LIT 344: Comedy & Satire
Summer 2011 / June 27 to August 21

ASSIGNMENTS

There are three types of assignments for this course: Writing, Reading, and Discussion. The requirements for each of these are described below. As part of the reading, I have also provided my Lecture Notes. These include my personal experiences and knowledge as a supplement to the discussion and writing topics. You are expected to read these as well.

ABOUT THE WRITING ASSIGNMENTS:
There are two writing assignments. The first is due no later than 12:00 Noon, July 17th; the second is due no later than 12:00 Noon, August 12th. The minimum size for each of these is 800 words.

These assignments are research papers. They are not opinion papers. You are expected to take a position on a subject and objectively study it. (See the Course Guide for more about what is and is not acceptable.)

You may write on any of the topic areas covered in the Discussions. When doing so, you are expected to go into depth on the subject. Or you may choose a topic from this [ list of topics.

Writing assignments must be:

  1. Submitted through the Digitial Dropbox. (Do not send them by e-mail unless directed to do so)
  2. Submitted in Microsoft WORD or as an RTF document
  3. In 12 Point, Times Roman type with One Inch (1") margins.
  4. Double-spaced without extra line feeds between paragraphs.
  5. Submitted with the following at the top of each assignment:
    • The title of the paper (NOTE: Do not put quotation marks around the title. The only proper place for quotation marks is around the names of other authors' works.).
    • Your name,
    • The course title (English Literature 344)
    • The instructor's name (Dr. George Wilkerson)
    • The date it is being submitted.
    Additional information about paper requirements can be found in the Course Guide. If you do not understand what any of this means, contact your instructor before submitting the paper.

ABOUT THE READING ASSIGNMENTS:
The reading assignments for each week are indicated as links on the discussion board. These consist of plays, screenplays, essays, articles, and textbook chapters. Video clips (usually via YouTube) also may be listed. [NOTE: Be forewarned; some of the video can be "raunchy"and contain language you might find offensive.]

There are also Lecture Notes. These include my personal experiences and knowledge as a supplement to the discussion and writing topics. You are expected to read these as well.

The textbook (American Humor: A Study of the National Character) is considered a classic in the field of American Humor and puts much of what we'll discuss in a historical context. The author explains the development of American comic archetypes (classic character types that appear repeatedly) and places contemporary humor within the context of the literature of America as a whole. In that regard, you will find it helpful with the writing assignments and discussions. You will not be directly tested on it, but you will be expected to be familiar with it.

All of the reading will be referenced in the discussions and used as a foundation for the writing assignments.

[NOTE: Links to online items often change without notice. If you are unable to 'connect' to any of the linked items, please let me know.]

ABOUT THE DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENTS:
Each week a set of discussion items based on that week's topic will be posted. You are expected to respond to it and/or respond to what others have posted a minimum of THREE TIMES on THREE DIFFERENT DAYS. That means you will need to visit the Blackboard page for the discussion on at least three different days each week. This is the minimum you must do to receive a 'C' for the Discussion grade. The grade is based on the criteria below:

GRADE OF POSTS CONTENT OF POSTS
C 3 A response of at least 25 words reacting to the item or to someone else's post
B 5 At least one response that adds information or new detail to a topic or adds substance to what someone else has posted
A 7 Two or more responses that introduce a new perspective on the topic or challenge someone else's post with new information or a fresh perspective
NOTES

THE TOPICS:
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TOPIC 1: Influences
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American satire and comedy are the result of the influences of people from various parts of the world who migrated and settled here, as well as those already on the continent (Native-Americans) and those who were forced to come (African-Americans). To some extent these groups have retained the unique comedic elements of their own cultures, but they have also contributed to what can be called a distinct American style. The primary goal of this course is to define that style.

Our first objective is to become familiar with the sources of that style. The readings below illustrate just a few of them.
READINGS

LECTURE: What's Old is New

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TOPIC 2: American Archetypes
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An archetype is defined as an original model after which other similar types are patterned. This should not be confused with a stereotype, which is an exact duplicate. A stereotype is exactly the same every time, but an archetype is like an outline; the essence of the character is the same, but the writer fills it in with different elements. The characteristics remain the same, but the character himself or herself is different.

Over time a variety of archetypes have developed in American comedy and humor; they serve as patterns upon which new variations are built. Many of these archetypes were established in the cultures of those presented in the last discussion and transported to America by the immigrant groups. For example, one archetype you might recognize is the uptight and stuffy guy who is a stickler for the rules (originally a British archetype.) He's usually humorless, the humor generally resulting from his/her dismay or outright horror at the antics of the others. This character usually expects (to no avail) that everyone adhere to his or her excessive standards. (Dana Carvey's "Church Lady" from SNL and Felix Unger from "The Odd Couple" are examples.)

I've provided a list of the some of the types in my lecture notes. Once you've completed the readings, using my lecture notes as a starting point, identify examples of archetypes in today's literature, sitcoms, and comedy films.

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TOPIC 3: Mark Twain
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This discussion relies on three essays about Mark Twain. You're also expected to have some knowledge of Twain's work, and Twain's essay The War Prayer. You'll find all of these in the Course Documents area or you can click on the link from here. I've also posted a Lecture on Twain in the Lecture Notes portion of the Course Documents. For the discussion I've posted four separate questions pertaining to Twain's impact on American humor, satire, and comedy. Please be sure you have read the documents before entering the discussions. [Note that you will have to stay within these four threads to participate.] -----------------------------------------
TOPIC 4: Theories of Comedy
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What makes something funny? We can agree on the origins of much American humor, but there remains a debate over what is funny and what is not. Most humor, some would say, loses its 'punch' when scrutinized too closely. (So let's hope we can still laugh when this is all over.) -------------------------------------------------------
TOPIC 5: Minorities and Women in Comedy & Humor
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Historically, the world of comedy has been more accessible for comedians of color and for women only if they 'played by the rules.' There were expectations based on gender, race, and ethnicity. Step out of that expectation and readers and audiences were likely to reject you. Nonetheless, it has been those who dared to 'cross the line' that cleared the way for minorities and women to be themselves and not have to fit the comic stereotypes.

Closely related to the influence of ethnic groups and minorities is the use of dialects and accents. Problems arise in the writing of a dialect or accent. Some writers early on tried to capture accents and dialects, but what they found was that the suggestion of it was preferable to attempting to make it authentic. The humor usually comes from hearing the English language 'butchered' by a non-native speaker. We tend to forget that everyone in early America spoke with an accent.

There are a number of questions in this week's discussion and I have set up individual threads for each of them. Please check the board and respond to the items there. Before you post, though, check out these links: