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What is humor in literature?
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Oct 20, 2023 · Humor in literature is a powerful and versatile literary device that transcends cultural and temporal boundaries, infusing narratives with wit, amusement, and intellectual depth. Authors employ humor to engage readers, challenge social norms, and convey complex ideas through lighthearted and often subversive means.
At its core, humor involves the perception of something amusing, incongruous and absurd. It elicits a psychological and physiological response often manifests as laughter or a smile. It is a complex interplay between cognitive processes, emotional responses and cultural contexts.
- Definition of Humor
- Types of Humor
- Examples of Humor in Literature
- Related Literary Terms
- Other Resources
Humor is part of comedic writing. It’s used to make the viewer of a play, the reader of a story, or another literary work laugh. This should be a pleasurable experience that makes them want to continue watching/reading the content. Sometimes, if a story gets too dark and too overwhelming, it might drive the reader away. This is why it’s often a sma...
Incongruity: the juxtapositionof two things that don’t quite make sense together. When a reader encounters incongruity, they should be surprised.Irony: the real meaning of words is different from their literal meaning. It is often ambiguousand can reveal more about the characters than they realize.Understatement: describing a situation or person with language that’s not quite what the reader expected. It’s often present in satire, such as in the works of Kurt Vonnegut.The People Upstairsby Ogden Nash
In this famous Ogden Nash poem, the speakeruses short lines to describe what he thinks his upstairs neighbors are doing. They’re so incredibly loud that he can’t imagine it’s anything less they jumping on pogo sticks or using a bowling alley. This piece is a great example of how hyperbole and exaggeration are used to create humor. Here are a few lines from the poem: While it’s doubtful the upstairs neighbors are actually doing what the speaker suggests, it’s clear that Nash knew the suggestio...
Pride and Prejudiceby Jane Austen
While the novel focuses primarily on the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet and is therefore fairly serious, humor is also used. Elizabeth’s mother, Mrs. Bennet, features in the story for that purpose. She’s at the center of several different scenes in which she makes funny statements, exaggerates her nerves, and banters with her husband. One of the best occurs when she’s complaining about how Mr. Bennet doesn’t understand her or her nervous disposition, and he replies with t...
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
This very popular novel is a satire of the Second World War. It was published in the 1960s and uses a non-linear storyline. It follows Yossarian and examines military-like and the outrageous expectations the war placed on Yossarian and his fellow soldiers. There is a very famous passage that uses satire to create humor. Yossarian is discussing what it takes to be declared insane and therefore grounded from flying bombing missions. The following interaction occurs: The doctor goes on, repeatin...
Historical Fiction: a genrethat fictionalizes real places, people, and events.Fantasy: a literary genre that includes talking animals, magic, and other worlds. It includes plotsthat couldn’t take place in the real world.Read: 12 Comics You Need To SeeWatch: The Philosophy of ComedyListen: How to be FunnyHumor is a literary device that makes audiences laugh, or that intends to induce leisure or laughter. Its cause is to break the monotony, boredom, and tedium, and make the audience’s nerves relax.
Jan 5, 2024 · By applying humor theory to literary critiques, analysts can unveil the intricate mechanisms of comedic elements within literary works, offering readers a deeper appreciation of the role humor plays in storytelling.
Oct 20, 2023 · Humor, in a broad sense, refers to the capacity to find amusement, laughter, or entertainment in situations, events, or expressions, often stemming from a sense of incongruity, absurdity, or wit. It is a universal human trait encompassing various forms of comedic expression, from satire and wordplay to irony and slapstick comedy.
Aug 12, 2021 · Learn to identify the common types of humor and recognize them in your favorite books. From satire to surprise, there’s plenty of hilarity in literature.
