Juxtaposition in Satire – satire.info

How
to
Write
Juxtaposition
in
Satire

A
Hilariously
Practical
Guide
for
Writers,
Comedians,
and
Slightly
Cynical
Truth-Tellers

Why
Juxtaposition?
Because
the
World
is
Weird
Enough

Juxtaposition
in

satire
is
the
act
of
slamming
two
wildly
different
ideas
together
like
a
philosophical
car
crash,
just
to
see
what
parts
fly
off.
It’s
what
happens
when
a
politician
gives
a
speech
about
family
values…
while
being
chased
by
divorce
lawyers.
Or
when
a
corporate
CEO
launches
a
“Hunger
Awareness”
gala
featuring
gold-leafed
steaks
and
guilt-free
desserts.

In
satire,
juxtaposition
isn’t
just

funny—it’s
a
spotlight.
It
forces
us
to
notice
absurdities
that
are
hiding
in
plain
sight.
By
putting
contradictions
side
by
side—wealth
and
poverty,
virtue
and
vice,
tofu
and
Texas
BBQ—you
create
tension
that
sparks
laughter,
discomfort,
and
ideally,
critical
thought.
It’s
not
just
a
joke.
It’s
a
wake-up
call
in
clown
makeup.

But
how
do
you

write
this
kind
of

comedy?
Is
there
a
formula?
A
sacred
scroll?
A
YouTube
tutorial
narrated
by
a
sarcastic
raccoon?

Actually…
yes.
You’re
reading
it.

---

What
Is
Juxtaposition
in
Satire?
(And
Why
It’s
Funnier
Than
It
Sounds)

At
its
core,

juxtaposition
just
means
placing
two
contrasting
things
next
to
each
other
to
highlight
their
differences.
In
satire,
it
means
putting
opposites
in
absurdly
close
proximity—so
close
that
their
contradiction
is
undeniable.

Imagine
a
bank
that
hosts
a
“Financial

Literacy
for
the
Poor”
workshop…
while
charging
$35
overdraft
fees
for
each
RSVP.
That’s
not
just
ironic—that’s
a
punchline
dressed
in
a
three-piece
suit.

Three
Forms
of
Juxtaposition
in
Satire:

1. 
   Visual:
   A
   
   cartoon
   showing
   a
   luxury
   cruise
   ship
   sailing
   through
   a
   sea
   of
   plastic
   bottles.

2. 
   Situational:
   A
   climate
   change
   summit
   held
   inside
   an
   air-conditioned
   meat
   locker.

3. 
   Character-based:
   A
   billionaire
   influencer
   promoting
   minimalism
   from
   her
   $85
   million
   yacht.

The
goal?
Show
the
gap
between
ideals
and
reality.
Then
make
that
gap
so
absurd
it
becomes

comedy.

---

How
Juxtaposition
Makes
People
Laugh…
and
Think

Comedy
comes
from

surprise.
Juxtaposition
sets
up
expectations—and
then
smashes
them
with

irony.

Social
psychologists
call
this
“cognitive
dissonance.”

Satirists
call
it

material.

Think
of
the
brain
as
a
bouncer
at
a
very
pretentious
nightclub.
When
two
ideas
show
up
wearing
completely
clashing
outfits—say,
“justice”
and
“lobbyist-funded
golf
retreats”—the
brain
goes,
“Wait…
what?”
And
before
it
throws
them
out,
it
remembers
the
moment.
That
tension
is
what
fuels
satire.

Bonus:
It’s
Memorable

People
might
forget
a
lecture.
They
rarely
forget
an
image
of
a
peace
activist
throwing
a
grenade
made
of
tofu.

Satirical
juxtaposition
lingers
like
a
weird
aftertaste—and
that’s
what
makes
it
powerful.

---

Step-by-Step:
How
To
Build
Juxtaposition
Into
Your
Satire

1.
Choose
a
Target

All
satire
has
a
target.
What
sacred
cow
are
you
tipping
today?

• A
  system
  (capitalism,
  justice,
  wellness
  
  culture)

• A
  group
  (politicians,
  billionaires,
  influencers)

• A
  concept
  (truth,
  virtue,
  patriotism)

If
your
satire
doesn’t
have
a
target,
it’s
just

stand-up.
If
it
has
too
many
targets,
it’s
Thanksgiving
dinner
with
your
in-laws.

2.
Find
the
Inherent
Contradiction

What’s
the
core
hypocrisy?

• A
  health
  food
  brand
  promoting
  sugary
  cereal.

• A
  war
  hero
  who
  sells
  motivational
  pillows.

• A
  meditation
  app
  that
  gives
  you
  a
  panic
  attack.

Once
you’ve
got
the
contradiction,
you’ve
got
your
joke.
All
you
have
to
do
is
frame
it
right.

3.
Pick
Your
Juxtaposition
Style

You’ve
got
options:

• 
  Deadpan
  Tone
  +
  Absurd
  Content:
  “New
  Study
  Finds
  Most
  Americans
  Comfortable
  Ignoring
  Studies.”

• 
  Formal
  Language
  +
  Outrageous
  Event:
  “Government
  Declares
  Emergency;
  Schedules
  Photo
  Op
  for
  Two
  Weeks
  Later.”

• 
  Mock
  
  Logic:
  “Since
  billionaires
  hoard
  wealth,
  the
  poor
  should
  hoard
  empathy.”

This
is
where
structure
becomes
satire.
A
polished
sentence
makes
the
ridiculous
sound
official—like
putting
lipstick
on
a
platypus
and
calling
it
Senate
Majority
Leader.

4.
Exaggerate
Just
Enough

Exaggeration
is
your
amplifier.
Push
the
absurdity,
but
keep
it
grounded
in
truth.
You
want
readers
to
say,
“That’s
ridiculous—but…
kind
of
accurate?”

Example:

“To
honor
Earth
Day,
the
city
council
approved
1,000
helium
balloons
shaped
like
endangered
sea
turtles.”

That’s
exaggeration—but
it’s
not
that
far
from
reality.
And
that’s
why
it
stings.

---

Examples
of
Juxtaposition
Gold

Let’s
break
down
a
few
that
just
work:

• 
  Headline:
  “Company
  Hosts
  Ethics
  Seminar,
  Fires
  Entire
  Ethics
  Department
  Next
  Day.”
  

  
  Juxtaposes
  the
  stated
  value
  with
  real
  behavior.

• 
  Visual:
  A
  yoga
  class
  taught
  by
  a
  hedge
  fund
  manager
  screaming
  “RELAX!”
  

  
  Contrast
  in
  tone,
  profession,
  and
  behavior.

• 
  Dialogue:

  CEO:
  “We
  value
  transparency.”
  

  Employee:
  “Cool.
  So
  what’s
  your
  salary?”
  

  CEO:
  “Security
  will
  escort
  you
  out.”

---

Common
Templates
for
Juxtaposition

When
in
doubt,
use
one
of
these:

• “Nothing
  says
  [Ideal]
  like
  [Contradiction].”

  “Nothing
  says
  ‘inclusivity’
  like
  $5,000
  VIP
  tickets.”

• “While
  [X],
  meanwhile
  [Y].”

  “While
  Congress
  debated
  school
  lunch
  budgets,
  their
  lobster
  bisque
  arrived.”

• “In
  a
  bold
  move
  that
  surprised
  no
  one…”

  “In
  a
  bold
  move
  that
  surprised
  no
  one,
  the
  oil
  company
  launched
  a
  wellness
  podcast.”

---

Teaching
Juxtaposition
to
Others

If
you’re
a
writing
coach,
teacher,
or
smart-aleck
uncle
mentoring
a
teenage
satirist:

1. 
   Give
   them
   contrasting
   photos
   and
   ask
   for
   fake
   captions.

2. 
   Read
   satirical
   pieces
   and
   ask:
   what’s
   being
   contrasted?

3. 
   Prompt
   reversals:
   Let
   the
   janitor
   run
   the
   company,
   let
   the
   interns
   launch
   the
   IPO.

4. 
   Push
   specificity:
   “A
   rich
   guy”
   isn’t
   
   funny.
   “A
   venture
   capitalist
   named
   Brody
   who
   owns
   four
   unlicensed
   falcons”?
   Now
   we’re
   cooking.

---

Advice:
Don’t
Be
Afraid
of
Being
Ridiculous

Juxtaposition
in
satire
lives
in
the
ridiculous.
But
there’s
method
in
the
madness.

Satire
isn’t
just
about
being
funny—it’s
about
showing
people
how
strange
the
truth
already
is.

If
you
ever
feel
stuck,
just
ask:

What
two
things
don’t
belong
together?
Then
jam
them
into
the
same
room,
pour
them
a
drink,
and
let
the

comedy
write
itself.

Because
in
a
world
where
billionaires
tweet
about
empathy
while
dodging
taxes,
all
you
have
to
do
is
hold
up
a
mirror.

And
maybe
draw
a
mustache
on
it.

---

---

🎯
Juxtaposition
in
Satire:
Writing
Exercises

Beginner
Exercises

Exercise
1:
The
Opposites
Game

Instructions:
List
10
pairs
of
opposites.
Then,
for
each
pair,
write
a
fake
headline
or
sketch
concept
that
puts
them
in
the
same
scene.

Example:

• 
  Rich
  vs.
  Poor
  →
  
  “Homeless
  Man
  Denied
  Entry
  to
  Shelter
  Because
  He
  Has
  No
  Email
  Address.”

• 
  Fast
  vs.
  Slow
  →
  
  “Speed
  Dating
  Event
  Hosted
  by
  Buddhist
  Monks.”

Exercise
2:
Role
Reversal
Relay

Instructions:
Take
a
person
with
authority,
and
swap
roles
with
someone
who
traditionally
has
none.

Examples:

• 
  A
  child
  teaching
  a
  sex
  ed
  class
  to
  confused
  adults.

• 
  A
  janitor
  giving
  a
  TED
  Talk
  on
  corporate
  restructuring.

• 
  A
  fast-food
  cashier
  mentoring
  the
  CEO
  on
  “emotional
  resilience.”

Exercise
3:
Contradiction
Sandwich

Instructions:
Write
a
short
paragraph
that
starts
with
an
ideal
or
value
(e.g.,
honesty,
generosity),
and
ends
with
behavior
that
contradicts
it—without
directly
saying
it’s
contradictory.
Let
the
absurdity
speak.

Example:

“The
nonprofit’s
board
gathered
around
gold-rimmed
plates
to
brainstorm
ways
to
fight
hunger.
They
agreed
to
skip
lunch
in
solidarity
but
ordered
champagne
so
the
glasses
wouldn’t
look
empty
in
press
photos.”

---

Intermediate
Exercises

Exercise
4:
Parallel
Sentence
Juxtaposition

Instructions:
Write
two
sentences
with
the
same
structure
but
opposing
meaning.

Template:

“She
[verb]
the
[noun]
to
[do
something
good],
and
he
[verb]
the
[noun]
to
[do
something
selfish].”

Example:

“She
donated
her
bonus
to
build
a
local
library.
He
used
his
to
buy
a
gold-plated
drone
that
reads
tweets
to
his
dog.”

Exercise
5:
Create
a
Juxtaposed
Scene

Instructions:
Describe
a
setting
where
two
opposing
forces
must
interact.
Push
the
absurdity.

Example
Prompt:

A
mindfulness
retreat
inside
a
casino.

Now
write
the
first
paragraph
or
stage
direction:

“The
6
a.m.
‘Inner
Stillness’
meditation
was
briefly
delayed
when
someone
hit
the
jackpot
on
Slotzilla
and
screamed,
‘I
AM
ENLIGHTENED!’”

---

Advanced
Exercises

Exercise
6:
Juxtaposition
Monologue

Write
a
200-word
monologue
from
the
POV
of
someone
who
doesn’t
realize
how
hypocritical
they
sound.
Think:
a
luxury
wellness
coach
who
sells
detox
plans
made
of
cake.

Example
Opening
Line:

“Balance
is
everything.
That’s
why
I
fly
private
one
day
and
offset
it
emotionally
the
next
by
watching
Greta
Thunberg
documentaries
on
mute.”

Exercise
7:
Visual
Juxtaposition
Prompt

Choose
two
contrasting
photos
(Google
image
search
or
AI-generated).

Now
write
a
satirical
story,
tweet,
or
headline
that
connects
them.

Example
Images:

1. A
   yacht
   shaped
   like
   a
   whale.

2. A
   landfill
   full
   of
   discarded
   reusable
   shopping
   bags.

Headline:

“Billionaire
Hosts
Ocean
Summit
Aboard
Plastic
Whale.
Promises
‘Symbolism
Will
Lead
the
Way.’”

---

Example
1:
Irony
Through
Setting

“The
annual
Anti-Consumerism
Conference
will
take
place
at
the
Bloomingdale’s
rooftop
champagne
garden.”

Why
It
Works:

The
setting
(a
luxury
shopping
center)
contradicts
the
mission
(anti-consumerism),
making
the
event
feel
performative
and
ridiculous.

---

Example
2:
Contradictory
Dialogue

Interviewer:
“So
what
inspired
your
new
book,

The
Humble
Millionaire?”

Author:
“Honestly,
I
just
wanted
to
give
back…
with
my
face
on
every
page.”

Why
It
Works:

The
humble/brag
juxtaposition
reveals
vanity
hiding
behind
the
illusion
of
generosity.

---

Example
3:
Character
Juxtaposition

“When
the
oil
baron’s
yacht
got
stuck
in
the
coral
reef,
he
tweeted
angrily
that
nature
was
‘gatekeeping
the
ocean.’”

Why
It
Works:

The
absurd
image
of
a
yacht
crashing
into
fragile
ecology—followed
by
using
social
justice
lingo
(“gatekeeping”)—juxtaposes
destruction
and
performative
wokeness.

---

---

🧠
NAME:
____________________________

📅
DATE:
____________________________

PART
A:
DEFINE
IT

1. What
   is
   juxtaposition
   in
   satire,
   in
   your
   own
   words?

---

---

2. Why
   do
   satirists
   use
   it
   instead
   of
   just
   stating
   the
   problem?

---

---

---

PART
B:
PAIRING
CONTRASTS

Match
each
ideal
with
a
potential
contradiction:

Write
fake
headlines
using
3
of
your
pairings.

---

PART
C:
ROLE
REVERSAL

Choose
a
group
and
flip
their
social
status
or
power
level.

Write
a
one-paragraph
scene
based
on
one
reversed
role.

---

PART
D:
POLISH
YOUR
OWN

Write
a
short
satire
scene
(100–150
words)
using
juxtaposition.
Highlight
the
moment
of
contrast.

Title:
______________________________________

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