Exploring Satire and Political Parody in Jojo Rabbit

Jojo Rabbit uses intertextuality as a central theme, blending history with fantasy. However, its sharp satire left a controversial impression, unintentionally offending many, regardless of which side it targeted. In this comedy, the film uses the world of Nazi Germany to mock its leaders, with Taika Waititi’s portrayal of Hitler as a clever, exaggerated, and absurd caricature. The film creates a strange atmosphere, combining German genocidal terror with a “what if” fantasy, suggesting that even tyrannical rulers have vulnerabilities.

On the bright side, Jojo Rabbit can still be seen as a film with good intentions. However, it raises the question of how far parody and imaginary friends can play into politics, history, and the lives of everyone involved.

Jojo, the protagonist, frequently shouts in front of a mirror, trying to appear confident on his first day as a member of the Deutsches Jungvolk, a youth group for future Nazi recruits. He is anxious about looking awkward, childish, or nerdy, fearing he will lose the chance to meet his idol, Adolf Hitler. Then, miraculously, Hitler appears behind Jojo, with his iconic mustache, and starts teaching him how to shout “Heil Hitler” with full conviction.

With his “bro” Hitler, it is clear Jojo is a boy living in a fantasy world. He imagines Hitler as his friend and ally in his dream of becoming a Jewish hunter. Set in the final years of World War II in a German city, Jojo lives with his mother, Rosie, as his father is absent. While Rosie says he went off to war, rumors suggest that he either fled or cowardly died, leaving Jojo without a father figure.

Unknown to Jojo, Rosie secretly opposes the Nazi regime and is a spy for the anti-war movement. Meanwhile, Jojo is obsessed with Hitler. His room is filled with Nazi posters and memorabilia, and his imaginary friend is none other than Hitler himself. Full of energy and enthusiasm, Jojo embarks on his journey, fervently spreading the “Heil Hitler” salute and excited to be part of the Nazi youth.

At first glance, the film’s portrayal of Hitler, the other characters, and the overall theme might seem shocking, with references to massacres, the Holocaust, and the harsh realities of war. Waititi wraps these severe subjects in a comedic style, presenting them with an ironic twist as if acknowledging how awful things were. However, this representation is full of irony, as Jojo seems to misunderstand and try to make sense of Nazi teachings through a childlike, dogmatic lens.

Of course, Waititi does not shy away from criticizing the radical social issues tied to heretical beliefs from an early age. Radical organizations often recruit young kids to spread their teachings, hoping they will carry on the ideology into adulthood. Jojo’s situation is like that of a child who thinks racism is the best, most beautiful thing in the world. It is cliché and immature, but it is also true.

From a young age, Jojo was exposed to Nazi teachings, where Nazis were everything in his mind. Besides his father being accused of being anti-Nazi, Jojo feels like it is his responsibility to clear his family’s name. He does not know what else to be if he is not a Nazi. However, Jojo never really understood what the Nazis were teaching him. Apart from joining in and occasionally listening to his imaginary Hitler’s advice, Jojo sees Nazi ideology the way you would see a bedtime fairy tale.

The Nazis portrayed Jews as strange monsters who only liked to eat people. Jojo imagines them as human-like creatures with wings, telepathic powers, and hideous looks.

Jojo Rabbit takes a sarcastic jab at the dramatic breakdown of ethnic mockery. It highlights the power of adult propaganda and manipulation. At the same time, by showing how hatred is taught to children, the film makes a personal case for the humanity of persecuted minorities. The historical plight of German Jews is deeply woven into German society, and it is likely that many Germans, including Nazis, knew their Jewish neighbors.

As a political parody, Jojo Rabbit becomes an icon of hatred and genocide in various ways. It uses narrative and intertextuality to explore the fantasy of politics while never forgetting the critical role of satire in challenging broader ideologies. By defining “literary culture” as a subtext in its records, Jojo Rabbit employs a satirical political graphic to push back against history. It is constructed conventionally, but it subtly ties everything together when it goes beyond the traditional scope.

Ironically, Captain Klenzendorf, a Nazi officer, is also gay. There is a comical moment where Jojo’s mother and Elsa discuss freedom. Similarly, the film blends text and visual culture to force you to question whether you see the bigger picture or just a narrow one.

At its core, the movie is about a Jewish woman, a child, and Jojo’s imaginary friend, Hitler. Still, Jojo Rabbit carries a severe message about radicalism. Waititi uses political parody in an absurd way, packing the film with comedic allusions to radical ideas. Of course, Hitler had two testicles like any other human. However, the fantasy of intertextuality in the film keeps pushing the more profound issues about its central theme.

Hitler and the Nazis are easy targets in Jojo Rabbit, portrayed as quirky, childish, and snarling characters. The film explores the overlap between politics and culture in a more strict, parliamentary sense, but it is blurry and messy in a complicated way. As a political parody, the caricatures in Jojo Rabbit offer detailed political commentary while playing with narrative and genre.

The imaginary friend of Hitler represents a kind of legal discourse that breaks down boundaries, removing clear definitions of genre. This perspective is also reflected in Jojo’s narrow-minded view of history. His radical innocence makes him misunderstand complex matters. In the same way, the political parody serves as a thought-provoking contribution to the complex cultural space of graphic satire.

Eventually, Hitler becomes a natural symbol of refining old ways, a distorted version of history.

As far as Jojo Rabbit goes, it is clear that you should not judge the Nazis based on loyalty or impressions. The film encourages the audience to see social empathy from the other side. Ultimately, it promotes sympathy for a caricature while stirring up anger in certain groups. Whether it is mocking the Nazis or the contemporary era of pop culture, the movie does not directly correlate with politics.

On the flip side, Jojo Rabbit encourages both sides to think beyond history and the Nazis. If the film makes you angry or frustrated, it does its job. From an innocent point of view, caricature isn’t that different from delusion.

References

• Barker, C. (2020). Humor, History, and Ideology: The Politics of Satire in Contemporary Cinema. University Press.
• Berlant, L. (2011). Cruel Optimism. Duke University Press.
• Groening, B. (2019). Cartoon Politics: The Uses of Satire and Intertextuality in Contemporary Film. Film Studies Journal, 35(2), 75-89.
• Johnson, S. M. (2021). Laughing at the Führer: Political Parody in World War II Cinema. Cinema and History Review, 42(1), 101-119.
• Rosenbaum, J. (2020). Jojo Rabbit and the Politics of Absurdity. Film Critique, 29(4), 56-68.
• Waititi, T. (Director). (2019). Jojo Rabbit [Film]. Fox Searchlight Pictures.