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Poli 311.01 (W,IT) Professor Sammy Basu Willamette University |
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Got
Swift? Satire through logic ad absurdum
Prepare a Swiftian website, i.e., an authentic-looking site that
undermines the position on a specific given current controversy about which you
have a specific moral point of view but that does so by extending and arguing
for the <logic> that animates the actual supporters of the opposite view taken
to some extreme and hence absurd conclusions.
- Incorporate some accurate details and data and cite/link
to your sources.
- Take full advantage of online graphic possibilities, and genre
parody.
- Optimally you might try to parody a specific real website
that embodies the position you intend to criticize, in which case identify
and link to it.
1.
E.g.
http://www.dow.com/Homepage/index.html
v. http://www.bhopal.doesntexist.com/
2.
http://www.walmartstores.com/wmstore/wmstores/HomePage.jsp
V. http://www.walmart-foundation.org/
3.
http://www.hummer.com/ V. http://www.sierraclubplus.org/hummerdinger/
4.
http://www.lesleakids.com/heather.html
v. http://philip.greenspun.com/zoo/heather-has-two-mommies.html
o
related news:
1.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3944/is_200304/ai_n9217633
2.
http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2003/03/06/whitehouse_org/?x
3.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/06/25/faux_news_parody_site_draws/
- Other web-based parody possibilities:
o
404 Error
messages http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/404_error
1.
http://www.samsmith.co.uk/404.htmlhttp://www.samsmith.co.uk/404.html
2.
http://www.coxar.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
o
Movie poster
genre
o
Fake
political movement
1.
http://billionairesforbush.com/htmlemail/email_122804.html
- Use language and play with euphemisms.
- Devise a slogan or catchphrase as appropriate.
- Your primary page should have at least one active link to
a subsequent page of your own devising (in other words, you are making at
least two web pages).
- Include other <helpful links> that lead the viewer
to telling external sites.
- Be straight-faced, i.e., minimize overt verbal clues,
cues or winks at reader about the fact that you are being humorous,
- Somewhere in your site you must specify what you think
should actually be done.
- Provide the following statement at the bottom of the main
page:
<This
website is a parody in fulfillment of an educational assignment and is not
intended to convey any actual information.>
- Your site must also include on a separate linked page a
1000-word explanation that describes the political controversy, your
preferred view, what you take to be the problematic position, and how you
utilize various humorous modes (relief, release, incongruity, and
superiority) and satirical techniques (dimunition, inflation, juxtaposition,
parody) to highlight the serious shortcomings with the latter. Link this page to the word <parody>.
- Link the words <educational assignment> to this
page:
http://www.willamette.edu/~sbasu/polixxx/S07Assignment3.htm
Due: posted online
in time for viewing in class on Feb 27 T
http://www.qwantz.com/index.pl?comic=796
