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Objective

Objective: Act 1, Scene 1 sets the tone of the play as a comedic look at a bureaucratic system, displayed in a government office. The author, Vaclav Havel, chose the style of satire as a way to illustrate the ridiculous nature of the bureaucracy itself. This lesson is about the satirical format of the play and what the target of the satire is.

1) Class Discussion: The Memorandum is a satirical play, with the focus of the satire being on government bureaucracy and red tape. The characters and situations in the play support the intention of the author in revealing what conditions can lead to the oppression of individuals. A satirical play is known to exaggerate certain things in order to make a point, and it is usually done in a comedic way. What are some of the things in the beginning of the play that are exaggerated? What do...

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