Based on this week’s readings, I can easily attach Poe’s work to The Onion’s writing style. If you look at a front page article on The Onion such as “Biden to Honor Fallen Soldiers by Jumping Motorcycle Over Vietnam Memorial” (http://www.theonion.com/articles/biden-to-honor-fallen-soldiers-by-jumping-motorcyc,28285/), and compare it to the Balloon Hoax, they’re very similar in structure. The Balloon Hoax has a diagram of the balloon used to demonstrate validity, while the Biden article has a comedic photoshopped picture of the subject on a motorcycle flying through the air. Both articles utilize the inverted pyramid, where the who, what, where, when, why, and how are focused on. Then important details are presented. Then finally, small details and background information are thrown in. Coupled with quotes, these articles have a very “authentic” feel to them. On the large scope of things The Onion and other forms of media and government satire show us that it can be good to be skeptical. We should always question the information that we’re being fed so that we are not being taken advantage of by the mass media. We should never allow fear to control our lives. It has gotten to the point where many educated college students watch The Daily Show for their news and Fox News for their entertainment.
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