9 Humor Devices

  9 Humor Devices

Romeo & Juliet is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. In this story, Romeo and Juliet fall deeply in love with each other but the two families hatred for each other is a barrier. In the ending of the play, the readers all know that Juliet has faked her death with poison but will awaken in minutes. Romeo did not know about this in the plan and sees her "dead". Romeo then kills himself and within moments Juliet wakes up. The readers knew something that Romeo didn't which added suspense during the scene. This is an example of Dramatic Irony. I think that the author used dramatic irony to put the readers on their toes but also in other scenes uses dramatic irony as comic relief to an event that happened.  

Here is the cover picture to the song "Sounds of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel. In this song the exact meaning is not known but the universal thought of what it symbolises is Simon had a dream that people are not in reality. The title of this song as well as some of the lyrics give humor devices. This song is an example of an Oxymoron. The title "Sounds of Silence" is an oxymoron because how can you have silence sounds? I think that many oxymorons can be funny because the meaning of the words together are opposites.

(link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IjawyE9YII)

Here is a simple sign that is stating that there is an uneven surface. Really it should be more like caution rocks but instead they just used "uneven surface". This is an example of an Understatement since in fact yes it is an uneven surface but it is much more than that. There are large rocks that layer down til meeting the water. I think that understatements are really funny and a great humor device because it is such a simple statement or answer.

Here is a sign that was made and left on the top of a copy machine. The sign simply asked to not place anything heavy on top of the copying machine  and thanked for the "copulation". I think that whoever wrote this meant to say cooperation and defiantly not copulation which means animal mating. This mistake here is an example of Malapropism. Malapropisms are used as humor devices but in some cases are plan misuse of words with a similar sounding word. I think that malapropisms are quite funny because they are simple humorous devices. Weather this sign was meant to be a joke or not I think that it is funny and just a silly word mix up. If you watch some newscast videos of when they mess up and use the wrong words, that is also an example of malapropisms. 

 At the end of almost all of their commercials and on their ads, Red Bull uses the slogan "Red Bull gives you wiiings." Red Bull doesn't actually give you wings but other wise is an example of saying that you get more energy like you can fly. Their slogan is an example of a Hyperbole and it is also a metaphor. I think that this humor device can be funny but nothing that you might begin to cry from laughter. Also they have disclaimed in their videos that you actually don't get wings. It might be funny how people might think they can though.
 (link to one of their commercials - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3da0-sATGvg)

This example is a picture of a seagull sitting on a sign that is showing that there should be no seagulls. In this picture they are using the example of Situational Irony. The photographer of this picture has captured the timing of a situational irony and as well as how funny it can be. I think that this humor device is effective because situational irony is when what happens is not what was thought to occur.

This comic strip of Garfield and Jon is showing a conversation of why cats don't play fetch. Garfield is sniffing, coughing, burping, and scratching during the whole conversation but in the end tells Jon the reason that cats don't fetch is because they have too much dignity. This is an example of Verbal Irony. The author, Jim Davis, using the example of verbal irony because while Garfield answered "cats have too much dignity", he was acting as if he had no dignity at all. I think that this humor device can be effective but sometimes hard to tell when it is being used.

      The e-card might seem confusing but really the author was just using a humor device. On this card, the joke is asking about a math word problem. The problem gives the amount of ice cubes and apples you have and then asks for how many pancakes will fit on the roof. The answer given is "purple because aliens don't wear hats." This answer to the joke has nothing to do with anything asked. This greeting card is an example of Sarcasm since the joke is roasting those silly math word problems that we grew up with. I think that sarcasm is one of the most effective humor devices but sometimes can be taken the wrong way. Here the roast was given to the math problems. 

In this Los Angeles Times article, "Big rig carrying fruit crashes on 210 Freeway, creates jam", it is about truck carrying fruit had fallen over on the highway and blocked many lanes creating a traffic jam. Even though this is a large accident, the author of this article uses a humor device to lighten what happened. The title of this article is an example of using a Pun. This article's title is a pun because it is a play on words. The title is stating that the fruit truck caused a jam on the highway but the humor to it is that "the fruit became jam." I think that puns are very effective because it can be so corny and just a silly way to create humor.