1. Bellwork: 11/12/12
Take out a sheet of paper and title it “Comparing Literature: The Ransom of Red Chief & Brer Rabbit and Brer Lion.
Copy the following objectives:
To evaluate the effectiveness of an author’s use of exaggeration, comic language, & verbal & situational irony to create humor in writing
2. To compare and contrast elements of humor between a folktale & short story

2. Ms. Walker Comparing Literature: Elements of Humor
“Brer Rabbit & Brer Lion” (page 575)
and
“The Ransom of Red Chief” (page 579)
Objectives:
1. To evaluate the effectiveness of an author’s use of
exaggeration, comic language, & verbal & situational
irony to create humor in writing
2. To compare and contrast elements of humor between a
folktale & short story
Ms. Walker Comparing Literature: Elements of Humor

3. 1. Comic Language: the use of nonsense words where they don’t belong
Pun: a play on words; using words in the wrong context for some type of effect (single words, phrases, idioms, familiar analogies, etc.)
Some authors create words for comic effect.
He said he was so tired that he felt like a Tickeria.

4. 2. Verbal Irony: a contrast between what is said & what is actually meant (sarcasm)

5. 3. Exaggeration/Hyperbole: the use of overstatement for comic effect

6. 4. Situational Irony: a situation that is the opposite of what we expect or what seems appropriate

7. The Senator hit the ceiling when he read the headlines.
“Oh! The Irony!” Which element of humor is being used? Comic Language, Verbal/Situational Irony, or Exaggeration?
The Senator hit the ceiling when he read the headlines.
He’s so thin that if he turned sideways, he would disappear.
It (the cold weather) stabbed like a driven nail.
A teenager waits patiently to take his/her driving portion of his/her driver’s license exam, but during the exam, hits a car from behind
Sam said, “Nick played a great game; he struck out three times.”
Carla called the child “Grace” after she tripped over the toy.

8. Which element of humor is being used
Which element of humor is being used? Comic Language, Verbal or Situational Irony, or Exaggeration?
The Senator hit the ceiling when he read the headlines. (Exaggeration)
He’s so thin that if he turned sideways, he would disappear. (Exaggeration)
It (the cold weather) stabbed like a driven nail. (Exaggeration)
A teenager waits patiently to take his/her driving portion of his/her driver’s license exam, but during the exam, hits a car from behind. (Situational Irony)
Sam said, “Nick played a great game; he struck out three times.” (Verbal Irony)
Carla called the child “Grace” after she tripped over the toy. (Comic Language: Pun)

9. HOMEWORK: 11/12/12 Review your notes on elements of humor
HOMEWORK: 11/12/12 Review your notes on elements of humor. If you have access to the internet, look up additional examples of each. Select one of the four types of humor and create a comic strip that represents that type of humor. Use color in your comic strip.

10. Bellwork: 11/13/12 Which element of humor is represented
Pass up your homework.
On a sheet of paper answer the question below: (You may use yesterday’s notes.)
Which element
of humor is represented
in the picture?
Explain your answer.

11. Read the comic strip. Explain how it illustrates the term “flip flop” as a pun.
The mom says, “I found your other sandal.”
The son replies, “The irony is that it’s a flip flop.”
The use of “flip flop” indicates
the act of falling as well as the type of shoe.

12. Read “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry
Read “The Ransom of Red Chief” by O. Henry. (page 579) As you read, look for examples of Exaggeration, Comic Language (Pun), and Verbal & Situational Irony.

13. Homework: 11/13/12 Finish reading “The Ransom…Chief
Homework: 11/13/12 Finish reading “The Ransom…Chief.” (pages ) Answer the questions below in complete sentences.
1. Page 590, 2nd paragraph:
How does Bill exaggerate his tortures?
2. Page 591, Letter to the kidnappers from
Ebenezer Dorset:
How does the letter represent Situational
Irony? (Consider the following questions:
What would you expect the father of a
kidnap victim to say? What does this father
say?)

14. “Brer Rabbit & Brer Lion”
Bellwork (11/14/12) Place your homework on your desk. On a sheet of paper, head it correctly & title it “Brer Rabbit…” Draw the chart below:
Elements of
Humor
“Brer Rabbit & Brer Lion”
Exaggeration
Comic Language
Situational Irony

15. Homework Review: Which element is represented in each statement(s) below and how do you know?
1. Page 590, 2nd paragraph: How does Bill exaggerate his tortures? 2. Page 591, Letter from Ebenezer Dorset: How does the letter represent Situational Irony?
Bill exaggerates his tortures by comparing himself to a martyr and claiming he endured “supernatural tortures.”
The letter represents Situational Irony because one would expect
a father of a kidnap victim to be desperate to retrieve his child.
Instead he asks the kidnappers to pay him to take the child back.

16. 1. Which element of humor does the picture represent? How do you know?
Comic Language
Pun
(horse vs. hoarse)

17. 2. Which type of irony does the comic strip illustrate. 3
2. Which type of irony does the comic strip illustrate? 3. Explain how the comic strip uses exaggeration.
(Situational irony) He studied very hard but forgot everything.
The idea of the character’s brain jumping from his head represents the use of exaggeration. This could not happen.

18. (Comic Language) There is no such condition as PowerPoint poisoning.
4. “‘PowerPoint’ POISONING” is an example of which element of humor? Explain your response.
(Comic Language) There is no such condition as PowerPoint poisoning.

19. “Brer Rabbit & Brer Lion” (page 576)
an African American folk tale (a trickster tale)
The narrator
speaks directly to readers
speaks with dialect and comic exaggeration that helps create a personality as distinctive as those of the two animal characters

20. from Brer Rabbit and Brer Lion
retold by Julius Lester
Brer Rabbit was in the woods one afternoon when a great wind came up. It blew on the ground and it blew in the tops of the trees. It blew so hard that Brer Rabbit was afraid a tree might fall on him, and he started running.
He was trucking through the woods when he ran smack into Brer Lion
“What’s your hurry, Brer Rabbit?
“Run, Brer Lion! There’s a hurricane coming!”

21. Brer Lion got scared. “I’m too heavy to run, Brer Rabbit
Brer Lion got scared. “I’m too heavy to run, Brer Rabbit. What am I going to do?” “Lay down, Brer Lion, lay down! Get close to the ground!” Brer Lion shook his head. “The wind might pick me up and blow me away.” “Hug a tree, Brer Lion! Hug a tree!” “But what if the wind blows all day and into the night?” “Let me tie you to the tree, Brer Lion. Let me tie you to the tree.” Brer Lion liked that idea. Brer Rabbit tied him to the tree and sat down next to it.

22. After a while, Brer Lion got tired of hugging
the tree.
“Brer Rabbit? I don’t hear no hurricane.”
Brer Rabbit listened. “Neither do I.”
“Brer Rabbit? I don’t hear no wind.”
“Brer Rabbit? Ain’t a leaf moving in the trees.”
Brer Rabbit looked up. “Sho’ ain’t.”
“So untie me.”
“I’m afraid to, Brer Lion.”

23. Brer Lion began to roar. He roared so loud and so long, the foundations of the Earth started shaking. Least that’s what it seemed like, and the other animals came from all over to see what was going on.
When they got close, Brer Rabbit jumped up and began strutting around the tied-up Brer Lion. When the animals saw what Brer Rabbit had done to Brer Lion, you’d better believe it was the forty-eleventh of Octorerarry before they messed with him again.

24. Numbered Heads Together Short Answer Questions (**2 pts. on the LEAP)
Remember the following:
Use TTQA (Turn The Question Around)
Answer in a complete sentences.
Use correct end punctuation and capitalization.
Answer the question correctly.
Remember the Numbered Heads Together process:
Write your own answer.
When instructed, all group members should lean toward one another and begin discussing your answer choices.
When all members agree on only one answer, stop discussion and lean back.
I will stop the group discussions (if they are still occurring) and select a group member to answer the question as well as explain HOW he/she found the answer.
If a member does not/cannot provide the correct answer OR explanation, the next group has a chance to answer and explain.

25. “Brer Rabbit and Brer Lion” (second to last paragraph)
Elements of
Humor
“Brer Rabbit and Brer Lion”
1. Exaggeration
(second to last paragraph)
2. Comic Language
(second paragraph)
Situational Irony
The lion’s roar shook the earth.
“trucking through the woods”
A small, weak rabbit
outsmarts a big, strong lion.

26. “The Ransom of Red Chief”
Homework (11/14/12) Complete the chart below by writing one example of each element of humor from “The Ransom of Red Chief.” (pp )
Elements of
Humor
“The Ransom of Red Chief”
Exaggeration
Comic Language
Situational Irony