Question

What makes "Top of the Food Chain" an example of satire?

Answer 1

Answer:

D. It criticizes the government's use of pesticides

Explanation:

Correct answer is the option D.

T. C. Boyle's story "Top of the Food Chain" is a dark humor critical piece that reflects on the government's use of pesticides and the consequences. In the story, the food chain in the village wrecks after failed government projects and the government goes as far as Australia to take the cats, to replace the ones that died, to stop the rodent invasion. The story takes inspiration from the actual events during the malaria-elimination program in Bolivia, Malaysia, and Thailand last century.

The narrator of the story explains all the disastrous effects of the anti-malaria program that wiped many of the species (flies, geckos, and finally cats ) in the nameless village. The tone is humorous and dark, but also very intelligent and with usage of irony.

As the story is a direct critic of the government and their involvement with the ecological process through wit and humor, it is a perfect example of satire