money and his mysterious look. His look is a confused man caught in a world which he has no understanding, but the money makes him the Great dominating character of the newest and highest finance. (Leacock 36). Mr. Tomlinson's wife is described by the media asserting new trends, and shaking the fashion world. She could have worn a garbage bag in public, and probably received the same review. Leacock exaggerates the obsession of money to a humorous point that not even religion is spared.
Religion is a social event and business opportunity for Plutonians. Rather than spiritual worth, St. Asaph and St. Osophchurches are humorously described by mortgages, dollars per square feet, and Bible give away debits.
Priests work for the church that offers them the most money, and has the best socialize. It would not be surprising if the two churches sold indulgences. In the real world corruption of the church would be offensive to allot of people, but when disguised in humour Leacock shields the readers from personal offence. Leacock touches on the controversial topic of updating church doctrine by creating a humorous misunderstanding between Rev.
Furlong and his father: Now we, he went on, I mean the Hymnal Supply Corporation, have an idea for bringing out an entirely new Bible. / A new Bible! he gasped. Precisely! said his father, a new Bible! This one and we find it every day in our business is all wrong. All wrong!
said the rector with horror on his face. / For the market of to-day this Bible and he poised it again on his hand, as to test its weight, is too heavy. The people of to-day want something lighter, something easier to get hold of. (Leacock 149). The humorous exchange is not offensive, yet maintains its moral undertone. Satires primary use is to expose. If no one was offended or embarrassed by it then the work and the humour is an end in itself. Leacock's technique creates a Garnett, Richard.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 th ed. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. , 1959. Leacock, Stephen. Arcadian Adventures with the Idle Rich. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart Limited, 1989. Works consulted Allen and Stephens.
Satire, Theory and Practice. ed. Allen and Stephens. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, Inc. , 1962.
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Research essay sample on Didnt Know Repeated Britannica 14 Th Ed Leacock
