Sarah Munoz
Professor Nixon
English 1102
7 February 2013
Learning from Satire in
George Saunders’s “Sea Oak”
George Saunders composes dark and weird short stories which usually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for his characters, good and bad. In his story “Sea Oak” Saunders gives us a glimpse of everyday life for an uneducated lower class family. There is optimistic Aunt Bernie, negative Nancy’s: Min and Jade, and the stripper pilot narrator (whose name is not disclosed). Aunt Bernie dies and comes back to life as a bitter and vulgar old lady who can see the future and has telekinesis; through her powers she forces her nieces and nephew to get their life together. Satire is used by Saunders in most of his short stories to show some problems he thinks contemporary America is facing. In an interview with The Missouri Review Saunders says, “Satire, for me, is a way of encouraging clear sight. Teasing is a way of encouraging clear sight.” Throughout “Sea Oak” Saunders exposes the imperfections of contemporary America, such as: stupid reality shows, laziness, the need to look perfect, the “American Way,” and doing shameful things. Saunders uses Aunt Bernie as the motivation for her nieces and nephews to “encourage clear sight” for the problems they face in America.
First impressions are made not by how smart you are or your personality but by looks. In this particular story the narrator’s job is dependent on looks since it’s a male version of Hooters. At the narrator’s job, “Joysticks,” waiters are ranked on their looks and “The minute your Cute Rating drops you’re a goner” (92). This quote is basically saying if your looks don’t fit into societies norms than you aren’t good enough to get the job done. This quote is satirical because it shows how biased and shallow people are. Saunders shows how ridiculous it is for a job to be based on looks because looks don’t last forever. Near the end when Aunt Bernie comes back to life, she tells the narrator to “Go show your cock!” so he can get extra tips and help get the family out of the ghetto (115). Even in a weird twisted way Saunders uses Aunt Bernie to “encourage clear sight” and motivate her nephew to get on the right track.
Contemporary America has become lazier and more uneducated with each generation. Saunders prime examples are Min and Jade who each have a baby and no high school diploma or job. As they are studying for their GED they complain to the narrator for their laziness by saying, “You did high school. You got your frigging diploma. We don’t. That’s why we have to do this GED shit. If we had our diplomas we could just watch TV and not be all distracted” (93). These girls complain about having to study for their GED, but if they wouldn’t have been lazy during high school and actually paid attention they would have gotten their diploma. Min and Jade most likely grew up in a bad area and their first priority wasn’t school. In hopes of “encouraging clear sight” Saunders uses zombie Aunt Bernie to force Jade into getting a job while Min stays home and watches the kids. Saunders uses Min and Jade as satire of our educational system and some people of the lower class.
The “American Dream,” it’s what everyone strives to achieve. After Bernie’s funeral the family goes out to eat with the narrator’s mom and Freddie, her boyfriend, Freddie gives a speech to Min, Jade and the narrator about how their life is supposed to go. He says, “It’s the freaking American way – you start out in a dangerous craphole and work hard so you can someday move up to a somewhat less dangerous craphole. And finally maybe you get a mansion” (106). This quote makes fun of the “American Dream” starting from the bottom to get to the top. Freddie keeps calling each stage a craphole. It really is supposed to be: You move out your parents’ house, get an apartment, get a home, and maybe a mansion. Saunders is trying to “encourage” us to make a better come up while also saying it’ll probably be crappy as you make it up the ladder of success. The only good thing coming from your hard work is supposedly a mansion if you make enough money. Aunt Bernie’s “resurrection” comes at a good time because her family is living in a “craphole” and in her own vulgar ways she “encourages” them to make more money and move to a better place.
Many people don’t realize how unhappy they are until it is too late, in Bernie’s case she realized how bitter she was after she died. Right before she dies again she says, “Why do some people get everything and I got nothing?” (123). In a way this quote is making fun of all the risks people don’t take in their lives. One cannot be truly happy with their life if they always follow the rules. Bernie was an optimistic goody two shoes who was too content with her life. Now that she is back she’s set on finding love and getting out of this craphole apartment. Unfortunately, this won’t happen in real life and I’m sure plenty of people go to their graves wishing they did more or did things differently. Saunders wants us to learn that we have to take initiative of our lives and do what we want, not what everyone else wants us to do. Don’t be a people pleaser!
Through the use of satire Saunders shows how flawed the human race has become. We are lazy, sometimes stupid, unmotivated and bitter. Things can always be fixed with time. In Saunders’ short stories he “encourages clear sight” on what needs to start changing in America. The question is, how do we begin to fix things? We must change our routined lives and follow our dreams, risks and all.

Works Cited
Saunders, George. Pastoralia. New York: Riverhead Books, 2000. Print.
Wylie, J.J. “An Interview with George Saunders.” The Missouri Review. Missouri Review Issue 24.2, Summer 2001. Web. 6 February 2013.