Project 3: Parody

Length: 5-7 pp.
Weight: 10%
Peer Review: 31 Oct.
Due: 3 Nov.

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Purpose & Scope

Ultimately, parody serves a critical function: it must first identify a characteristic stylistic habit or mannerism and then make it comically visible, rather than simply deconstructing it. Through this, it can serve both a normative critical function and as a contribution to stylistic evolution (Dentith). Parody works by juxtaposition, addition, omission, condensation, and disjunction of the original structure or content of the work it parodies. Unlike satire, parody must adopt certain features of its target as a part of itself.

This assignment asks you to parody a discursive artifact deriving from your chosen issue.

Organization

This assignment takes two parts: first, you will analyze the prose style of a figure who is deeply involved with your issue in a brief (750 word) essay, using the tools and ideas discussed in class from the readings. Second, you will write a 500-750 word parody of that style. Along with your two-part essay, you will submit a sample of the prose you are holding up to parodic criticism.

For the analysis, use manuscript style: double-spaced throughout, title on first page, your name and date at top right corner of first page, page numbers at top right of subsequent pages. For the parody, use whatever format is appropriate to the original that you are imitating. The format may be part of the parody.

How do you behave badly in prose? The easiest way (or the easiest way for me to describe) is to choose a subject or occasion for writing that is not characteristic for the author you are parodying. The parodic effect, then, turns on the reader’s perception of a conflict between style and content.

Evaluation

Your analyis will be evaluated based on how well you perform the following tasks:

• identify features of diction
• identify features of grammatical construction
• identify schemes
• identify tropes
• identify characteristic content of author
• show understanding of stylistic features
• use analysis to describe the "voice" of original writer

Your parody will be evaluated based upon how well you reproduce major stylistic features of original document, that you show a sustained effort at imitation, and how well your content contrasts with the original.