LIT 344: Comedy & Satire
SUGGESTED TOPICS FOR THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
Papers may be written on any of the discussion topics or any of the topics listed below.
Students may also write on another topics with prior permission from the instructor.
Discuss the contribution(s) of a particular humorist or comedy writer. What particular 'stamp' did he or she put on humor or comedy in America.
Review the various styles and content of one of the groups listed in the Who's Who [i.e. Comedy teams, Stand-Ups (Women), Stand-Ups (Men), Satirists, Sketch Comics, or Writers.] Include an analysis of the differences between the members of the group, identify the use of archtypes, and trace the origins of their styles.
Review the various styles of comedy, satire, and humor around the world. Compare them to the American style and explain why some 'brands' work in one culture and not another. (Be sure to include specific examples.)
Trace the development of an archetype in American Humor from the list in my notes; work backwards, beginning with an example from today and tracing the origins of that type as far back as possible. Explain how the type developed and evolved.
Compare and contrast The Yankee archetype with The Backwoodsman. How are they similar? What makes the difference between them? Give at least one example of each type in today's comedy.
Rent a satirical film and compare it to the novel, story, or play from which it was adapted, discussing how the works differ, what they have in common, and what comic result was gained or lost in the 'translation. [Click here for a list of such films you can use as a starting point.] The film must be approved by your instructor.
Compare and contrast Dr. Strangelove with other satirical films about war (Duck Soup, Oh What A Lovely War, Wag the Dog, M.A.S.H., Three Kings, Jarhead, Good Morning Viet Nam) and identify what makes the American satire distinctive.
Discuss the role of women humorists or comedy writers in the fabric of the American style of comedy. What contributions have they made? How has their role changed?
Identify at least one African-American, Jew, or Hispanic comedian or writer and trace his or her style to earlier comedians who paved the way for them. (Begin this by defining the role their particular ethnic group played in the development of an American style of humor.)
Identify the current minority groups represented in American comedy today. Discuss the role they currently play in the development of an "American" style of humor
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