Political Parody through Animation A Corpus-Based Discourse Analysis of Satirical Narratives in ‘Donkey King’

Abstract

This study investigates the role of political parody in animated films, focusing on Donkey King as a case study to explore its critique of governance and societal ideologies. By combining Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Model and Van Dijk’s Socio-Cognitive Model, the research analyses the film's textual features, cognitive schemas, and discursive strategies. The study transcribes the complete film script and processes it using AntConc and the USAS Semantic Tagger to identify key themes such as power, governance, and societal critique. Findings reveal how humor, irony, and exaggeration in the film encode ideologies, activate cognitive schemas, and engage audiences through subtle yet impactful sociopolitical commentary. The research highlights animation’s capacity to blend visual and textual elements, fostering critical discourse while maintaining broad appeal. Despite limitations such as its reliance on a single case study, the study contributes to the understanding of animated satire as a medium for political critique and public engagement. Future research may expand on audience reception and comparative studies across animated parodies to further explore their role in shaping sociopolitical narratives. This study underscores the significance of animation in addressing complex political issues and inspiring critical thought in modern media.