An Anatomy of HumorHumor 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 |
From inside the book
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... various persuasions have been the literal type of secret agent on numerous occasions . As a matter of fact , my anthro- pologist mentor , Gregory Bateson , was a member of the World War II wartime spy organization , OSS , during most of ...
... various examples of humorous literature and drama . This sleight of hand is quite subtly accomplished in the chapter entitled " Of Mice and Men . " Berger starts out by posing some very solid sociology / pop culture / etc. - type ...
... various separate categories — each one a potential volume in itself — and some of the more traditional ones have actually been volumes , such as satire and irony . A little potent package . And perhaps this glossary ties it all together ...
... various chapters of the book . ) In addition to the matter of superiority , Hobbes also mentions the importance of timing — the sudden glory that is based on a sudden conception . This is an important insight . A farmer and a professor ...
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Contents
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 |