COMEDY Mrs. Pedroza

COMEDY AS A GENRE Comedy - A dramatic work that is light and often humorous or satirical in tone and that usually contains a happy resolution of the thematic conflict

PURPOSE OF COMEDY 1. To entertain  Using humor is a very creative expression  It encourages positive feelings and behaviors from the audience According to educational researcher Rod A. Martin, “When people are experiencing positive emotions (including comedy-induced mirth)...they demonstrate greater cognitive flexibility, enabling them to engage in more creative problem solving; more efficient organization and integration of memory; more effective thinking, planning, and judgment; and higher levels of social responsibility and prosocial behaviors such as helpfulness and generosity.”

PURPOSE OF COMEDY 2. Inform  Humor is a way to introduce different (and at times, difficult) subjects or themes in a non-serious way  Can include basic observations about life  Cause the audience to think about different experiences, actions, etc. 3. Persuade  Humor can be used to persuade or influence an audience to a particular point of view

FORMS OF COMEDY There are many different forms of comedy. Some types are: 1. Satire - the use of humor to address 2. Observational Comedy - making jokes about everyday life 3. Black Comedy - humor dealing with dark subjects such as drugs, death, war, and terrorism 4. Anecdotes - narration of interesting humorous events, which can be used to make the audience laugh - funny, interesting stories. This is a very popular type of comedy. 5. Banter - a form of comedy that includes sitcoms, exchange of witty remarks, and participation in harmless teasing. 6. Improvisational - a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters and dialogue of a game, scene or story are made up in the moment. Often improvisers will take a suggestion from the audience, or draw on some other source of inspiration to get started.

ELEMENTS OF COMEDY 1. Literary Devices a. Figurative Language – similes, metaphors, personification b. Tone – sardonic tone 2. Pun - the use of a word or words that either have multiple meanings or sound like other words, the result of which is humorous Examples: A pessimist’s blood type is always b-negative. To write with a broken pencil is pointless. 3. Irony  Especially verbal irony/sarcasm

ELEMENTS OF COMEDY 4. Understatement - a figure of speech employed by writers or speakers to intentionally make a situation seem less important than it really is

ELEMENTS OF COMEDY 5. Hyperbole/Exaggeration - to enlarge, increase, or represent something beyond normal bounds so that it becomes ridiculous and its faults can be seen. 6. Reversal - to present the opposite of the normal order (e.g., the order of events, hierarchical order).

ELEMENTS OF COMEDY 7. Incongruity - to present things that are out of place or are absurd in relation to its surroundings. 8. Juxtaposition - a literary technique in which two or more ideas, places, characters and their actions are placed side by side for the purpose of developing comparisons and contrasts.

ELEMENTS OF COMEDY 9. Parody -to imitate the techniques and/or style of some person, place, or thing. Trump Super Tuesday Speech Parody

SATIRE Satire is a type of comedy that ridicules or criticizes a person, group, institution, or event using certain literary devices in order to bring about social reform.  Satires can be works of fiction, nonfiction, drama, poetry, or graphic arts.  It does not necessarily have to bring about a societal change to be successful.  Used to change perspective of audience  Get audience to critically examine the subject Satire should, like a polished razor keen, Wound with a touch that's scarcely felt or seen. -Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

TARGETS OF SATIRE 1.Humanity in general 2.A stereotyped group of people 3.A particular person or group

SATIRE AND PARODY: THE DIFFERENCE IS SUBTLE SatireParody using humor to point out weaknesses of people and society using humor to mock or imitate a person or situation usually sarcastic funny (not so much ‘haha’) ‘haha’ funny makes a serious point often involves exaggeration

SatireParody Although satire is usually meant to be funny, the purpose of satire is not primarily humor in itself so much as an attack on something of which the author strongly disapproves, using the weapon of wit. A work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation SATIRE AND PARODY: THE DIFFERENCE IS SUBTLE

EXAMPLES OF SATIRE A Modest Proposal by Johnathan Swift Published in 1729 England had control over Ireland  The Irish were experiencing famine and great poverty under the control of England  The English were not doing anything to help the situation  The English were actually helping make the situation worse

EXAMPLES OF SATIRE: A MODEST PROPOSAL I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled.... I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. -from A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift °American—To Swift’s readers this label would suggest a barbaric person. °dear—expensive °devoured—made poor by charging high rents

EXAMPLES OF SATIRE: A MODEST PROPOSAL Why did he write this?  Show the heartless attitude of the English towards the poor and towards the Irish in general

EXAMPLES OF SATIRE

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