No One Really Knows What Satire Is

While re-watching an episode of 30 ROCK for the fifth or sixth time, I witnessedJack Donaghy say to Liz Lemon, “no one really knows what satire is.”

What wise words these are. I had to wonder, how true are they? We’ve heard the word and of works being a satire of something, but how many folks actually understand the difference between that and an adaptation?

A satire makes fun of a something (politics, ideas, theories, etc), while an adaptation is based on a prior work. For example, GULLIVER’S TRAVELS by Jonathan Swift (love it), makes fun of party politics in England. Political cartoons might target a particular candidate or party view (see below).

An adaptation, in contrast, is based on another work. I recently read THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHING, which is a fun take on THE GREAT GATSBY. BRIDGET JONES, which I have read approximately 413 times, is a loose adaptation of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. (Why did Helen Fielding kill off Mark Darcy in the sequel? Why? I demand answers!). CLUELESS is a valley girl interpretation of EMMA. Neil Gaiman’s THE GRAVEYARD BOOK is based on THE JUNGLE BOOK.

I’m glad Jack Donagy raised this issue in 30 ROCK, because quite honestly, I haven’t thought about the distinction in years; and as a writer, you need to constantly educate yourself. I will never forget getting a rejection on a query I sent to an agent back in the day, when I first started looking for representation, and s/he kindly pointed out that I shouldn’t be calling my book a “fiction novel.” Oops.

The distinction is also particularly important to me because of my new project, which is loosely based on Stephen King’s NEEDFUL THINGS. It is not a satire, it is an adaptation; and I confirmed this to be sure I was referring to it properly.

I maintain that was a smart move. Because after all, in the words of Jack Donagy, “no one really knows what satire is.”

Below: An example of what satire really is, from Belleville, Illinois-area cartoonist Glenn McCoy: