An Anatomy of Humor

Capa
Transaction Publishers - 192 páginas

Humor permeates every aspect of society and has done so for thousands of years. People experience it daily through television, newspapers, literature, and contact with others. Rarely do social researchers analyze humor or try to determine what makes it such a dominating force in our lives. The types of jokes a person enjoys contribute significantly to the definition of that person as well as to the character of a given society. Arthur Asa Berger explores these and other related topics in An Anatomy of Humor. He shows how humor can range from the simple pun to complex plots in Elizabethan plays.

Berger examines a number of topicsâ ethnicity, race, gender, politicsâ each with its own comic dimension. Laughter is beneficial to both our physical and mental health, according to Berger. He discerns a multiplicity of ironies that are intrinsic to the analysis of humor. He discovers as much complexity and ambiguity in a cartoon, such as Mickey Mouse, as he finds in an important piece of literature, such as Huckleberry Finn. An Anatomy of Humor is an intriguing and enjoyable read for people interested in humor and the impact of popular and mass culture on society. It will also be of interest to professionals in communication and psychologists concerned with the creative process.

â This book belongs on the shelf of anyone who appreciates humor. It also belongs in the laboratories of psychological researchers investigating when and how we laugh.â â T. Cameron Wild, Contemporary Psychology

â This is a significant book, and it will surely have a welcome place in any professional humor library.â â Don L. F. Nilsen, Humor

 

Índice

Humor Psyche and Society
1
A Glossary of the Techniques of Humor Morphology of the JokeTale
15
Anatomy of a Joke
57
The Telephone Pole with the Braided Armpits Ethnic and Racial Jokes and American Society
65
On Me You Cant Count An Interpretation of a Jewish Joke with Relevance to the Jewish Question
75
Jewish Fools From the Wise Men of Chelm to Jackie Mason
83
Mickey Mouse and Krazy Kat Of Mice and Men
97
Comics and Popular Culture Not Just Kids Stuff
107
Twelfth Night Comedic Techniques and Social Considerations
133
Huckleberry Finn as a Novel of the Absurd Making Sense of an Existential Hero
145
Healing with Humor A Laugh a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
155
Comedy and Creation On the Generative Power of Humor
163
Bibliography
175
Names Index
181
Subject Index
185
Jokes and Humorous Texts Index
191

Mark Russell in Buffalo
121
A Cool Million
127

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