The Elements of Humor
(a quick review . . . )
The Elements of Humor
focus on comic characters, situations, and wordplay. Humor often depends on some
combination of these THREE elements.
Although we all laugh at funny people
and events, it can sometimes be difficult
to analyze SPECIFICALLY what makes
something funny. There are, however,
various “elements of humor.” Here are
some of the most important:
1. Comic characters and
caricatures
1. Comic characters and
caricatures:illustrate and focus on specific
features, traits, characteristics, and actions of a person or group of
people and make them humorous.
2. Comic situations
comedy in which the comedic effect depends chiefly upon the involvement
of the main characters in a predicament or ludicrous, complex
circumstances
--A character “transports”
into a different time
period
--The unexpected happens . . .
3. Comic Language
one-liners . . .
. . . Campers: Nature's way of
feeding mosquitoes.
We live in a society where
pizza gets to your house
before the police.
puns . . .
. . . I'm glad I know sign
language; it's pretty handy.
When William joined
the army he disliked
the phrase ‘fire at
will.’
hyperboles . . .
“She is so dumb, she
thinks Taco Bell is a
Mexican phone
company.”
"A man can have a belly you could house commercial
aircraft in and a grand total of eight greasy strands of
hair, which he grows real long and combs across the top
of his head so that he looks, when viewed from above,
like an egg in the grasp of a giant spider, plus this man
can have B.O. to the point where he interferes with
radio transmissions, and he will still be convinced that,
in terms of attractiveness, he is borderline [Zac Efron]."- Dave Barry, Revenge of the Pork Person
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