Comedy Techniques and Love & Death (1975)

Why do people laugh?

• Incongruity or Non sequitur. Humans are rational (supposedly) and laugh at anything that breaks a pattern or does not logically follow.
• Farce or physical humor (often pratfalls, slapstick, hurting people, etc.) What doesn't kill us makes us laugh.
• Superiority vs. inferiority (we laugh at those weaker or in a worse situation than us)
• Mistaken identity (using aspects of feeling superior or inferior, when the true identity of a character is revealed, this also includes surprise--so we laugh)
• Absurdity (if it doesn't make sense, and we are logical people, we laugh)
• Surprise: humans may laugh when startled to release adrenaline. It's part of our monkey brain.
• Hyperbole: an exaggeration
• Understatement: Often used at the end of a paragraph or idea, an understatement reverses the importance of the subject matter.

How can writers use these techniques in their writing? Like everything else, choice allows us to skillfully craft our work for a desired effect.

As you watch the film today, please find an example of each type of comedy in the film.

HOMEWORK: Complete your reading of Without Feathers.