Dark humor is a form of comedy that relies on pessimism and cynicism. It derives from the dysfunctional and unhappy aspects of life. Although these subject matters can be sensitive, dark humor is a controversial expression of comedy. It is the reflection of unapologetic thoughts and interprets the brooding, negative sides of life. Dark humor can be portrayed as amplified absurdity or realistic and grounded. It is shown in many different forms of media including films and television shows.
Harold and Maude, directed by Hal Ashby is a romantic-comedy released in 1971. The film is about the blossoming relationship between a man in his twenties named Harold. Harold is fascinated by death, throughout the film we view graphic scenes of him planning
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different suicide attempts and attends strangers’ funerals as a hobby. Maude is a quirky seventy-nine year old woman who also attends strangers’ funerals for fun. The scene when Harold and Maude meet for the first portrays how this unlikely pairing share a common interest. Their first meeting takes place at a church during a funeral. Harold wearing proper funeral attire is sitting in the back row of the right side of the church. The camera zooms out and the scene reveals a woman who is wearing a green coat and sitting in the back of the left side of the room. The woman begins to make different noises throughout the service in order to get Harold’s attention. When Harold looks over at her she winks at him and Harold’s facial expression reveals he is bit uneasy by her gesture. Maude walks over to the other side and asks Harold if he would like some licorice. Harold politely declines and returns his focus to the funeral. She asks if Harold knew the deceased man and he replies with “no.” Maude admits that she did not know the man either and continues to speak to Harold about the deceased man. “I heard he was eighty years old. I’ll be eighty next year. It’s a good time to move on don’t you think? Well, I mean seventy-five is too early, and eighty-five you are just mocking time.” Once the funeral comes to an end they are seen walking out of the church as Maude continues to talk to Harold. She takes a pair of car keys from her pocket and offers Harold a ride home. Harold politely declines and they begin to say goodbye to each other. Maude enters the car and tells Harold, “We shall have to meet again.” Maude is then seen speeding off onto the sidewalk, onto the street, and then into traffic. The scene ends with a man from the funeral entering the scene. He looks at Harold and says, “That woman! She took my car!” The scene is obscure and represents the odd relationship that is about to begin with Harold and Maude. Like most young adults, Harold is confused and does not understand how life works. He blends in with the other people at the funeral and does not want attention to be drawn towards him. He is aware of his strange obsession with death and would rather keep it to himself. On the other side of the church is Maude, who does not care if she is seen or heard by anyone at the funeral. She wears a bright green coat and offers licorice to a man she has never met before while people mourn over a deceased body lying in a coffin. The setting is absurd and morbid, but Maude’s eccentric personality and lack of consideration towards the funeral service is endearing. She has no fear of death and just wants to enjoy her life, without caring what people may think of her. When she steals the man’s car and drives off we are left to wonder and wanting to see more of this peculiar character. Although Maude may not fit the average visual depiction of the “manic pixie dream girl” role, she is Harold’s manic pixie dream girl. The large age gap is unconventional, but it demonstrates liking someone because of who they are. The scene shows new beginnings for two misfits. The film Heathers directed by Michael Lehmann was release is a film about a group of popular girls all named Heather. They invite the protagonist, Veronica Sawyer to join their elite clique, but Veronica often disagrees with their views. She befriends an outcast that goes by the nickname “J.D.” who ends up causing a teenager suicide rampage. In one scene of the film, Veronica can no longer tolerate Heather Chandler’s bullying and confesses to J.D that she wants Heather to “puke her guts out.” They go to visit Heather Chandler’s house and J.D convinces Heather to drink drain cleaner by telling her it is a hangover cure. Heather drinks the liquid and it ends up killing her. Veronica is shocked and begins to panic. J.D says they have to frame her death as a suicide and Veronica goes along with his plan and forges a suicide note. Veronica is filled with anxiety and paces around Heather’s room whereas J.D is calm and acts as if they did not accidentally kill a classmate. The film is filled with sharp liners and inspects the thoughts of teenagers. The scene that best represents the inner monologue of high schoolers is when Heather Chandler’s classmates attend her open casket funeral. “Dear God, please don’t ever let this happen to me because I don’t think I can handle suicide. Fast early acceptance into an Ivy League school and please let it be Harvard, amen.” “I prayed for the death of Heather Chandler many times and I felt bad every time I did it, but I kept doing it anyway. Now I know you understood everything. Praise Jesus, Hallelujah.” The scene ends with Veronica looking up at the chapel standing next to Heather’s dead body. “Hi, I’m sorry. Technically I did not kill Heather Chandler, but who am I trying to kid, right? I just want my high school to be a nice place, amen. Did that sound bitchy?” Both scenes represent insecurities and fears many teenagers have through grim and campy humor. In the scene where they kill Heather, Veronica feels guilt, but does not want to be accused of murder or get in trouble for being involved with the death of Heather Chandler. Although she is panicking, Veronica makes the decision to conceal the way her classmate died. Veronica understands the severity of the situation, but only thinks about herself. How is this going to affect her? Adolescents are typically selfish and self-centered, this idea also carries on during Heather Chandler’s open casket scene. As her peers are saying their prayers, all their prayers are about them and not Heather Chandler or the people affected by her death. The film has sharp dialogue that exaggerates how teenagers act. Everything but suicide and death seems more important and each time another student dies it just means another day off or early dismissal from school. Heathers takes a sensitive topic like adolescent suicide and drags it by a thread in order to prove that all these insecurities, fears are not permanent and life is not defined by your youth. The episode “Eddie” in the show Louie also discusses the subject matter of suicide but takes a different approach. The episode begins with Louie doing a stand-up routine and emphasizes the fact he would not be able to live if he had a physical disability. “I only have the courage for a perfect life. Anything below perfect, I ain’t doing it.” After he finishes his stand-up routine an old friend, Eddie shows up and wants to catch up with Louie. Eddie is vulgar, rude and has a strong dislike towards established comedians. Throughout the episode, Eddie and Louie share memories of themselves as young comedians starting out together. Eddie also makes hints about committing suicide, but it is not until they stop in the middle of Brooklyn when they both confront each other. Louie becomes irritated with Eddie’s nihilistic attitude and is about to go home until Eddie confesses he is going to commit suicide. Eddie goes on tell Louie a story about visiting a doctor and the doctor prescribes him pill he does not need and Eddie views it as a sign to end his life. Louie standing in bewilderment is trying to process this information. Louie attempts to convince Eddie not to kill himself, but struggles to find a reason why. Eddie replies with “Oh yes I can—I have a note from a doctor.” They argue back and forth with each other and they are interrupted by a couple who are arguing with each other. They both begin to laugh at the couple. The scene ends with Louie telling Eddie, “I hope you don’t kill yourself,” and they say goodbye to each other. Louie walks away and Eddie gets into his car and drives off. The episode leaves on an open ending and it is not certain if Eddie committed suicide. Although the episode discusses a heavy subject matter and as cynical and apathetic Eddie is he still manages to make jokes about himself and make fun of Louie’s reaction. When they’re interrupted by the couple arguing they laugh realizing that’s how they look like. As a viewer you wonder about Eddie’s decision, but you are also left some peace knowing they said goodbye to each other on a good note. The episode discusses and questions the value or purpose of living. Unlike Louie, Eddie drifts from different cities, lives in his car, and does his stand-up routine in grimy clubs. He does not have a family of his own or any desire to change his lifestyle. Does Eddie’s existence matter if he is not contributing to society or if no one knows about his whereabouts? The episode interrupts a heavy, intense moment between two characters by using a loud distraction to break the moment. As the couple are arguing back and fourth with each other, Eddie and Louie realize their bickering does not matter. The theme of this episode is existential and questions the importance of someone’s existence. In the episode “Mac and Dennis Move to the Suburbs” of the television show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia it displays the loss of sanity one can experience when they are confined to a specific area and daily routines.
In the episode, Frank makes a bet with Mac and Dennis stating if they can live in the suburbs for one month he will pay their rent for a year. Mac and Dennis develop a marriage dynamic living together in the suburbs. Mac’s character portrays a stay-at-home wife and Dennis as the husband who has to drive into the city to go to work. As the days pass by it becomes more difficult to live in a repetitious cycle; completing the same chores, sitting in traffic, and conversing with the neighbors. Dennis buys Mac a dog and Mac decided to name it after Dennis. Although Dennis the dog keeps Mac company it is not enough to make him content with their new suburban …show more content…
lifestyle. During one scene Mac and Dennis are eating the same dinner they have been eating since they moved to the suburbs, otherwise known as “Mac’s Famous Mac ’n Cheese.” They sit across each other and there is noticeable tension between them.
Dennis finally has a burst of outrage, complaining that Mac lazes around the house and cannot complete or do anything correctly. Mac feels that Dennis is not appreciating his work and efforts, like making his “Mac’s Famous Mac ’n Cheese” every night and that he added a special ingredient. Dennis replies with, “Well, yeah I noticed! You put meat hunks in it! Wow!” Mac becomes angry and says, “Well of course Dennis would like Dennis!” Revealing that Dennis the dog died and they were consuming him as a meal. Mac begins to laugh maniacally as Dennis spits out the dog meat from his mouth. The scene ends as Dennis walks away from the table wanting to leave the house.
The episode uses imagery from horror movies, like The Shining and obnoxious dialogue between the two characters in order to emphasize a point. Life can seem like a cycle; living in a confined space, having to sit in traffic, going to work, and then having to sit in traffic again on your way back home. Day-to-day routines can be dull and tedious and it is normal to have emotional and mental health collapse during cyclic routines. The episode dramatizes what most people feel when they feel like they are unable to escape their current situation or way of
being. Dark humor portrays the subtle truths in life. It is rarely, if ever light hearted, dark humor makes us think and question our own moral code, personal ethics, and purpose of existing. Harold and Maude and “Eddie” use dark humor in a muted fashion. Although the age difference between Harold and Maude is uncommon and meeting during a funeral is even more uncommon, both characters are unaffected by their surroundings and their interactions are relaxed and composed. In “Eddie” the episode demonstrates a realistic confrontation of the subject. How does someone react and is their reaction justified? The humor in these two examples are much more quiet than the humor in Heathers and “Mac and Dennis Move to the Suburbs.” Heathers and “Mac and Dennis Move to the Suburbs” are made to be loud expressions, quick-witted liners, and over the top imagery of dark humor. They are morbid, absurd, and exaggerate problems for laughter. Dark humor can be shown in a variety of ways. Although these films and episodes are different from one another, they all share one similarity. They all contain relatable content and they all relate to different aspects of life someone experiences. Dark comedy is able to find humor in the dysfunctional and critical moments of living.
The author illustrates the “dim, rundown apartment complex,” she walks in, hand and hand with her girlfriend. Using the terms “dim,” and “rundown” portrays the apartment complex as an unsafe, unclean environment; such an environment augments the violence the author anticipates. Continuing to develop a perilous backdrop for the narrative, the author describes the night sky “as the perfect glow that surrounded [them] moments before faded into dark blues and blacks, silently watching.” Descriptions of the dark, watching sky expand upon the eerie setting of the apartment complex by using personification to give the sky a looming, ominous quality. Such a foreboding sky, as well as the dingy apartment complex portrayed by the author, amplify the narrator’s fear of violence due to her sexuality and drive her terror throughout the climax of the
It is never told exactly what has caused Lisa Shilling to slip into this state of depression, which helps to make the atmosphere of the novel very mysterious. Just when it appears that Lisa is getting better, another episode occurs. The story is disturbing, being set around Lisa’s school and home. With other characters in the story, such as Lisa’s parents, causing conflicts with Lisa receiving proper treatment, the story is given a disturbing yet realistic feel.
The Film, Harold and Maude, which was released in the year 1971, follows a 20 year old boy, Harold, with a narrow view on life. He spends his time attending funerals of people he does not know and faking suicides in attempts for his mother’s attention. She however finds his actions immature and foolish, thus showing the strain on their relationship. One day however, at a random funeral, Harold meets Maude, a 79 year old women with a zest for life. She is fun-loving and happy at all times. Their friendship grows as Harold’s mother simultaneously tries to find him a wife. Harold soon develops an intimate love for Maude that she reciprocates. Harold’s spirits are lifted and he breaks from his unhappy existence by leaving his mother to marry Maude.
moreover, it shows us that she is like an animal that is trap in a cage suffering from the burden of not enjoying herself. Thus, lashing out at her husband while disregarding the danger she is putting her family through mentally traumatic events. As well as strains on the fact that she is not acknowledging the effects and extent of her addiction. Thus, shutting everyone out and eating herself apart. Therefore, she avoids discussing her issues with her husband on the movement to the city which might help with resolving her issue or lessen the magnitude of the stress she is going through.
She explains to the community that the current cycle that her father and the adults created is not going to work out forever. While under the current cycle, many outsiders snuck their way inside the community and stole money and food. Not only that, the watchers noticed that the thieves carried guns. She mentions to the crowd about her recurring nightmares where she is levitating and flies toward the door of her room.
To start off, first, the narrator thinks that the house her and her husband John are renting for the next three months is haunted or it wouldn’t be as cheap as it is for being such a beautiful place. Another thing is that she unhappy in her marriage. Her husband doesn’t listen to her, tells her she’s wrong and laughs at her. She is feeling very unwell and all he says is she has temporary nervous depression and only tells her to stay in bed and do nothing. The way she describes things is very bleak, dark, depressing. She keeps going back to thoughts of the house being haunted and gets anxious. She becomes angry with John for no reason sometimes and thinks it’s from her ‘nervous condition’. Something the reader may not catch onto when she talks about how she doesn’t like her bedroom is how she took the nursery, so right away, we know she has a baby. She feels trapped with the barred windows and not being able to go anywhere, having to just lay down and look at the most revolting yellow wallpaper shes ever seen. Writing the story alone makes her extremely exhausted and she says that John doesn’t know the extent of her suffering. Eventually, it’s made known that she can’t even go near her own child and it makes her increasingly nervous. She has unwanted thoughts throughout the entire story of the terrifying ugly yellow
Dark humor plays an important role in O’Connor’s novels. Instead of simply stating the character’s cruelty in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” O’Connor chooses to reveal it through the use of dark humor. As the Misfit shoots the grandmother he thinks that she could be a decent person, “if it had been somebody to shoot her every minute of her life”
The narrator makes comments and observations that demonstrate her will to overcome the oppression of the male dominant society. The conflict between her views and those of the society can be seen in the way she interacts physically, mentally, and emotionally with the three most prominent aspects of her life: her husband, John, the yellow wallpaper in her room, and her illness, "temporary nervous depression. " In the end, her illness becomes a method of coping with the injustices forced upon her as a woman. As the reader delves into the narrative, a progression can be seen from the normality the narrator displays early in the passage, to the insanity she demonstrates near the conclusion.
Steve Almond’s “Funny is the New Deep” talks of the role that comedy has in our current society, and most certainly, it plays a huge role here. Namely, through what Almond [Aristotle?] calls the “comic impulse”, we as a people can speak of topics that would otherwise make many of uncomfortable. Almond deems the comic impulse as the most surefire way to keep heavy situations from becoming too foreboding. The comic impulse itself stems from our ability and unconscious need to defend and thus contend with the feeling of tragedy. As such, instead of rather forcing out humor, he implies that humor is something that is not consciously forced out from an author, but instead is more of a subconscious entity, coming out on its own. Almond emphasizes
Ultimately, Ross relies on dark humor to mock the bigotry of everyday occurrences while offering potent social criticism on race relations.
“The practical disengagement of humor…helps explain the opposition between amusement and negative emotions.” (530) There are three effects of humor; irresponsibility, blocking compassion, and promoting prejudice. Humor can take away what we are/should be doing in life and sometimes there isn’t anything wrong with that. Sometimes when we hear a hateful thing we just laugh it off as if it was no big deal when it really was. “An
...f the bad that is going on in her real life, so she would have a happy place to live. With the collapse of her happy place her defense was gone and she had no protection from her insanity anymore. This caused all of her blocked out thoughts to swarm her mind and turn her completely insane. When the doctor found her, he tried to go in and help her. When the doctor finally got in he fainted because he had made so many positive changes with her and was utterly distressed when he found out that it was all for naught. This woman had made a safety net within her mind so that she would not have to deal with the reality of being in an insane asylum, but in the end everything failed and it seems that what she had been protecting herself from finally conquered her. She was then forced to succumb to her breakdown and realize that she was in the insane asylum for the long run.
Under the orders of her husband, the narrator is moved to a house far from society in the country, where she is locked into an upstairs room. This environment serves not as an inspiration for mental health, but as an element of repression. The locked door and barred windows serve to physically restrain her: “the windows are barred for little children, and there are rings and things in the walls.” The narrator is affected not only by the physical restraints but also by being exposed to the room’s yellow wallpaper which is dreadful and fosters only negative creativity. “It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide – plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions.”
If there is one way to bring a smile to someone’s face, it is laughter. Funny jokes, comical stunts, sarcasm- Every person is different when it comes to what makes them laugh. Some find dry humor comical. Others think sarcasm or joke-filled ranting are the best. ‘Comedy’ is such a broad term, broad enough to allow everyone to find something they find comical. In fact, ‘comedy’ includes a specific type of drama, one where the protagonist is joyful and happy endings are expected. Comedy is like a drug; it allows you to escape reality. When we say the word ‘comedy’ in the present, we are generally referring to a type of performance which provides humor. However, in its broadest sense, comedy has only one purpose: comedy makes people smile and
Humor is the tendency to look at things from the mirthful or incongruous side. It is the quality that makes something laughable or amusing. Humor is the ability to perceive, enjoy, or express what is amusing or comical. It is the source of laughter and the catalyst of smiles. Humor is the spark that lights our eyes as well as the cause of tears that never grows old. Humor is a state of mind.