Satire. What does it mean? How is it used? Well I have all those questions myself but I have found it is actually much easier to find, and use once you realize what it means and what it is used in. The definition of Satire is a literary work holding human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn. In other words it is literature or art that is meant to point out and make fun of the flaws of humans and our behavior. There are many forms of satire out there such as the Jon Stewart show, the Onion news source, or something as simple as a movie such as Shrek. Satire isn’t directly pointed out in most works, it has to be looked into and noticed by a reader first before they realize that it’s actually there. Once it’s realized though, it does its job. It makes you think about those flaws and behaviors you have as a person and realize that those things you see and do every day aren’t justified just because everyone does it, and there is some room for change.
         When a person watched the movie Shrek, they may not realize the Satire that is present. Most families watch it with their younger children as a fun, entertaining and innocent movie but there’s more to it. Shrek satirizes the idea of fantasy movies. It points out the small things in those movies that are set standard in most of them. The idea that the princess must always be saved by the gallant knight in shining armor is lost in this movie and replaced by the opposite. The fact that there’s always a side kick in the movie that is noble and worthy of the knight is also lost and instead replaced with a donkey. In most fantasy movies the king is similar to the knight in shining armor. He is noble, handsome, brave, and chivalrous, among other things but in Shrek you also get that exact opposite. Lord Farquad is the king of Dulac. To "improve" his kingdom he attempts to get rid of all the fairy tale creatures. So they evacuate the kingdom and show up at Shrek’s home. They expect Shrek to protect them but he doesn’t want to and prefers them to leave. To get them to leave, he must travel to Dulac and prove to Lord Farquad that he can save the sleeping princess form her tower. He journeys with his sidekick, Donkey to save her. Donkey isn't the normal side kick either; he's an actual Donkey who's clumsy, annoying, and scared of a lot. When Shrek and Donkey get to the castle to save Fiona, the princess, she does not want to be saved by them. She’s expecting the knight in shining armor and when she doesn’t get that she fights to stay where she is. The rest of the movie consists of Shrek, Fiona, and Donkeys travels back to the kingdom, and the hardships they face in their travels. Some of the satire is shown in the short preview of the movie. Shrek Trailor This movie has some hidden satire in it. It points out the flaws to fairy tales and the ideas in them that shouldn’t be there to influence the viewers. It criticizes the idea of the "Damsel in distress" who needs the knight to save her, instead it shows a more independent women who is willing to stand up to herself. It brings attention to the viewer of what a fairy tale really means.

        Many people criticize fairy tale stories, for example this picture shows all the Disney Princesses who are looked up to by little girls all over the world and shows some of the actual meaning of their stories that most people don't see. The way all their actions seem so innocent in the movies but in reality are flawed and only add up to one thing, a woman needs a man in order to have a good life. This picture satirizes the Disney princesses, by blatantly pointing out the wrongs in each movie and the sexist views they contain.

         Neither of these examples are considered great literary works but still have good meaning to them that can be compared to the famous novel "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". In the book Twain criticize the mentality of the south during a time period where slavery was very common and many people acted in ways that wouldn’t even be considered as a way to act now. He pairs up two very unlikely characters that travel down the Mississippi river in search of freedom. These two characters, whose names are Huckleberry Finn and a slave named Jim, go through a lot of experiences that represent the people of the South. Just the fact that the two of them, a white boy and a black man, were traveling together with no problems and had mutual respect for each other is a way that twain uses satire. The fact that almost every person during this time wouldn’t have even considered this possible makes the reader think about relations between different races. Their experience such as Huck living with a noble family of the south, and Huck experiencing a religious revival ceremony silently ridicules the south for their gullibility and trust. Twain's work has been greatly criticized for his use of satire, as has the Disney princess movies. Each aspect in the book and movies can be critized and brought to the public eye as negative. The satire in both works does what it is made for, and works well in these pieces.