Satirical Texts: Dead White Males & World of Warcraft Episode
Dead White Males DAVID WILLIAMSON
Make Love not Warcraft SOUTH PARK (SEASON 10 EPISODE 8)
INTRO
The role and function of satirical texts is ultimately to expose the follies and vices that we see today in contemporary society. Satire may be effectively defined as a device used to highlight and the expose the failures of human nature in society. Two texts in particular, Dead White Males by David Williamson and a particular episode of South Park named ‘Make Love not Warcraft’ will be spoken upon, one satirising the follies in the educational system through a very arrogant and narrow minded aspect and the other ridiculing those people who play World of Warcraft. Satirical techniques such as caricature, understatements, situational irony and characterization are all used to effectively satirise and expose human vices and hypocrisy.
WoW CARICATURE
Throughout the Southpark episode ‘Make Love not Warcraft’ it is evident that it caricatures the stereotypical heavy World of Warcraft players. Through the use of caricature we are able to understand that the social roles of those who partake in the digital game reach a point where they do not leave their keyboard. In this particular text the four main protagonists become increasingly obese, lazy and unsocial. Give an actual example of one of the characters. Explain the caricature - their exaggerated physical attributes and the exaggereated aspects of their personas as WoW players.
The follies of the digital world are intemperately exaggerated within the text so as to highlight and reinforce the absurdity of the social and physical sacrifices made by some people in the real world in order to be part of the World of Warcraft. A very visible example of this within the text of ‘Make Love not Warcraft’ is where one of the main protagonists, Cartmen, suggest that they sacrifice all but three hours of their day in order to level up their characters for the following seven and a half weeks in order to face their rival.
Make Love not Warcraft SOUTH PARK (SEASON 10 EPISODE 8)
INTRO
The role and function of satirical texts is ultimately to expose the follies and vices that we see today in contemporary society. Satire may be effectively defined as a device used to highlight and the expose the failures of human nature in society. Two texts in particular, Dead White Males by David Williamson and a particular episode of South Park named ‘Make Love not Warcraft’ will be spoken upon, one satirising the follies in the educational system through a very arrogant and narrow minded aspect and the other ridiculing those people who play World of Warcraft. Satirical techniques such as caricature, understatements, situational irony and characterization are all used to effectively satirise and expose human vices and hypocrisy.
WoW CARICATURE
Throughout the Southpark episode ‘Make Love not Warcraft’ it is evident that it caricatures the stereotypical heavy World of Warcraft players. Through the use of caricature we are able to understand that the social roles of those who partake in the digital game reach a point where they do not leave their keyboard. In this particular text the four main protagonists become increasingly obese, lazy and unsocial. Give an actual example of one of the characters. Explain the caricature - their exaggerated physical attributes and the exaggereated aspects of their personas as WoW players.
The follies of the digital world are intemperately exaggerated within the text so as to highlight and reinforce the absurdity of the social and physical sacrifices made by some people in the real world in order to be part of the World of Warcraft. A very visible example of this within the text of ‘Make Love not Warcraft’ is where one of the main protagonists, Cartmen, suggest that they sacrifice all but three hours of their day in order to level up their characters for the following seven and a half weeks in order to face their rival.